Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-02-08
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
7 Correspondence Of The Riehmond Enqu'rer
New YORK, February 4, 1859.

death. soon after having undergone the pecu
liar treatment practiced by DR.. Green OF thi
city has continued to excite much discussion
among medical men. The subject has bee
nm twice before the Academy Of Medicine, an
full reports heard from Drs. Mott and Beales
who attended the diseased, and made a post
mortem examination of the throat and lungs
The opinion of the latter gentleman was un
favorable to the results of DIR. Green's treat
ment. and DR.. Mott has gone so far MS to stat
his belief that young Whitncy's death was &C
CELEBRATED by the use Of the probang. Dr.
Motifs words, in his remarks before the acade
nv of Medicine were, Us follows: lie said, II
conclusion, Il regret that more is called for
and that | all compelled to give my opinion
also. which is, from the best Of my belief, tina
Mr.. S. s. Whitney died in consequence of tn
treatment to which he had been subjected pre-
yious TO the attendance Of DIR. Bcales and my
self" lie also produced q certificate signed b.
Mr.. Stephen Whitney, Sr., and the members O
the family, expressive Of the fullest confidenc
in the treatment Of Drs. Mott and Beales, ant
stating that they did not desire that DIR. Greer
should be called in during the last illness 0
the deceased. DR.. Mott in his remarks stated
that he had been fifty-three years engaged in tn
profession, and for the most Of the time in the dis
charge of the duties Of surgery and as a teach
or. which, he claimed, should entitle his state
ments to the confidence Of the public undo!
whose eye, and in whose service his profession
al life had been spent.
DIR. Green, in his defence, made an able ant
ingenious reply. lie adduced a large number
of medical authorities, both in this country ane
in Europe, which endorsed his treatment o
the diseases of the air passages, and particu
larly Of the upper part of the trachla and fan
ces, by the application Of solutions OF nitrate o
silver or lunar caustic. \ statement Of DR.
Conant was also read, in which he had expert
mentcd with tubes and probangs, such as DIR
Green uses, on the trachia Tor windpipe) ant
bronchia of diseased subjects, and was unable
in anv case, by any ordinary force the instru
mentS would bear, to produce q lesion oil thelI
lining membranes. In one case he tied n liga'
ture around tho air passage to arrest the pro
bang, and was still unable to produce a lesion
From all that could be gathered, it would seem
that. in certain constitutions and forms OF dis
ease, the application Of the nitrate of silver, in
the form practiced by DR.. Green, has not only
been harmless but beneficial, while there are,
no doubt, irritable constitutions and forms Of
disease in which tho probang and catheter
would prove highly injurious. Certain inha'
lations will produce violent coughing in one
person, while another individual will remain
unaffected by them. One person punctures the
finger with a splinter or thorn, and dies OF
lock-jaw; another may be pierced frequently
with similar substances, and only suffer local
inconvenience.
The discussion at the Academy of Medicine
was long and animated, and both students and
medical men were warmly arrayed against each
other. The result Of the whole was disposed
Of by the majority of the members Of the :Aca,
denny present, by the adoption of the following
preamble and resolution, which puts an end to
the question, so far as the institution is con-
ccrned
Whereas, various statements by the public press
have reflected on the reputation OF Drs. Green. Mott
and Beales ~ having conduced by their treatment TO
the death Of Mr. Whitney therefore,
Resolved, Tint the Academy of Medicine, after II
fall examination OF the reports in tho case. and the
post mortem examination, do consider that his death
was in no wise the consequence Of any improper
but was IN unavoidable result OF u com
plication Of diseases.
An elaborate and interesting report on the
sanitary condition of New York has just been
made to the Legislature of this State, by a
committee of the Senate appointed at its pre-
vious session. This committee visited the city
last autumn, and went very fully into the sani'
tary Investigations and sanitary measures, as
they are so imperfectly administered They
held daily sessions at the City Hall, and heard
the testimony and statements Of about % per-
sons familiar with sanitary affairs, 90 of whom
were medical men Of standing and influence.
They also visited many quarters OF the city,
mostly densely crowded by tenement houses,
where people and families were living in every
room, without proper ventilation or clcanll.
ness, and where cholera, scarlet-fever and
other contagious diseases, are sure to find a due
share Of victims.
The Committee give statistics to show that
the mortality of the city, in proportion to the
population, is constantly on the increase. They
give facts, showing the difference between the
most unhealthy and healthy wards of the city.
In the lst Ward, there was, in 1857, one dealt
IN every 81 persons. In the 9th Ward, con
tanning the Five Points, there was oae death in
20. so; while in the 18th Ward, which en-
braces the lower part Of Fifth Avenue to Wash
ington Square, the New York Hotel, &c, there
was only one death in 69.6S. This Ward is
one of the most wealthy and clearly in the
city. The Committee state that, during the
past ten years, the mortality in London has
been ! in 40. In 1856, it was l in 40. lr
Philadelphia, in the same year, it was l in
44.O5. In Providence, R.. ], l in 56.07 in 1851
and, in 1858, ! in so. And in Boston ! in 40
In New York, in 1910, it was | in 46.4o.-
The mortality from this time, gradually in
creased, until, in 1850, it reached l in SO. In
1854, it was l in Q 2.05. In 1855, l in 1913
In 1856, l in 1857; and in 1857, | in 2T.l5:
The Committee submitted the following table
of the mortality of different European cities
which shows their sanitary condition to b'
better than that of New York: