The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-15

Fearful Death Rate Mt the Infant Hospital
Founding Hospital Dcmnnded-Whnt n
Member of the New York County Medical
Society Thinks Of His Associates.
NEW YORK, Oct. 13 1868.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD
An important meeting Of the New York County
Medical Society was held last evening, as will be
seen by reference to the columns Of the NEW YORK
HERALD OF thus morning, to discuss paper which
had been read before it at previous needing by DR..
stephen Rogers on the fearful mortality OF infants
which prevailed in our city the last summer and
which now prevails in our Infant Hospital which Is
ut the rate Of seventy deaths to every loo infants who
enter it, This subject Is OF vastly more Importance
than any other that can or should engage the atteH-
ton OF the public. OF the phanthropist and espe-
cally of the medical profession at this time.
The county society il composed Of the most ex-
perenced and best qualified physicians in the city.
The meeting was the largest that has been held
during the year past. The paper to be discussed
was on the most important subject that could be
brought before It; i suggested several very i'm.
life in our city other than those which now gen.
orally in use, and IL was reasonably expected that
these remedies would be discussed, and that the
society would, II IL approved Of their give TO
them It's high sanction and commentator, and II
1t did not approve OF tnem TO say so publicly.
A member or the society, believing such TO be the
object ana purpose OF the meeting, offered series OF
resolutions designed to bring out the opinion OF his
associates on the several remedies ggested and
facts assumed in the paper before 1t, and referred
the subject OF the present fearful mortality IN the
Infant Hospital and the establishment of founding
hospital In our City similar to those In the large E
ropean cities committee TO report on at the next
meeting of the society.
These resolutions were Immediately aud without
any reason therefor being assigned laid upon the
the table, and alter a lew desultory and somewhat
personal remarks were made By few members,
during which a member connected with the Board
OF Realth asserted that certain paper In regard to
the diet OF infants. which had been published and
was supposed BY the pubic and by physicians gene
rally to nave been unauthorized and sanctioned by the
Beard Of Health, had never been so authorized OF
sanctioned. aud that certain other statement said
TO have been made by tie president OF the Board OF
Health that the eating OF the meat or beeyes affected
with the cattle diseasei had caused an increase OF
eighty-nine the ordinary death rate In the city
during the third week in August, had not been made,
the society adjourned without considering any reso-
luton or taxing any action upon this most import
ant subject.
II win thus be seen that IL the city of New York Is
ever 10 be relieved OF its present fearful infant
tally and Ii 1t TO be blessed with Founding
Hospital, we must look To some other association OK
benevolent and humane men than the New York
County Medical Society for guidance. direction and
leadership In these most important enterprises win
not phllanthropst some lover OF the thousands
OF infants our city, who are exposed to such fear.
ful mortality and who are dying by hundreds daily,
cal y meeting ut the Cooper institute Immediately
ia Irauglrute measures FOR their rciafe *.