The New York herald., 1875-12-19
S M A L L P O x.
The Reception Hospital Disregard
of Sanitary Laws.
HOW CASES ARE "DEvELoPED."
Great Need Of Change in the Present System OF
Conveying Patients TO the Island.

l mlsnanagoment Heal
Departments that the disclosure Of one more instance
OF the utter disregard OF all sanitary laws by the
officials OF this Board win in no way surprise tho
public 1t seems strange that officers charged with the
and maintenance OF the public health and the su
i pervison and treatment OF an important class OF
diseases, should establish permit the continuance or
the present system OF collecting and transferring small
pox other forms OF contagious disease from
this city TO Blackwes Island where the hospitals for
/ these affections located
| Between Twenty-sixth and Twentyseventh streets
the East River stands what is known the ssRe-
cepton Hospital, for smallpox patients it being also
used certain for contagious other than
this disease such scaratna measles diphthera &c
for the time OF the transfer OF tho Smallpox Hos
| ptal Blackwell's Island from the control OF
the Commissioners OF Charities and Correction 10 that
Of the Board OF Health OF the arrangements made
that the officials Of the Health Board in return for
the free OF this reception hospita should trans
fer to the Island all OF contagious disease
them by the Commission OF Charities and Correction
Before entering into explanation OF the present
mode Of transferring patients laboring under smallpox
| from their homes to Blackwe's Island will hrst
take glance at the 'hospita provided the recep-
tion OF these at Twenty sixth street.
The building occupied for this purpose is a one-story
frame structure, built piles and by water
connecting with the dock front by small frame bridge
OF sufficient dimensions to permit the smallpox wagon
to enter the building the 'hospltan is divided into
| five compartments-two being used for male and
female reception rooms, apartment for fever
cases. the remaining portion being devoted to the
of the people charge Running the entire length OF
the building is wide passage in which is kept, when
not in service tho horses and wagon used for the
moval Of smallpox cases from their homes TO this
tablishment
examination the surroundings o the shospi-
ta reveals the important that the location
OF the most unhealthy in the city, for Immediately
beneath and around the building is being constantly
deposited all the th and refuse from Bellevue Hospl
tai and the surrounding district the sewers emptying
their contents At this spot. At either side of the
"hospal' and at the loot Of Twenty sixth and Twenty
seventh streets long bukheas have been erected
jecting the river and consequently breaking the
force of the tide at this place and preventing action
OF the river on this accumulation OF filth. A large
amount OF the worst forms Of refuse matter is con-
santly collecting at this place and immediately beneath
and around the hospital and the writer has been in
formed by gentleman who Witnessed the cleaning and
dredging out OF this place that the stuff removed
almost entirely composed Of decomposing animal and
vegetable refuse matter, the smell of which almost
unbearable. IL seems strange that officials charged
with the care OF the public health ana who are sup
posed TO be in some way familiar with sanitary
laws and the effect Of POISONOUS gases and emana-
tons from sewage the lives OF healthy
people, should order the collection of sick and debi-
tated people in building erected this pest hole,
and not alone make this hospital resting place for
contagious cases awaiting transfer TO the Island but
retain these unfortunate people Tor considerable time
IN this establishment Tho present system OF convey
ing OF contagious diseases Blackwells Island
is to wait until full cargo is collected in the receiving
hospital and there Is but one trip a day made at
nve O'Clock in the evening by smallpox boat tho
transfer OF these cases. all patients arriving after that
hour must remain in the hospital until the evening OF
next day. This system OF keeping the sick in this
tablishment for such length OF time AFTER their
| moval from their homes Is outrage every sense
OF decency and humanity.
A patient is removed from his home often in tho
height of his disease and most critical period he
In fha anp aud hfu
receiving hospital" but reaching there finds that
the boat has just left and will not make another trip
twenty your hours. He is then obliged to lie down
| bed and remain in this establishment soaking per-
haps in dirty and disease infected clothes the fol-
lowing evening Strange as it may seem to the public,
tits much easier to obtain passage In OF the
steamers, and these boats often the smallpox
Is claimed that physician Is attached to and in charge
of this establishment, and that patients get as well
taken Of in this place they would the hospital
on the Island. This IS very weak argument for
any familiar with the way patients treated and
cared for in public charities There is responsible
person in charge of this building and admitting that
the people in charge Of the reception 'hosptar
kind and consderate TO the sick such people usually
are still one fact pain that in this building there are
means Of treating these cases. apothccary TO
supply medicines, no provision for cooking This
building was simply constructed for and intended 10 be
waiting house for the boat, and IL
crowd and retain OF contagious disease within
walls
this "hospap may be true to the extent that he
one or perhaps two, visits day Still he is not
attendance during the night consequently the patients
without proper medical supervision and care
for the greater portion OF the time they retained
in this place. and If we even admit which is
not the case that patients In this establishment have
proper medical attendance, the question arises, what
can the physician do when he is unable to place the
patient any regular system OF treatment, for within
twcnty-iour hours his removed from their
beds and obliged TO finish their excursion to the Island
and oftener than imagine, their earthly journey,
this system cannot but greatly diminish PATIENTS
chance OF recovery
Another question that presents itself in connection
with this subject is, What right have the Board of
Health officials to crowd together all kinds OF conta-
,gous disease in buildngy child may be sent to
this establishment sick with measles scarlet fever
and while there contract the worst form Of smallpox;
Tor the plan of dividing the cases and retaining them IN
separate parts OF tho building looks well enough In
theory, but it entirely fails when to put it
In practice, and IL Is question whether the health
officials of this city have the right to endanger the
lives OF large number OF people by bringing them
within the influence OF conagon and Infection, be-
cause q bargain has been made between the two de-
partments OF the city government as to which will
have control OF this hospital service
Cases frequently kept IN this reception 1hospi-
ta for development according TO the statement
made by OF the parties in charge OF the establish
ment This simply means that a case is brought to
the "hospian resembling smallpox, but which the
officials not certain Of and cannot say that 1t Is the
true disease IL may be good many other things So
the is kept in this place to 'develop." Now,
should the not prove the disease looked for how
much chance has the unfortunate .suspect'i OF escap
ing infection and disease surrounded almost con-
stantly Is by patients, some OF them having small
pox and other contagious diseases in their forms9
This plan Of developing at the reception ''hos
ptari practically means u the patient has small
pox will give him every chance to get IT. The
proper place for developing such the hos
pta on the Island, where special should be set
apart for this purpose that patient be found free
from this l0athsome affection he will IN no way be
placed within the focus of contagion.
To prove the indifference Of the powers that be In re-
gard TO the death recovery Of the poor that are
either compelled through poverty or the law TO seek
shelter in the smallpox hospital, the writer has seen
these patients obliged walk In the rain from the boat
landing on Blackwells Island TO the hospital and this
| In the middle OF winter.
Ii may be urged that the Commissioners OF Health
ignorant OF many OF the abuses carried on In the
department which they have control and that they
cannot be held responsible Tor them. In connection
with. this smallpox receiving "hospal' matter no
such excuse can bo offered IL IS well known fact 10
the officials OF the Health Department that smallpox
and other contagious diseases retained In this cs-
adjustment for a considerable time They also know
that the transfer boat makes hut trip In twenty