The New York herald., 1875-06-09
DISBECKER'S DOCTORS.
Three Of Them Repudiate Henry's
Whitewashing Report.
THOMAS, WALKER AND FETTER.
They More than Confirm the
Herald's Exposures.
Founding a City on Dead Cats,
Dead Dogs and Garbage.
DOCTORS IN THEIR OWN DEFENCE.

DOCTORS IN Helix OWN EFENCE.
Tho meeting OF the Board OF Police yesterday
was looked forward to by the people Interested
in the abatement OF the garbage nuisance with
great interest as the announcement had been
made that the Board would likely receive sup
Elementary reports from all the police surgeons
who, on The 29tn May, sent to the Board rose
colored report eulogstic oil the material with
which the Harlem rats Is being filled In. 1t VIII
be recoected that this report, which was made
by q committee OF siS, consisting OF N. Fl. Henry.
unef Surgeon, and Drs. E. Leroy Satterlee,
Stephen G. Cook, Charles Phelps Charles H. Wade
INA william varlan, was concurred in by the fol-
lowing surgeons, VINO signed 1t as concurrng.
without having made personal inspection VIZ. -
John IL. Dom, Kenneth Mcclellan, Hans Powell,
George Stemert, 7. NJ. Mcdonald, B. w.
Mcleod, W. IL. Ensign S. Waterman, F. NJ. Purroy,
F. A. Thomas. Hamilton walker and D. F, Fetter.
Dr. Fetter having expressed TO General Smith
his disapproyal OF tho conclusions arrived ar, and
having before full Board, subsequently held,
asserted that undue Influences were used TO
Secure tie whitewashing report above referred
TO- a resolution was passed asking the entire
Board or Surgeons TO visit the scene OF the nuis-
ance and make separate written reports. When
the Board were yesterday OH the eve Of adjourn
ing Mr. Voornis asked Chief Clerk Hawey II there
were not some other communications TO be pre-
sented. Mr. Hawley presented reports from two
surgeons. IL was then suggested that others
must be In the building, and Mr.. Hawley retired
and secured ten additional reports, which were
read IN o2en session. AS no reports were pre-
senteo by Or. Henry (wno sat behind Clerk Haw-
ley) and Surgeons Mcleod, McLay, WADE. F.
Waterman Purroy and yarian, on motion the re-
ports were laid on the table, the mover OF the
resolution (Mr. VoorhisJ assigning as reason
tnat they would take them all up together and
consider them. The following are the reports
sead:-
REPORT OF DR. +. A. THOMAS.
NEW YORK, June s, 1875
TO the HONORABLE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF
TEE POLICE DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF NEW
York;
GENTLEMES-I avail myself OF your invitation TO
express my views as TO what, in my Judgment,
may be regarded proper solution OF the problem
OF Adequately abating the nuisance known as the
Harlem nats.
Reelection convinces me that the system so long
In vogue and still being pursued by our municipal
authorities for reclaimlng sunken and marshy
portions or the city is founded on unscIentinc
principles detrimental TO health and not in
harmony with sound rules Of economy. No doubt
this system is pursued with as little annoyance to
the ollactories or tae public as compatible with
the system Itself; but 1t is the same system which
has left us as legacy many unhealthy sections
Of our city, now densely populated and constantly
requiring much expensive attention by the
Health Department. II may be urged, as has
been done In this most recent case that the bulk
Of the inhabitants OF the sections referred to
enjoy very generally good health. The same
might be urged, ana with more truthfulness, OF
the aborers IN he rice swamps OF the south or
oftne natives OF the junges of tropical Africa,
which proved so fatal 10 the great explorer.
Dr. Llylngst ne. waen MS unfailng antldote-
qulnine--Decane exhausted.
These nats. reaching rom Ninety-second street
10 1lOtn street, originally extended IN an lrregu-
lar line IS far west as sixth avenue. Inc
northeasterly section OF the Central PARK once a
portion OF tins marsn. properly reclaimed by
the simple method OF nllinR it In WITH clear. pare
loan aud SAND. and serves to-day as model Tor
ariificaliy covered with unwhoesome street
reuse. Like all low lands, occasionally over
flowed 10y ilGe water the nats during warm
weather 10 their natural condition
EMIT ExCEEDISGLY UNPLEASANT oDoRs.
Az an instance may point to The low lanus ex-
tending ABOUT haf mile back from The junction
ol Eisntn avenue WITH the Harlem river
Second avenue UIsected the Harlem nats leaving
two or tnree inadequate o1tleIs for the cob ana
now of nc quickly succeeding tides or Hell Gate.
Tnis caused the westerly portion OF these nats 10
become mucn more subject 20 the accumulation or
staguant a-d nlthy wa,ef-a condition wnlcn tue
subsequent grazing OF lateral streets tended
greatly 10 augment The onended nostrils OF the
whole nelgn6ornood finally forced the pubic au-
tnOrities 20 attempt a remedy, the execution OF
winch duriug the past two or three years, attended
rs 1t appears 10 nave Deen witn the dumping OF
street refuse and, IN many cases surrep-
ttlously, of large masses OF actual garbage,
has brought apouS the present excitement IL
seems 10 be indtsputaDle that with the Alternating
winds large area OF the cIiy within a radius OF
q mile ana half Is afflicted with one Of
THE MOST Ds1EsTABLE or ALL DOORS.
that arising from decomposlng organic matter
diluted wita impure sea water. Tue oilge water
ol ship ennis q familiar sample Of tlis odOr; an
otner IL that experienced on vessels at low tide
laying near the outlets OF street sewers.
Tnat TINS weait tny metropolis snould have allowed
mnNu a n q
seems almost incomprehensible especially
when II is considered tnat all the lead.
OF the cIty-the sound steamers, the second ana
Tnrd avenue rairoacs the New York Gen.
nortnerly part OF our beautiful Park ITSELF
more or less subjected TO TINS offensive stencil,
wnicn | have hesitation Ia pronouncinR
outrage on simple decency--one, too, from
which there seems 70 be no prospect Of relief IN
the immediate luture; for wucn the Instructions
at Hell Gate sha become removed next year rms
whole section OF organic deposit Will, no doubt,
soon thereafter be subjected 10 upheayal by Tea-
Boa OF the construction Of DOCKS and warehouses
necessitated by tne expected radical change In
the cnanncis OF commerce. The experience u the
past unen suuken portions of the CITY
have been filed IN with impure material
such as the old Llspenard meadows, the
fats east OF Iompkins square, the ponds
OF the sixth wa q on which the Tombs now
stands and many other distrlcts--shouid IN my
Judgment. serve as warning 10 the authorities
against lurther action OF the KIND.
THE FINEST AND HEALTHEsr SECTION or BOSTON,
stands on lana originally IN the same con-
ditnn as the Harlem nats. Her enferprising
citIzens, however. were too shrewd TO IN IN their
low Iands with the refuse OF streets. a few years
ago the banks OF The River Thames, becoming cx-
ceedingiY offensive by reason OF foul odors were
transformed by the authorities OF London, at an
expense OF several millions, from pest bed into
a beautiful pleasure garden. 1his was accom-
plishcd by proper system 0f filing, the cOnstruc
tion oI massive embankments over the accumu-
Ia;ed nlih and splendid system OF deep sewer
age. Even In decrepld Italy around Rome Itself,
standing IN the feyer-strlcken valley OF the llDer,
enwrapt IN the deadly mlasma OF the Campagna,
so famous among sanitarlans az the most I'M
healthy tract IN temperate cltmcs-eyen TINS
country, IN us mrc OF financial dimculty IS ac-
tiveiy moving 20 abate Its great eyI OF fostering
marshes. m view Ot
THE ENoRMIIY or THE EVIL ~ QUESTION.
beg leave 70 suggest u simple remedy. Let tae
Board oi hellth exercise the cNtraOrotnarY pow
crs winch they possess OF dealing vigorously Win
pupnc nuisanccs whenever the health OF anY por-
IiCh oi tle ciiy 1, seriously imperlled. lhe NUS
nnee IN question presents sucI ! case. What,
therefore, should be done Let them procure a
suHiclent qudntity Of coal Ia or any otner pow
erlul dsiuiectant and thoroughly 80 ufatc the