New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-04
NEW YORK HEALTH MEASURES.

| ISOLATION OF SMALLPOX INFECTION.
| ASSISTANT SANITARY SUPERINTENDENT JAMES, RE-
POET UPON HE RIVERSIDE HOsPITAL-C0NiARi-
TIVE MORTALITY or SMALLPOX IN HOSPITAL
| AND II PRIVATE PRACTICE.
| The direct charge of the Riverside Hospital
for the reception Of persons afflicted with smallpox
since this institution has been under the control Oh tne
Board Of Health been vested in Assistant sanitary
Superintendent James who has just made report ~ the
eonditjon OF the hospital and its inmates. lie says
that the accommodations for small pox patients consist OF
Reception Hospital the foOtof East Twenty -iNtst,
where they cared for while waiting for the bOat 10
convey them BlackN ellis Island stone building at
the south end of Backwels Island, In which there Is
room for 81 beds Including those occupied by the
nurses and ATTENDANTS and the wooden payilions one
having "a capacity for 81, and the other for so beds
There made altogether comfortable provision TOT l'o
patients over 200 patients have been in the hospital at
one time but this number crowds the institution too
much for the comfort or safety of the inmates.
When d. James took charge Of the hospital on Jan ~,
1870 it WAS decided reOrganize the entire manage
mrnt and place the institution upon good footing as
the limited means allowed would permit Extensive re-
pairs were found be necessary considerable part
OF the carpenters work had become worn out OF was de
ccve The dead house was not large enough ana the
first sight that net eye OF the patients as they landed
from the boat pile OF collins on the wharf Ihis
was considered 10 lie too painfully suggestive OF the man
ner in which OF them might quit TIE lsiahd'
The dead enlarged at expense OF l62, CIV
ing ample for the storage Of cofus until needed
An inspection OF the hospital buildings showed that win
dow sashcs and cords out OF order, ho0rs were
broken doors and stairs needed repairing sheds and
weather doors were wanted for the lions, and large
amount Of furniture aud household goods was required
These matters have been attended to, and the institution
has been fitted up with every necessary appliance
The hospital il under immediate control OF resident
PHYSICIAN whose entire time is devoted to its Interests
ara one
laborers The domestic department. including the
nursery conducted by Sisters OF Charity, OF whom
there arc seven in the institution. The work Is care
| fully systematized. The religious interests OF
the patients are provided for by the ser
| vices Of Roman Catholic and Protestant
CHAPLAIN The ordinary hospital diet is furnished by
contract from the Charity Hospital while the extra diet
and food the attendants and Servants IL supplied
| the patients consists of eggs, milk, beeftea. beet
steak whisky In the OF cgS-Dogg milk punch.
rcs aploe, etc Those patients Who may prefer il,
can have separate board b. the payment OF - week
All the money thus paid Is expended for supplies no
profit accrng any hut articles not needed by the
boares added to the General store or te use OF All,
thus contributing somewhat toward reducing the current
good deal of discussion has arisen in regard TO the
pita and in private praellce many svns IN
disease much mider type than now prevails a. aTgu
in favor Of their Patients being treated at their
ton as far practicable Dr. James has collected an
account OF the cases treated at home during the past
ported after the deaths of the, patients cases
| Of patients who have absconded and concealed
BUREAU after recovery, amounting in al to pos OF these
there were I46 deaths 4s9 per cent During the year
in Chicago ILL., and Of this number 49, or 253 per cent
died. During the same time lsl0 persons were treated
for pox at their home; IN that ciIy ana OF ths
number TO- % per cent died in 1873 the percent
a. ~ mortality from smallpox IN the same city was -
m the no, pal and 3O6 in private practice In Cincinnati
the percentage OF mortality from smallpox for the year
ending Feb 20 1872, 22i III the hospital and 20 in
private practice. In each Of these cities the disease was
not complicated frequently with pneumonia as has
Ueallh and OF this number 1879 died. percentage of
3l3 per The percentage of hospital mortality in
| Philadelphia IN 1871 aud 1872 was 3l25, In
comparing hospital mortality with that OF private
| practice many cases are included III the former
that properly belong the latter This II illustrated
by the that oL patients nave died admission 10
the Riverside Hospital eight have died II hours after
admission, and IG within ~ hours after admission.
that had been concealed and treated AT
home until death was inevitable Then the phy icisu
friends, prevent the annoyance OF coroners inquest
where there medical attendance would report the
physician to ask that ms patient might be per
| United to remain at home for Treatment, promising
10 assume al spOusibiy III regard 10 quarantine ald
dsIncctUn and IN week or ten days a"l"ald TO de-
mand "a removal the patient Ia the hospital, that the
ian mi st be relieved from the necessity OF signing
the death certificate. All these cases properly belong TO
the mortality private practice and II they elm
mated fom the hospital rcuIds would mat, rally reduce
the dcatlrato chag, able that Institution. II THESE
cases were dcdu,tcd the hospital noltailiy "Ouh be
reduced from ia to 23.l per cent.
During the warm weathet hospital tents have been
erected on BaokWrs Island, and the patients treated IN
| them have advanced rapidly toward favorable con
yalescencc. physician l. constantly On duty ~ the
Reception Hospital, at the foot ~ East Twentysi xts
py stefan also attends patients upon the boat during
the transit to Blatkwcls Island and does not leave
they delivered into the charge Of the resi-
dent ply stefan ~ the Riverside Hospital.