The New York herald., 1876-09-03
BRooKLYN's YELLOW FEVER CASE.

INVESTIGATION BEFORE THE BOARD OF HEALTH
WAS THE ATTENDING PHYSICIAN IN FAULT p
AN INTERESTING SANITARY CONTROVERSY.
Yesterday afternoon special SESSION OF tho Brook
lyn Board OF Health was held ut Sanitary Headquar-
for tho purpose OF Investigating tho circumstances
attending tho recent fatal of yellow fever at No.
II Cranberry street Dr. L. johnson, Il will be
membered was the attending physician, and Inscribed
the cause OF death 10 "magnant bilious fcvcr." and
Dr. Oterson President OF the Board OF Health granted
the burial permit giving the Of death biious
fever" DR. Johnson charged with giving a false
certificate Of death. general denial OF tho charges
against HIM made by DR.. Johnson, and he wished
to know whoron ho had violated tho law. DIR.
Otterson said that Mr. Johnson's certi6-
cate gave as tho cause OF death 'magnant
bilious fever und that tho next day he gave another
certificate ascribna the of death yellow fever.
Dr. Uttcrsnn then wished the records produced This
was done. whom Dr. johnson claimed that tho ccrtl.
cate had been mutiatcd aud that those had done
It had been guilty Of mlsdcmcanor. Hc said that
some one had added the words "Ycllow jack" The
words "Ycllow Jack, Dr. Stewart said, had merely
been placed the certificate with red pencil that
there would be less trouble in asserting the certificates
A clerk had added tho words merely Tor the sake Of
facilitating the work the otcc, Dr. Ottcrson SAID.
and he assured Dr. johnson that thsro had been
tcntion 10 mu,ate tho certificate DR.. johnson still
declared that the record had been mutatcd and tho
law broken To support his statement that malig-
nant bilious fever merely another name
for yellow fever DR.. Johnson quoted Dr.
Alonzo Clark. and said that DIR. Otterson ig-
noraut OF technical terms, and he should hold
Inn responsible Tor such ignorance Dr. Johnson also
quoted "Aitkns Science and Practice of Medicine" f"
'Fhnrs Practice Of Medicine" ana "Dungison Mcdi.
ca Dictionary" his authority Tor stating malignant
bilious lever to be yellow fever. He protested that he
did fasiiy tue certificate II any fasilcd the
Health Officer did Dr. Johnson then showed that Dr.
Otterson's burial permit mentioned tho Gauge death
as bilious tever' and 'malignant bilious ievor"
and that In his communication to the NEW YoRK
HERALD he used the word ..maI,gnant" Dr. John.
further SAID that when he used tho proper mcdIca
terms the Health Olicer did not understand them.
That he hrst knew IL was yellow fever SaIur
and did report tho death certificate winch
came 10 Dr. Ottersons hands.
Dir. orrkRsON SAID
that the only question upon tho return Of tho
tincatc which stated the cause OF death. lie stated
that tho reason Dr. Atkinson could find health of-
cial because the Health ONCE closed nJon
Sundays. SO tar as authorities concerned he
could bring volumes TO prove that the medical profcs.
calls yellow lever PLAIN yellow fever and that Dr.
johnson, when he personally reported the case ro-
ported II rs 'yclow fever, " und all this discussion
would have been stopped had he simply stated on tho
certificate that It was yellow lever Dr. johnson, ho
sud- tried to get out oi tho charge by stating that tho
terms wero synonymous None Of the authorities ho
Stated gave any special names to the disease II
claimed by Dr. Otterson that ho could bring many
authorities tho other side AS Dr. johnson had his
Dr. johnson admitted that no could II was stated by
Dr. Griffith that IN tho south yellow fever only
known yellow fever, and It not considered TO be
OF the same class tnaarial levers. Dr. Ottcrson
SAID the terms were all open questions Dr. Atwood
thought the proper crm Tor the case Dr. Johnson
ported was yellow fever. General Jourdan wished 10
know what the general ncccpution among tho medical
fraternity OF tho term "m maignant bilious fevcr'
After examining the certificate Health Ofcer Jones
SAID he shoui have taken II to moan 0f yellow
fever. Dr. Nicholas Pike, formerly United
States Consul at Maurtius, insisted that
IL meant yellow fever DR.. Atkinson should have
cd np farfn I'm Mt In baSo
disease Dr. Stone said he should certainly
have regarded the OF yellow fever by the
certificate. Dr. whitney mad never attended n
yellow lever; but II he had been Health Oiiccr
such certificate he should have investigated
the case, the word malignant would surely have
aroused his SUSPICIOUS. Dr. Mullen SAID every ply.
sician should wrto down yellow fcvor' on permit
II It n yellow lever lie did not think he
would give burial permit on such certificate, unesa
he was well acquainted with tho physician.
The Board then retired but their decision will not
be announced until ncxi tuesday.