The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-02
SUMNER IN THE TENEM ENTS.
A MORNING Round UIIH THE DOCT0R
THR0UGH MULBERRY STREET.
Sick and Dying Children Packed In Close,
Foui Rooms Prescribing for the Babies
and Giving Advice TO wearied Mothers.

Among the districts, covering the whole
city which the Board OF Health looks after
every day. the one included between Walker
and Worth streets. and between Broadway and
the Bowery. Is notable. This district takes in n
part OF the ancicntly unsavory section OF the
Five Points. 1t does not cover n largo area. but
its houses are built into the sky. and its inhab-
itants. especially in this hot weather swarm in
the streets by thousands. DR.. Grnnhut OF Abing-
don square. whom the Board Of Health has mp
pointed to look after it. has plenty on his
hands SUN reporter during one OF the hot
days OF last week. accompanied DIR. Grnnhut on
his rounds. for tho purpose OF seeing what tho
district and its inhabitants were like.
This IL Mulberry street." DR.. Grnnhut said.
rs he turned out OF Canal. 1t was little before
midday. and the latter street was almost desert
ed The fierce rays Of the sun streamed down
into II numbered. Its warm pavements glis-
tened. and you could see the air dancing with
the heat for the space of three feet above them.
It's iron tracks beaten and polished. ran along
It like strcaks OF fire. Tho narrow. crescent
shaped lane into which Mulberry street merges
at this point was smmering but no sunshine
got down into It. even by dint OF hard strug-
Cling. for tho walls were too high and the way
was too narrow. The atmosphere. neverthe-
less. was close and sitting. as If the breath OF
srocco had Just passed through. Tho shade
did not seem good. but rather an evil mas
much as there was nothing TO compensate for
the absence OF light and even under its shad-
ows the street lay no cooler You wished. hot
rs II was. that the power Of the sun would pour
in. IL only to eat up the muggy vapors and the
ill-smelling steams that seemed thick unto
tangibity as they rolled along the filthy cutters
and above the cobble stones. Uttered with every
kind OF evil refuse In this street the fronts Of the
houses lifted up so high that you had to crane
your neck ut painful angle to get look at the
copngs, and when these were reached. the
structural maze did not end. for upon the roofs
roso n forest OF picket fences. which the inhab-
itants had utilized for clothes posts. and the
long points OF which now appeared surmounted
by thousand sprawling articles of underwear.
baked stiff and crisp by the sun hours before.
Each house was pierced full Of narrow win
dows. like a castle or man-oi-war. and II
seemed as though all the people who could pos
sibly be packed nthe houses were hanging out
OF these windows. or sitting on the door steps
or on the curbings in front: but this seeming
was deceptive. as you saw later.
The baby Mcnamara was sick. and the Doc
tor turned in TO visit him. He lived up one
flight OF stairs. front. in one Of the tall houses
filled with windows. The elder Mcnamara
was well-to-do. estimating by the Mulberry
street standard and the same good fortune that
permitted him the amenities OF single flight
and a front view. heaped further its bounties
upon him by allotting to him as his share two
OF the windows in question. Nor did fortune
quit her favors abruptly here. Mr.. Mcnamara
was blessed with the liberal living space OF two
apartments The way leading up 10 these had
the merit OF being straight. II was not so clean
but that little clouds OF dust arose every time
od set down 59Ir So5 IN yo X
both walls with your elbows NJ the same time.
number of children who were not so sick as
the baby Macnamara Uttered the floor. but they
were small. and you could step over them
without much difficulty. An open door allow;
penss 81 the Macnamaarfas we're Just IA, az ne
months old and had set OF five or six magnif-
cent teeth. his mother had never weaned him.
small bones were far from being as hard as
they should have been. Mrs. Mcnamara was
walking up and down with him. and he sat in
the, crook OF her elbow; tak,,ng such air and
such comfort rs he might Windows and door
were open. but the ventilation mat they anorded
stove of OF which the male parent Mcnamara
had Just got bowl OF beef soup The Doctor
took chair and mopped his face vigorously.
while three younger members Of the family
clustered in the vicinity of his knees and ate
Mrs. Mscnamara," the Doctor said I told
you Yesterday that when Heaven put teeth in a
baby's mouth. its intentions were unmistaka-
BILE, and that IL was high time for the baby 10 be
biting other things than its mother. / told you
that It did not matter whether babies in ireland
they were ten years old. inasmuch as climatic
conditions in that country might warrant an
infant in living on milk. even when he was
qualified, through the possession of a number
oil teeth to bite oatmeal and roast beef; but that
in AMERICA the Injunction was positive, that 50
the baby should begin TO chew You follow me.
Mrs ~ Mcnamara now. how is the baby to-
"Bless the Lord. Doctor. he's better. and I'd
no idea the little devil could bite as he does
But its the little gprrl that is deathly sick this
x girl seven years old, thin and shadowy.
like the stalk upon which beans grow. rose out
OF the bed in the back room and came forward.
uncombed and barefooted. under the eye OF the
doctor. She whimpered and the tears ran out
OF her eyes rs she perched herself with DIM
Guilty in high wooden chair.
She cries aloud, Doctor. wild the pains in
Does she wear shoes and stockings when
Indeed and she does"
that she goes without Undertaking. and that
she sits about on the curb stones. both in the
daytime and after the sun has gone down. Do
you sit on the sidewalk after dark :" the Doctor
asked as he took one Of the bare feet carefully
Yes. sir" she whimpered
And does that hurt you?" He moved the
joints at the ankle and the knee.
You must tell me II it hurts"
Tel the Doctor the trut'. Mary Ann" said
MRS. MhcndHhrh.
yves. sir" the child blubbered. as she let
two big tears roll down her cheeks.
Can you give me a clean towel. Mrs. Mac
namara2 Never mind" the Doctor continued.
when an article that was not spotless was forth.
coming. He tossed it on the table. This will
do" and whipping out his own stainless pocket
handkerchief. the Doctor spread II over the
ohild's breast aud laid his ear upon it,.
when the girl first complained. Mrs. Mac
namara" the Doctor said. lifting h IS head. you
should have gone at once to the dispensary or
You should have sent for me. If You had sent
for me should have come at once and consid-
cred II no favor. innsmuch MS am paid by the
Board OF Health Tor attending 10 Mary Ann. II
the child had been seen at once all this could
have been avoided. but now the rheumatism
TINT she has has got about the heart. You have
given her castor OIL Mrs. Mcnamara because
the neighbors told you 10. and thai was wrong.
You wouldn't eat because you wero thirsty,
Mrs. Macnhnara, aud you wouldn't drink be-
cause you were hungry; 50 the next time you
have child taken sick send for me. AMI never
mind the neighbors, except when YOU see one
about taxing "A dose Of castor oil. TO send him to
me too. Put mattress there under the further
window Tor Mary Ann. and keep the window
closed. cX"pt Tor the space OF n foot Mt the top.
Take all these clothes oil tine gir. and let her lie
between ~ pair OF blankets Keep cloths wet
with cold water on the Joints that she says hurt
her. and dip the cloths frequently. 50 that they
will always remain fresh and cool. Take this