New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-02
TUESDAY, JUNE ?, ls9l.-TwELvE PAGES.
THREE TREAT HER AND DIE.
A PATIENT WHO is FATAL TO PHYSICIANS.
TRAGIC Condolences AT THE MANHATTAN
EYE AND EAR HosPITAL-A FOURTH
MAN HAS DARED THE FATEs

EYE AND EAR HosPITAL-A FOURTH
MAN HAS DARED THE FATEs.
Here is a story in which fatalists will revel A
woman visits hospital to be treated for catarrh
physician attends her and dies. She stays
away for several months, goes to the hospital
again, and is treated by another physician who
also promptly dies. The patient tries to get
cured at the Institution once more, about year
later, and the third physician who to all ap-
pearances was perfectly well before the woman
came, is found dead in ibis bed the next day
About two years ago, woman whose name
could not be learned yesterday presented herself
at the Manhattan Eye and Ear Hospital, No. O3
Parkave. She was suffering badly from catarrh
and Was placed in the care of Dr. Johnson who had
charge at that time OF Cabinet ID, in which
diseases Of the throat AMI nose are treated. The
patient was attended to and went away. DIR.
johnson died suddenly two days later. Six months
passed before the woman went to the hospital
again to be treated for the same trouble. The
cabinet was then in charge Of DR.. Pond. That
physician did everything possible for her and she
went home. Dr. Pond died within two days, from
heart failure. the attending physician said.
This second death caused some comment in the
hospital, and the physicians would iolSingly tell
anv new member of the staff who hap
better look out if that woman came again. as two
doctors had already died after attending her.
The woman remained away from the hospital
until last Wednesday, when. finding that the old
trouble was again making her miserable. she ap-
piled once more for relief. She said to the clerk
that she feared that the doctors might have some
hesitancv in treating her. her coming before
apparently had some extraordinary connection
with the death of Dr. johnson and DR.. Pond. Her
surmise was wrong, for she was Immediately at
tended by DR.. David Phillips. who had succeeded
Or. Pond in the cabinet, and who was familiar
with the Joke about the two doctors. After
treating the patient DR.. Phillips went home. He
dined with friend and afterward made some pro-
fessional visits He felt ill when he returned
home and went directly to bed He did not get
up at his usual hour the next morning and his
mother. who went to wake him. saw him ap-
parently sleeping peacefully and did not disturb
him. thinking that long sleep would do him
good.
No effort was made to rouse him until the time
came for luncheon. The family then dis
covered TO their horror, that he was dead.
physician was sent for at once, but when he
arrived he said that the doctor had evidently
died in his sleep from heart failure several hours
before.
an excellent throat and specialist and was
a good general physician He had great ability
in diagnosis and always consulted when a
complicated case came in. tie a general IA
vorite for he was blessed with continual flow
of good spirits. A large number of his fellow
physicians attended his funeral which was held
Sunday afternoon at his home, No. 131 East
Eighty-sixth-st. Rabbi AIendez conducted the
religious services, and the burial was in Cypress
Hills Cemetery.
The officers Of the hospital were reticent yes
terlay, and while admitting that the story was
true Indignantly denied that The Fatal Patient"
was written opposite the woman's name in the
register of the institution, reported in a
newspaper Yesterday. They also stamped as false
the statement that if the woman should ever again
present herself at the hospital for treatment she
would be sent to some other institution. In
refutatiOn of this charge, they declared that the
woman had been at the hospital short time
before the Tribune reporter arrived, and chat she
had been treated without question. They refused
to give her name, however nor would they tell
who had operated upon her. They agreed that it
certainly extraordinary affair, but rdicnled
the idea Of any of the physicians being so super
stitious as 10 refuse TO treat the patient The
Park-ave., had succeeded Dr. Phillips in Cabinet
ID, was denied yesterday, it being said that the
vacancy had not been filled.
II now remains to be seen whether the courage
ous surgeon who attended the patient yesterday
intends to die Immediately and so to enable the
sick woman to add another To the list of her
victims.