New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-10
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRESS.

tho Editor OF 1 ne L rl ID u ne.
Sir Is Il not about time to call the newspaper army
IN halt The constant daily sensational articles In
some OF tho city newspapers about cholera doing
Incalcuahe mischief. They exciting timd people
and filing their minds with nothing but unwarranted
fears and alarm. Their effect upon nervous people
and children Is very great producing the one constant
idea OF cholera n II II was actually In the city and
uncomfortable Instead OF quletIng the public mind
these sensational details spread columns Of the
pubic press only excite II the more. The effective
quarantine Of our harbor the ample preparations OF
our Board OF Health to meet any emergency should II
come the hcalhfl condition of the city. the eStnor
binary efforts at civic cleanliness, the ali ence Of those
old tme conditions which favor any epidemic, and the
constant wntchfuness OF every department oi our
city government. should give every assurance that
,he dreaded disease cannot find foothoM at the
prcscn, time Comparing our present civic condition
with that of 1906 and previous years. when cholera
,.,.,,cd us we lind no hogs running ut large
scavenge 10 cattle being driven through our public
Streets no prvcs In orr bnchyads no slaughter houses
I'm orr horoughfarc- sending their reching bloody hh
down the street cutters no htmeltine establishments
ang the air with their pesifeous odors no heaps OF STA
bio manure accommodating on shores about onr
stables no "hauboys" rafting through the streets
with their vllc-smelng loads through midnight hours.
NOR any az those thousand and nusances. breeders
NJ disease and propagatng beds for germs or bacii
whether Of cholera or other Infectious diseases As
sure the people Of the fact that all these sources of
contamination have been removed. that the city was
never kept so clean, that the preparations to combat
any endemic were never perfect; In word. that
the science OF hygiene never better understood
nor better applied than at the present day. and that
mo real cause for alarm exists within tile city, and
that with the vigilance, knowledge and effective
cautions at our port OF entry 1t Is not at all probable
that we shall suffer at least at this late season, to
any extent II ut all. There is only bare possibility
flint n few cases may occur within the city. These
cnn he Isolated by the means already provided Has
nor typhus fever been stamped out That Is disease
lar more conta giOus aud fatal than cholera. and II
recently threatened 10 sweep over the city. Conf
enre and courage should be insted into the public
mind rather than fear and dread by the constant
rcitnraton OF every item Of suspicious news that a
multitude of reporters gather and publish daily: The
press Is great engine OF power. 1t has an unlimited
influence on the public mind, and Is almost Implicitly
believed and therefore, under present conditions 1t
has an immense responsibility. Ii can aay public
excitement calm the oversensltivc. and thereby assist
greatly In preventing unnecessary alarm while rs
vet there Is no real cause for II. The old story Of
making n person really Ill by repeating the saying
persstenty that he looks i'll has full force nj Tn"
present time. Urge. then. the press the call TO
.IIalt!' Its effect will be life saving. MEDlCUS.
New.York Sept o, 1892