The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-22
ABLE, PLUCKY, AND HONEST.
HEALTH OFFICER JENklNS's COURSE
APPROVED BY EMINENT PHrsICYANS


Ths Coaplaiat that He shouiA Have Fore.
seen al che Complication which Have
Issrsssss the nurdsA or His Duty Fro.
ssunssa Unreasonable. aud In Part Dao
- Hsiiss-Dstsntion In ouarantins Means
Of Necessity Hardship 20 Individuals,
sst ths whole Couatry Owes Gratitude
e the Eneisnt Guardian or this Port-A
FEDERAL Department OF Immisration.
From the moment Dr.. jenkins became
Health oflcer OF the Port Of New York down
to the present time he has been subjected to
heavy IRE OF criticism. Before the cholera
had oven manifested itself. certain persons
made known their dislike to him through
newspapers that hated him for purely partisan
reasons. Aftcr the cholera was brought to
tho hnrbor these original critics seized every
opportunity OF finding fault. Under the cuise
OF seekers after the public welfare they made
personal investigations OF the methods en-
ployed by tho Health Officer and his assistants.
and were chagrined to ind that nothing CEN
surablo existed. They waited in the hope that
the Health Officers vigilance would relax, and
the cholera would reach the city.
Finally. a series Of extraordinary and un.
fortunate incidents which no human power
could have foreseen. placed tho cabin passen.
gers OF the Normnnnia in jeopardy and gave
br. Jenkins's enemies tho opportunity they
were seeking. They did not come cut boldly
over their W signatures. but mstigu,ed
othsrs 10 attack the Health Offl:er. Inspired
by such critics. the partisan newspapers
bounded DR.. Jenkins continually. Through
Misrepresentation Of the facts thoy in
ducAd thouRhtless readers to condemn him
also. and the result was that every day tho
Health oncer has been abused and ca
Illuminated. mat he continued to go about his
duties with tho same determination and the
same conscientious thoroughncss only EN-.
phasized his fitness for the responsible office
Entrusted to him. Even now. however. the
howl against him continues and the assertion
10 made daily that he IL not competent. With
the view OF getting candid opinions upon the
SUBJECT OF ms competency and character. a
BUN reporter called yesterday upon a number
Of the best physicians in New York. men who
stand 50 hiGh In their profession and in the
community that not even jealousy would dare
TO breathe suspicion against them.
WHAT DIR. ROOSEVELT sA,n,
rb. fire. y, th. hv.;,,o,
80. ~ W. pao.nSaI. ~ o 20 ,n'eIvie"eo
at stroot M. 5000. "se 1ni,'s-
ehssa vords. '' "'' efr"no IN
"D,otnr a. ho.
1.nLin. 49, a.a,.s S Sa.u puol.e'y 'hae VI.
ror.nok %ho 1,.;... - T.
sannsr. thot hi. r,a.H y. ~ onnee 10 a proper
h.Yh. h.. not ina ehi,,.s nave oeen oau. ana
th,t h. h.. 49, .n'to'e .hem'
h.rd,in, ~ na.san. s0,ele IN tne
;nrIsdIction and thot y" hoa nv NAih ms
.hovn that h. "a Mt o,aI,naa - oU u,nei Why's
The SUN would like vour candid on,rion o.no
jenkins and Of these accusations"
This was DR.. Roosevclt's reply:
My personal acquaintance with DR.. jenkins
ia not very great. but l have seen enough OF
him and OF the manner In which lie performs
his duties to be thoroughly convinced that he
has been sadly abused. went down to Quar-
antine last Thursday with a brother physician,
having received an invitation to inspect it
from the city Board Of Health. All that 1 knew /
about DR.. Jenkins's administration up to that
others and from new.n,n.r 800. :.
n-.;"s,s., ~ "ou"p0' reports. l was
Of sdmirine the pluck with which he
had gone ahead en- tho lines that he
had mapped out. in spite OF severe
adverse criticism. hut I Judged him
to be a second.rate physician. who had co.
cured his once through political favor. Ny
friend and I saw him TT his Office at Upper
-, om. r,.it T -, anu to.a MN inc purpose
q ! Y visi.' ne was courteous but short. and
excused himself on the ground that he was
his .ssistant ~ WaIsar 'n nt"n US 10
~ e.s.a ~ "a'sor' 10 whom ne said:
Show these gentlemen everything Then he
left US and DR.. Walser took us in charge. Wa
vant IN ho.rd IN. pu1,. a.. w."H "e
w oo"iu .ne 'ue's' tne the
Hcanola. ana the Moravia. The Normannia
o. onp' " We "ouio nave boarded her. too.
THE PROCESS OF DISTINCTION.
Unjust ~confess that 7 wos amoz.d ~ .ho a.
~ W l. WIS amazed at the ad-
mirable manner In which the work Of disin-
the persons and ships was p~erformed
aaw tha whole rra,a,.
%" 'ne ""o'e PROCESS especially on the
ecandia- To be sure. the officers Of the ship
assisted in every way in their mower. but the
u t"e supervision were the work OF
DR.. Jcnkinss assistants. There were some
cabin passengers, only a few. about 600 in tho
.t.orooo I'D Iara. -
..eetaee. anu large creT. lou can imagine
that the task OF disinfectinc a vessel with such
a large number Of persons aboard was no
The persons aboard were divided into
n person and Clothing. and then their quar-
.,oro thoo 49, -. NV