New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-19
A PHYSICIANS PROTEST..
SANITARY LAWS AND personal RrcRlx,
THE HEALTH BOARD CHARGED WITH BHrxa
RATHER TOO INQursITOaIAL AND FOL Y,
TOWING TOO MANY FANG

RATHER TOO INQuIsITOaIAL AND Fol- ~
LOWING TOO MANY FADs.
To the Editor OF The Tribune
cir. II seems that something should be said abcus
tho working OF this Board OF Health, In view n
-, receut mandates and its anxiety about tn
hao,,, of the public. IL must not be taken for
.r,,,od that the concern manifested about pro.
,oc,np the public in this regard, though wen
meant Is necessarily practical; in other words. Of
advantage TO the protected" Many OF the short.
conings Of the board have been. doubtless.
,ooked in consequence of the belief that has the
ability to protect the citizen from dreaded dis
II IS therefore but natural that this potico-
,edical body has not moderated It's own importance
in this regard. 1t seems 70 the writer that tho
hoard has been endowed win undue power In
carving out It's e1!cts, wien are often most
arbitrary and oppressive. Tais has gone on for
wears without protest since the belief has been
that it was for the pubic good Some OF the dongs
of the board would seem to be scarcs!y less ~.
bitrary than authorized by martial law, and mica
, " contested be found unconstitutional
Man Is generally willing to make great Sacrifices
for the protection OF the sacred rights pertaining
TO his home his castle; yet when 1t is reported
that certain diseases pre5sn. In his house.,
nav when their presence Is only feared his private
rights are no longer respected, ard his home may
be rendered uninhab!tabie by a simple order OK
the Health Board, based upon the dictum OF
so-caed sanitary engineer. On the complaint OF
| incompetent
whose fears have been aroused. the plumbing may
no ,ekon ont of the house. the very walls scraped
down the cellar cemened, etc. and the owner must
not only bear with the injustice bit pay the Dill
of expenses 1t would be almost impossible
/ task 70 estimate how much has been extorted from
property-owners In this manner; 1t probapiy
! amounts to millions of dollars. No wonder there
are sanitary" plumbers occupying magnificent
business parlors on almost every corner from the
| Battery to Westchester Now, this outrageous Gus
| tom of ripping out water and drainage pipes and
the like has other excuse for rs practce' geu.
orally than the superstious belief that from detec-
tive drainage typhoid fever dlphtheria and 50 forth,
I arise Were such the fact, me race OF PLUMBERS
who live AMI have their being around detective
drain pipes and sewers would soon disappear
/ from their maodorous environments. which Is ~
no means to he feared.
These hgh-handod proceedings. 10 say nothing
of other so-called sanitary measures, as disnfec-
ton for example. have been endured so long that
they have come 10 be regarded almost as a neces-
sity. The oracuar announcements respecting con-
tagous and epidemical diseases. so often emanat-
ing from the board have the effect Of keeping the
public frightened. though the danger frequently
exists only in the Imagination. The scare affords
an excuse for vacc.nating and d!sinfecting vista
tons which must be endured however odiously
the work may be done, however needless. Wnen
no other danger threatens NE always have tne
Croton water impurities to fall back upon so that
/ beverage to those who have the means to purchase
some of the many artificial waters manufactured
Now the latest fad is revival Of the threadoare
subject of atmospheric impurities. The very air
we breathe being loaded with the seeds OF disease
| il follows that between breathing and drinking we
| are speedily working our passage 70 the Shades OK
Uades Why we are not allowed 10 proceed In
peace on inevitable Journey / cannot UNDER
stand but the board proposes 10 put US on
| the rack; notice Is served upon us that we may
no longer the possession Of the simplest
| form of sore throat with impunity since 1t may
| be the OF propagatnS germs liable when
| set loose. to infect the entire community The
profession has already received notice TO senn
samples Of sputa to the boards laboratory OF all
! suspected cases scheme well calculated 70 alarm
the patient and, indeed. to carry terror into the
household. The very poor can scarcely AVOID this
Inouistorial procedure though the better 10 GO
are more protected. Thus as | am writing The
New-York Medical Journal" comes to hand with
a letter of protest against this very obtrusveness,
which beg 10 quote:
IC East Thirtieth-st. Nov. o. 1893
To the Editor OF The New-York Medical Journal.
Sir: recent experience with the Health Department
! prompts me ask II you OF your readers can
give the information have failed 10 obtain from that
department Some time ago reported a case OF dph-
occurring in private house Shortly after my
visited the house and demanded 10
patient order TO obtain culture Saying 70
child that III the physician knew his
conduct as reported to me. discourteous. have
the department asking by what risht
such Il demand made. To this question no answer
has been received been recent enactment
which gives them such right? No ouer was mace 10
examine the sanitary condition OF the premises. or 10
what precautions were being taken or the pro-
lection Of the II the Board OF Health mas
made such a law it should have notified the ply
II there had any question Of diagnosis would ha's
taken culture for my own satisfaction In their zeal
TO obtain this to me they overlooked matters
| important than the diagnosis -
sTUYVESANr +. MORRIS. NJ d.
Some days ago the announcement was made
through the daily press that restraint shouIu Se
! put uDon a very dangerous class OF persons VINO
present Sfe thew cam out Of lie These
persons were designated by the pathological uue ",
! terberculous They compose numerous eiass, anu
hitherto have been encouraged to eNst as patrons
OF cod liver oil and various other Vauhted retheles
trade relies for its thrift their credulity and
hope But these persons nave all az once e usIh
may only corral them for purposes OF examha s
and IN oaer TO pfeS Serms from their
air passages TO destroy the rest OF the human race
| stage of dissolution are by no means more dam
gerous than those who have the disease IN us IN
aware OF their condition. These latter suspects
| should have their sputa taken 10 the lanoratouy
| ness OF diphtheria and consumption has long ex-
listed. It was never urged 80 vehemenuy as now 10y
bTs exists Mas for the prodncon Of almost every dis
ease. and that most ceriahiy have microbes neen
discovered for the work in hand; There are many
who doubt this. however, and who believe tnat no
greater fallacy Is conceivable than this. built on
| the conclusions drawn from the above premise as
to tuberculosis. for example, II should legitmately
| follow that II the offending mcrobe that does me
mischief has been discovered nothing would DC
| easier than to obtain a medicine FOR IT'S desuuc-
ton. 1t fell to the lot of an imaginative German
Kochl 70 attempt this feat. and every one SHOWS
how slsnary the followers Of this enthusiast raea
by the use or tubercune in curing consumption.
| They only brought ridicue upon themselves oy
loudly advertising their futile exploits A.. $50.
! 1t may well 10 consider now what the QUIZ
| come of this aggressiveness will be. The overzeal-
| Gus are always In earnest as a matter OF course
! and following these exploits most obnoxious es-
pionage may be expected. To be summoned before
! the boards sputum expert Is an unple asant orieal
for the contemplation of persons suspected 10 rave
| the tubercuous halt. II unable To OBTAIN cleah