New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-26
FEWER HEAT REGISTRATIONS.
PHYSICIANS GIVE VARIOUS REASONS FOR
THE CHANGE.
SOME THINK THERE is LESS DRINKING-ITALlAN
LABOR MAY HAVE SOMETHING

The reports from the local weather once sho"
that this has been one OF the hottest summers S.
the Weather Bureau was established this tne "'
age temperature has been remarkably Hsh ''
DAYS at a time with small relief at night, anu '"a'
the humidity has done much 10 add to the discom'
Tor, nj the residents of this city Notwithstanding
ALL this the cases of prostraton from the neat nave
been fewer this year than during some SUNNI
when the weather was less severe ana ITO io"s '''
of names of persons Frustrated by the neat ""''
been published In the papers. the fact mas AZ
tracted the attention Of many, and the laty as
well as the medical fraternity are divided IN opii'
ION as 70 the reason for the change for the better
A physician conhected with the Presbyterian Hos
ptal said: I'VE have had. thus far. only TWO cases
of sunstroke-one Of these was In SINKING con-
dtion when he reached the hospital the o,her re-
covered The number of cases of sunstroke was
much greater last year-we nad as iha"s Us e'e"
teen In one day
LESS WORK GIVEN AS A CAUSE.
When asked as 10 the cause OF the decrease. the
doctor said "Prostration from the heat occurs
mostly among those who work outside. and there
being less work In progress than ordinarily may
be one reason: but" continued the doctor, i MINK
have a better one. Sun strokes great any Is
rum. The sun congestion OF the pran' 70
does rum: and combined. they bring about us'y
cases Of sunstroke. Well. believe. there being less
money and less work among the laboring classes
sumption OF ardent drink. and this shows Itself IN
the diminished number OF heat prostrations
Another physician connected with the same In
s;uton said: 1T Is hard TO give a definite reason
for the improved state OF affairs In our neiGhbor-
mood as TO sunstroke but incline 20 the belief that
education has done most 10 reduce the number OF
victims I, Is not only in New-York tina; the lists
Of suns,roke cases have grown nouceaby smaller;
all over the country the same Is the case Take ST.
Louis for instance. I know the time when there
were dispatches daily in the New-York papers giving
long lists Of heat lions there and in neShbor-
ing places cannot remember seeing such news
item in the last few years and the sane can De Saa
making progress in the practice Of sel7-oreservaon
they are more careful how they EXPOSE lives
the danger OF epidemics Is diminished and the Ills OF
extraordinary heat are averted
LIQUOR AN ALLY OF SUNsTROKE.
One Of the physicians in charge Of Bellevue
Hospital said he had noticed the falling of in the
number OF sunstroke cases. and II had been dis
cussed among the physicians. Last year there were
only fourteen cases brought to the hospital and
that considered remarkably small number;
but this year. with increased heat and su,riness.
there had been only six cases OF the fourteen cases
last one-haf died while four OF those brought
81 believe" said the doctor. that liquor has as
much to do with sunstroke as the heat, and the de-
crease In heat pros,ratons is due In my opinion 70
enforced temperance on the part of men who work
In the sun"
But. doctor. the police records show that there
is just much drunkenness as ever"
IF there is II is not among the aborins classes
Many time-neariy every day. might say
come across some patient here whom l ask In
the OF conversation Are you n drinking
man? and get reply to the effect that the man N
1Ses drink WS a vo but ask h taken and n
ably receive the reply. Times too hard This IS
the doctor added the exceedingly warm spells Of
this year have been broken by an occasional hour
U With s"G Gereshng bress These have much TO do
with reviving the partially exhausted BODY and
giving 1t strength to withstand the next days at
EXPLANATION OF A LAYMAN.
A layman who was present when the doctor
gave his views said: "The doctor may be right.
but believe you have gone to the wrong person
to get at the bottom OF the question. The EN-
poyer Of outside help could solve the question and
he would tell you this: When the papers pub
lished daily long lists Of cases Of sunstroke and
this summer hundreds succumbed. our laborers
and Tq Y mat Tse
carry the hod. they are working on the new rail
fact the outdoor work has fallen into their hands.
and they being better fitted BY nature 10 stand IN"
Look at the records and you will md that sun
stroke has decreased in the same ratio that ltaiah
has 0n M, d Sy the heat this
summer there were fewer Italians than OF any
Der doing work in the open air there should be
more. The lack OF work and ability 10 keep In;
Consumption Of ardent drink may also be a factor.
but the OF the ab oaG i Circles ine M IN
my opinion. the prime cause OF the falling OH IN
sunstroke.
BEER HELPED THIS MAN ALONG.
There was only one case OF suns'roke brought 10
the Roosevelt, Hospital this summer. and that was
truckman who had been III more or less for week.
and the morning OF one OF the warmest days OF
the season he home without breakfast and took
uhatit several glasses OF beer lie was
taken the hospital in an unconscious condition. put
A member Of the Roosevelt Hospital STAFF thought
the falling of in the number Of sunsroke cases was
due to some eSen, 20 ba se nrkneman had be-
come educated to the dangers attendant on over
ey Mer ,nf he saa II they took no
precaution against the heat. We should have more
Sf 6 m NOT o Hs as they take
they FIX up Tbs eh n my 70 op
on has done much toward making the lists OF pros
1--WE have had very few cases OF suns'roke here
this summer" said one Of the stan OF the New
York Hospital During the excessive heat 6vi IN
fatal. The patient was German, moderate beer
drinker. whose work was AL outdoors He had ben
feeling III for several days and on the day when
he Frustrated. he worked in the sun continu-
ously from cary in the morning till ?. m when
he succumbed, and was brought here IN an afnbu-
lance. He lived two days and died from meningitis
MORE CAREFUL OF THEMSELVES.
I'm July. between the 10th and Slst inclusive, we
had four or Ave cases, all OF which recovered"
At this hospital. at the others the failing off
in heat prostratlon had been noticed. and was at
tributed to various causes II was argued that en-
pioyers were more careful OF their help than they
were formerly. and provided Places Of shelter for
aborers during the hottest hours. and that the men
themselves had learned how TO protect themselves
against the heat Then 1t was also suggested tnat
the laborer may have become more temperate as
to ardent drink. which fact would be noticeable In
the dimnution Of sunstroke cases.
IN On of heat nrOgtratiOn
the Mount Sinai Or the German Hospital this
situated in part Of the city where there is much
outdoor work and where many laborers are en-
ployed, no information could be obtained on the
subject The physician in charge: in answer to the
question: How many cases Of sunstroke have
You had here this summer. and how many re-
suited fatally?" returned the answer: Have no In
formation to give"
Gouverneur Hospital. at Gouverneur Slip and
Front-st., had only FIVE cases OF heat prostration
among which there was fatal case