The evening world., 1894-05-29
CAN'T PUNISH THE DOCTORS.
Fourth Ward Physicians Didn't
Intend to Conceal Small ox.
Seven New Cases Discovered by the
Health Authorities.

While the circumstances seem to indi.
cate that the physicians who attended
the concealed cases OF smallpox in the
lower end OF the Fourth Ward about
two weeks ago, are guilty Of gross neg.
llgence, and are in a great measure re-
sponsible for the spread Of the c%ontagion
in that neighborhood. DR.. Doty. Chief OF
the Bureau OF Contagious Diseases. de-
clares that the Board Of Health is pow
crless Il. the matter OF Furnishing the Of
tenders.
The physicians, DR.. Doty declares. are
only technically guilty Of n violation OF
the law, and therefore any attempt to
criminally prosecute them would I'M
The several physicians who were sum
moned before the Board Of Health to
explain why they had failed to report
prescribed stated In every instance that
they were uncertain as to.the. nature, OF
OF the disease. They all declared that
they had only been called once before the
appearance OF any eruptions. a prescrip-
ton was left. which was filled at some
nearby drug store by some relative OF
the patient. and perhaps no other visit
was ever made by any physician to the
patient again.
The focused physicians also pleaded
that there was no object for them to
attempt 10 tD1ttdI TIE ldtlS lIolh lHt
Board Of Health, as the people were in
variably very poor and unable, as a rule.
to ever pay for the medicine prescribed.
much less the professional services.
This explanation was partially corrobo-
rated by the discovery OF several conva-
descent patients who had been treated
and nursed by members Of the family
during the period OF infection. without
the knowledge OF even other families in
the same tenement. In that way the
disease was spread 10 numerous families.
Had 1t not been for a house-to-house
canvass, both day and night. by Health
Inspectors, prompted by the persistency
with which cases developed in the lower
end Of the ward. there would undoubted-
ly nave been an alarming outbreak of
the disease, and scores of patients
where there are now comparatively few.
Notwithstanding the especial precau-
tons exercised by the health officials,
ity of Cherry Hill and In the squalid
tenements down along the river-front
towards Battery Park: But the disease,
DIR. Doty feels assured. will not become
any considerable spread, as the ward Is
kept under the closest surveillance by
an increased corps of inspectors.
Yesterday there were only Ave cases
kuger. twcnty-one years old, OF &c James
street, walked into the Bureau of Con
taglous Diseases during the afternoon
and said she feared she had smallpox.
pened to be passing and the patient was
removed to the Reception Hospital.
Very luckily the crowds OF people who
visit the Bureau daily to have their
children vaccinated had thinned down
to a half dozen or less. Zone of whom.
II was found, had come In contact with
the infected visitor. However. the build
Ing was disinfected as soon as the pa
tient was removed.
Other cases sent to North Brother Isl.
and were Charles Englehardt, thirty-six
SO. So, a. 80 90 DarK D~.., ~ xyaa
taken from Bellevue Hospital. where he
had gone for treatment; John Lavery,
twenty-five years old. OF 80 Oak street
and Joseph Lampson, twenty-five years
old, from the New York D~ispensary. ant
Amerigo C~aponingro. nineteen years old
of 81 Madison street.