New-York tribune., 1901-01-07
DIR. LEVERSON DEFIANT.
HEALTH BOARD THREATENS PRosECU-
TIoN. BUT HE IS FIRM-FURTHER
TALK ON VACCINATION.

President Michael c. Murphy Of the Health
Board is much wrought up over the statemen.
made by DR.. Montague r. Leverson, Of Nine
ty-sixth-st. and the Shore Road Fort Hamilton,
who on Saturday night publicly asserted that
he had treated thirty cases Of smallpox without
informing the health authorities. Colonel Muir
ply will bring the matter TO the attention of
the Health Board to-day. and, If possible. will
prosecute DR.. Leverson for violation of the
Sanitary Code.
Colonel Murphy said yesterday that at pres
ent the Health Board knew nothing Of DR.. Lev
erson except what had appeared in the papers.
and that the Board could not act on newspaper
reports He declared that now that the Board
had learned OF DR.. Leverson's conduct. it would
at once proceed to gather evidence against him,
and that in case the reports were true the law
would be enforced against the doctor. He said
further that there was absolutely truth in
the charges that officers of the Health Depart
nent had forcibly entered the houses of citizens
ana vaccinated the occupants against their wills.
The Health Department, he thought had the
right 10 compel vaccination, but the authority
had never been exerted. AS for wasting the
city's money, the expense was less than one and
one-half cents for each person treated.
ADMITS HE VIOLATED LAW.
Dr. Leverson fully understands that he was
IUlIS dm AlcSdl dCl III SNppACooAAS ANROAN0 "a
cases OF smallpox, and that he is subject to
penalties For that reason he refused yesterday.
in speaking TO a Tribune reporter, TO go into
details or TO give the names and addresses of
any persons whom he had treated.
II realized that I doing something legally
wrong but morally right. My first duty was TO
my patient. and if / had reported the case the
patients chances Of recovery would have been
fully so per cent less"
Or. Leverson finally admitted that the thirty
cases he referred TO had been treated in the
three years following June 1895.
Have you treated any cases Of smallpox since
January /, 1882" DR.. Leverson was asked.
''Yes" was the reply.
''where?" was asked
In Brooklyn"
'How many cases?" was the next question.
'T decline to answer"
The doctor admitted that he had treated some
cases in the last year, but just how long ago he
would not say.
'I cured them all in from two to six days."
said the doctor. II never lost a case, and there
is no danger except where mans vitality is
low / would not take the Of a person
whose system was saturated with tobacco or
aleohol-that is, unless the law requiring cases
20 be reported should be repealed. For. you see.
the case might prove fatal and would have to
report the mans death.
II would not mind reporting the cases to the
Board Of Disease CDR. Leverson constantly used
this designation If they would allow me to re-
tain control of the patients. but they would
hurry them off to the pesthouse. I would and
DO isolate cases so that there is absolutely no
danger"
DIR. LEvERsoN TWICE vACCINATED.
When DIR. Leverson asked If he suf-
fered from smallpox himself. it was learned that
he had been twice vaeelhated.
YES" said the doctor, with a laugh. 81 was
successfully vaccinated when a boy. sxty-seven
or sixty-eight years. ago. and one year later had
a virulent attack Of smallpox. Then 1 was vac
cinated again in 1894, THAT was before I
studied the question. Il wanted to have prac-
tical knowledge Of the subject, and for that
reason was inocuIated. had all the experience
that ] wanted with il. Since the completion of
n my studies in 1895. I have been violently op-
posed TO vaccination
DR.. Leverson said he knew that perfectly
healthy children of healthy ancestors had been
inoculated with vile diseases from the calves
lymph used by the ''New-York Board of Dis
ease" He added that he was perfectly willing
TO go 20 North Brother Island and show the
doctors how smallpox could be successfully
treated. bat that they did not want TO know
and wanted 70 get up a public scare every few
years.
DR.. Robert A. Black Sanitary superintendent
for the Borough Of Brooklyn, said last evening
20 a Tribune reporter that IL was a violation OF
the sanitary code for a physician 20 fail to re-
port 10 the Board case of smallpox and was
punishable by fine not exceeding $3.50 The
doctor believed that Dr. LeVerson could be pun
1shed, through action by the District Attorney
IL he had failed to report any smallpox cases
before the charter went into effect. AS to any
cases which the doctor says he has failed to re-
port since 1888, Dr. Black declared that the
Brooklyn Board of Health would take no notice
OF his statements DR.. Black did not believe
that DIR. Leverson's statements that he had not
reported smallpox cases 10 the present Board
were true. He said the doctor did not dare to
disclose the name and address I'm any case Of
smallpox which he had not reported. AS TO Dr.
Leverson asking the Board for permission to
visit North Brother Island. the island was under
the jurisdiction Of the Borough Of The Bronx
be wealthy. IL is he who wrote the letter TO the
Filipino leaders, urging them to fight this
country.
TWO MORE SMALLPOX CASES IN BROOKLYN
Two more cases uf smallpox were reported in
Brooklyn yesterday. Lizzie Kelly, young woman
trfct removed TO North Brother Island on
Saturday night Kate Mallett, twenty-six years
Old OF No. lf9 Freeman-st.. Greenpoint was sent
10 The island yesterday afternoon.
THREE CASES IN BRIDGEPORT.
Bridgeport. Conn. Jan 6.-James Troland and
two children. the eldest about ten years old we're
to-day discovered 20 be suffering from smallpox
and were removed TO the Isolation HOSPITAL Mrs
froiano was also taken to the hospital as she
ha1 been exposed 70 the disease. The family live