New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-27
MAY HAVE TO CREA TIE ISLAND
GOVERNMENT HEARS FROM DIR. LED
ERIE THAT CITY CANNOT CARE
FOR DISEASED IMMIGRANTS.

Owing to the inadequate facilities OF the city
for caring for contagious diseases. it is probable
that it will be necessary for the United States
Government another island in the harbor
between Ellis and Bedoes islands for the care
of immigrants suffering from diseases of this
character. Commissioner Williams of the Bureau
Of immigration yesterday received from Commits
sioner Ledere of the Department of Health
letter informing him that it would be necessary
to terminate in the future the agreement
between the city and the immigration authorities
under which the city has cared for the immi-
grants who have arrived here suffering from con-
tagous diseases. In his letter DR.. Lederle said
~. While the fairne ss of the per diem at
be said, in my opinion there is no reasona Bile
rate at present at which the city Of New-York can
lie prints This etv is 9a9eonsf from tne pup
Contagious disease hospitals. being abe to care
for less than 10 per cent of its Contagious sick,
institutions. Requests have been made to the city
authorities for large appropriations supply this
point out more clearly the lack of proper
comm4datI4ns and the lmproprety of the Health
tients to the exclusion of the sick of New-Yorks
On steamers in which immigrants are conveyed
to TINS country from foreign ports, it is virtually
these patients, who develop the diseases while on
board, are received into our hospitals after
posture to whatever disease may have occurred on
the vessel They are source of infection during
their transportation from Ellis Island to East Six
feminist. Manhattan, and arrival at our hos
pitfalls they are. necessarily placed in wards where
they subject other patients to the danger of mixed
Infection AS a result Of these mixed infections.
it becomes necessary to keen all the patients in
the hospital from fifteen to twenty days more than
usual under observation, even if they do ulti
mately develop other diseases. Furthermore,
very large proportion of these immigrants speak
only foreign languages dialects and it is
Sequently, impossible to make them understand
now they should conduct themselves in the wards
Their personal habits are often unceanly; so
much so that it is difficult. expensive and often
impossible to keep such wards in the cleanly con-
ditiOn essential TO the welbeing of other pa
tents While as has been said. they are the
most prolific source of mixed infection in hos
pitfalls. they are also dangerous. because they fire.
quently suffer from cOnta gious skin diseases
favus and ringwOrm. The majority have lice
head or body. or both. and cases of trachOma are
extremely common among them. From q purely
statistical point Of view also YOU will see the in
justice of crediting New-York City with large
additional number of cases of contagious diseases
when these cases should have been denied admis-
sion within the city limits.
1t Is understood that the government will re-
ceive a reasonable opportunity to make other ar
rangements. The creation of another island is one
of the ideas Commissioner Williams has in mind