New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-09-28
CARING FOR PLAGUE PATIENTS.

| The Health Commissioner of this city Is quite
| right in serving notice upon the Federal Com
missioner of immigration that New-York
| within the near future, will have to cease caring
| for immigrants afflicted with contagious dis
| cases. That may be awkward for the 1mmi-
| grant Bureau, and may put 1t to considerable
| EXPENSE to provide other accommodations for
its patients BUTT really cannot be helped 1t is
a physical impossibility for New-York, In JUS
tice to itself and to Its own citizens. to go on
caring for these aliens. The fact that it is paid
a fair price for so doing does not alter the mat
ter The city has not gone into the hospital
business to make money, but to care for It's
own afflicted people To do the latter is its first
duty and it must do it before it attempts to
care for aliens at price. The father Of a fam
lily must not turn his own children into the
street in order that he may rent their rooms to
strangers.
The latter is practically what this city has
been doing and what DR.. LeGerle now properly
proposes to stop doing. Last winter there was
a considerable outbreak Of smallpox in this
city. There were also many cases Of 1t among
immigrants. The result that the hospital
on North Brother Island was overcrowded 1t
would have been overcrowded at times, prob
ably. had it received only patients from this
city But under its arrangement with the I'm
Der of contagion smtten immigrants at so
much q head. The result was that because Of
that influx of immigrants the place was unable
10 receive more than 1.-THE Of its legitimate
New-York patients, and such Of the latter as
were received were subjected to grave discom-
fort That is state of affairs which should
never occur again. New-York should look after
its own people who are i'll, and the Immigrant
Bureau should look after its wards who are
similarly afflicted. The children of the house
hold should not be crowded out to make room for
strangers. and the disease rate and death rate
of New-York City should not be sweled and
the healthfulness of the city be discredited by
counting in thousands of sick and dead who
do not belong here.
Even for the citys own uses NETWORKS
hospitals for contagious diseases are grossly in
adequate We have hitherto dwelt upon that
fact, and we recur to it with earnestness. The
sensational tales of wanton cruelty and Ill
treatment on North Brother Island abso
lutely unwarranted The doctors and nurses
there are veritable ministers of mercy, doing
all that they can in kindness and in tender
devotion for the good of the stricken ones COM
mitted to their care. But they cannot perform
miracles. They cannot make bricks without
straw The buildings in which they housed
are inadequate in size and unfit in quality.
They are Anticipated, ramshackle affairs devoid
Of modern conveniences and equipment More
over the appropriations for maintenance and
supplies are insufficient. The city, so well
supplied with other hospitals. owes 1t to itself
to put upon North Brother Island some first
class modern buildings ample in size. com
modious and convenient. and equipped with the
best resources OF modern science, and then TO
maintain them in efficient operation so as to
provide haven of care and restoration for
every contagion smitten citizen OF this me-
tronolis