New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-06-30
CONFESSES TO BRANDING.
DIR. HUNT Is DISMISSED.
Says He Thoughtlessly Burnet
"Fakir" on Patients Chest.

DR. John W. Brannan, president of the board
trustees of Bellevue and kllied Hospitals. yes
terday dismissed DR.. Dubois Hunt, one of the
internes at Gouverneur Hospital, for branding
isaac ChaHes, immigrant, who complained
last week that he had been branded by a doctor
at Bellevue Hospital. DR.. Gregory, the acting su-
perntendent at Bellevue who suspended Dr.
Hunt said last night that the inferno had con-
fessed to branding the word ''Fakir'' on the i'm
migrants chest.
When Chavesr insisted that he had been brand
ed in Bellevue Hospital thorough search was
made i'll the records of that institution, but the
books failed 20 show that Chaves or any one
bearing similar name had ever been patient
there. DR.. Gregory. however, was not satisfied
with this search, and ordered a similar one In
the records of Harlem and Gouverneur hos
pitals of which he is also acting superintendent.
From the records of Gouverneur Hospital yes
terday morning he learned that Isaac Chaves,
thfrty-two years old. no home" had been pa
tient there about three weeks ago his case hav-
ing been diagnosed as neuralgia pains of the
chest for which he had received the 'thermo--
cautery' treatment
A rigid and rapid investigation was instituted.
and it was discovered that the treatment had
been given by DR. Dubois Hunt. who for the
last eighteen months has been interned at
Csouverneur DR.. Gregory Immediately sum-
1noned Dr. Hunt before him, and result of
their talk Dr. Hunt confessed that he had
branded Chaves
Immediately on receiving the confession Dr.
Gregory suspended the inferno, and the
was Immediately placed before DR.. Brannan,
who followed the action of Superintendent Greg
ory by instantly disrnissing the offender.
According to the story told by DIR. Hunt to
Dr. Gregory, Chaves had repeatedly visited the
institution, complaining of pains in the chest
He had been treated several times in super
fetal manner, and on the occasion of his last
visit it was decided to give him what is known
as the ''thermo-cautery treatment
This treatment consists of a soaring of the
skin by incandescent heat, applied by platinum
wires, and is a regularly accepted method of
treatment for the disease in question. The
platinum wire or needle it is called, is
heated to a white heat by the combustion of
refined benzine oil, atomized under pressure
and with it the physician goes the sur
face of the skin sufficiently to blister it.
According to Dr. Hunt. who had at the time
brought the to the hospital in an ambu-
lance he was applying the treatment in the
operating room when one of his fellows hap
pened to pass through the room, saw the patient
and remarked:
THAT is fakir.'
The remark fingered in DIR. Hunts mind
he passed the needle over the surface, and
without thinking, he said last night, his hand
automatically followed the lines of the letters
''f-a-k-i-r"
II am exceedingly sorry for the young man.
DR. Gregory said, but there other pos
sihle course under the circumstances. The ap-
plication of the cautery was proper, but that
there should have been such Disagreement
an outrage that is not to be overlooked for an
instant
DR. Brannan said last night: II dismissed
DR. Dubois Hunt because he injured the reputa-
ton of the hospital with the poor, who have al
WAYS trusted in it, and because he broke a car
dinaI rule of the institution, for internes not to
tanner or experiment with patients. The man
was not branded but caL.erized, and the wound
will not remain any longer than an ordinary cut
of the same size"
DIR Dubois Hunt is a native of Toronto,
Canada and is a graduate of the Toronto Med
icaI school of the class of '03 He in his
last half year at Gouverneur Hospital, ana
would have graduated in the fall. taking the
diploma awarded by the hospital. He is twenty
iyJ1f old.