New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-06
TO ISOLATE C0NTAGION.
NEW BUILDINGS Plan.
adequate Hospital Equipment for
Care of City'8 Sick.

0W6 ~ CtIY s Oth.
An effort is being made by the Department of
Health TO give the city an adequate and modern
equipment for the care of cases of contagious
diseases, and 1t is planning TO spend millions
Of dollars for the purpose At the present time
there is no place. public or private, i'm Manhat-
tan where person suffering from measles can
be taken by the Department of Health for iso-
lation. There are accommodations for only
sixty diphtheria cases on the island while there
are reported from eight thousand to ten thou
sand cases annually. over 75 per cent of these
are in the tenement districts where IT is i'm
possible properly to isolate them. The city, it
is declared. is in position to fulfil its duty TO
those whom il takes from their homes for pur-
poses of isolation A child taken from its
mother is not always certain of receiving the
care IT would have at home. Wholly inadequate
wooden buildings have been supplied by the
city, in some cases erected only to meet an
emergency. with the idea that after temporary
they would be burned. Buildings at the
Kingston Avenue (Brookyn) Hospital. which
we're built several years ago with the expecta-
tion that they would be destroyed. are still
In use. The site of this hospital is depression
in which water sometimes collects to a depth Of
several feet. Boats have occasionally been need
ed for communication between the buildings.
The appropriation OF a million dollars. secured
be used in modernizing the city's hospitals for
contagious diseases. Several buildings will be
opened this year and others are planned 1t is
the intention OF the department to have all the
hospitals Of brick and so constructed to be
freproof They are to be equipped with all
modern appliances for the treatment Of the dis
eases. Among the buildings will be number
Of cottages for the care of patients suffering
from mixed contagious diseases. These are
cases in which the patient is suffering at the
same time from two contagious diseases, such
as dphtheria and scarlet fever
The execution of the plans OF the department
will cost 100000 It is intended to expend
about S1.5OOOOO in rebuilding the isolation hos
pital plant in Brooklyn. Two city blocks bound
ed by Albany-ave.. Rutland Road Kingston-ave.
and unopened land have been secured in that
borough. Within part of this space, which is oc-
cupied with temporary buildings that have out
lived their usefulness. will be erected series
of paVilions for different diseases several isola
ton cottages for mixed diseases a morgue.
disinfecting building, a nurses home. boiler
plant. refrigerating plant and other neces-
sary buildings. In the plans small chapel
and picturesque pool are also included Tho
chapel, If built. will be constructed by private
funds The pool is intended to solve the prob
lem Of disposing of the waste water which now
occasionally floods the spot without going to the
expense OF filling in all OF the low ground. The
buildings already erected. those under constrnc-
tion, and those soon to be begun will cost about
S5OOOO0 Among these are scarlet fever
pavilion. to accommodate eighty adults or one
hundred children, which is nearly completed.
and measles pavilion Of slightly larger size,
which VIII be begun as soon the plans can
be prepared and the contracts lei.
In the course of a few months three new build
inRs to cost S703OOO will be opened at the
Willard Parker Hospital. They are a scarlet
fever pavilion. with three hundred beds, costing
100000; an administration building, costing
$4,000. and laboratory for the analysis of
food products and for making meteorological
examinations. costing $4,000. In the appro-
priation of S1,OOO,OO0 were included items Of
S2JOOOO for the purchase of a site bounded by
Avenue d. East 16th-st.. East 15th-st and the
East River, adjoining the present Willard Par
ker Hospital site. and 100000 for a boiler
house and coal storage plant for heating the
new buildings The land is to be used for the
heating plant and for measles and diphtheria
pavilions similar to the scarlet fever paVlllon
DR. Darlington was unable to secure the money
for these paviliOns. so there is no immediate
prospect Of having place TO take cases oL
measles and diphtheria on the island or Man
on North Brother Island it is intended soon
to begin the erection Of dormitory for the help,
an administration building and storehouse. ana
plans are being prepared for pavilion for tu-
berculoSiS patients. The dormitoTy is especially
/ needed as at the present time the accommoda-
tions for the help are meagre that the beds,
when vacated by the day force, are taken pos
session OF by the night force. Two other paVli-
| ions will be construct later. The improve
ments contemplated. which are to be begun I'M
mediately, WiN cost about S3OOOOO
In explaining to the Board Of Estimate the
need for additional facilities for caring for cases
| OF measles Dr. Darlington said that next spring
/ IN endemic OF measles would be due and that
! there would probably be twenty thousand cases.
| This prophecy he based on previous experiences.
! A year ago, when preparing chart for the St.
i Iouis Exposition. to show the number Of caseS
OF measles in the city since the consolidation IN
1898 he found that in every other year there
had been an epidemic II held good throughout
the seven years shown. In 1898 the maximum
| number of cases reported in any one month was
about 2 600; in 1899, LOO; in 1900, 400; in
| 1901. 100; in 1902 $500: in 1903, l,75O; in
| 1904, 7lOO (number greatly Increased by the
extremely cold winter; in 1903 Cup to April u,
6E6 II was observed that on the or years
| the maximum wss reached about May j. or
! JlIne / so the maximum for this year has proba-
| bIv not been reached. In the epidemic years the
| maximum was reached about March or April
! 1 Dr. Darlington says. so far as he knows.
This recurrence Of the disease in alternate years
| has never been observed before.
SENATOR o. III. PLAT'T I'LL.