New-York tribune., 1907-07-02
DR.. DOTY ON GARBAGE.
EXPERT QUIETS FEARS,
No Danger Of Epidemic Of Conta-
gi0us Diseases, He Says.

Dr. 4 II. Doty. Health officer of the port
gave TO The Tribune yesterday statement cal
culated to remove the fears Of many persons
that accumuIations of garbage in the city "ouio
cause epidemics of contagious diseases AS d
sanitary expert he explained why such ep'oei''iOS
Gould not he created by mere accumulation OF
,,.rbaea st the same time he made it plain thaf
tho ,,resent conditions were menace TO Puo'io
,.o,,,b and he took occasion TO point out the
,,o.ossit, for a change in method of disposlns Oh
garbage.
DR.. Doty said: 1+
r., ,,,fortunate condition which at pTesen. e
n =, t5is ritv in regard to the accuniuauon
exists IA - I'D ether refuse is apt TO lead to an
exaTccrated estimate of the danger ~ ,ar+ of
e,,It from the temporary lnahnI'S pn @ -, ~. ma
49,. c+raa+ Cleaning Department 10 remove ~ l''9 M
- tis f,,, the streets and may cause unnecessary
1,o~ry on the part Of the Puollc- , .,.,, ,,,,t
The accumulation Of garbage and other 1l,u ou' @
-, ne ots and in houses in thickly populated sec
lions is not only violation OF H"uS'" -
methods but is menace to me punIo "a o,or
mir becomes polluted and oHeHSNe I'u P.i.h
-, ,.a,tiIation Is moro less mteFlereu VIII
I,isor7ers Of the digestive apparatus ETC. may az, 60
f,IIov- These conditions diminish the ihulNrii''
ftf ,,ov-o~ against disease. and there Is so"1
reason 10 believe that an increase IN li'l'iil -
q. z,,,frc Tho warm months may result from
mis- cs1sa As rule. however, TINS iS ho' VII
+ho nI,lJic is most fearful of when these emer-
e-orries are Dresent. !nasUuCh as rellei eA!S'S
accumulation OF E'iA 'aet anu
within the city may he dlrectly re- IN,
tho appe8rance of what are known 70 the puoIc
as pestilential diseases, such as typhuS ";
plague cholera etc. which are Pt"'H'S-., Pt"'H''iIS
,,orto5 and also diseases which are commonly
present here such diphthera. typhoid fever etc.
There is no reason whatever for this heliel. lnaS
-,,-.h 5- no accumulation Of garbage delay in
it's removal can generate the specic organisms o'
H. 7is,,sas i;er referred to. II any Of these dis
cases were present an accumulation OF carnage or
other filth might possihly aid in their extension
Typhus fever Oot typhoid, which is actively
infectious is transmitted by personal contact pos
sibly in some instances '3 M . -, -, 49, 80, =,
bedding rs existence IS 50 nOtoTiously due TO the
overcrowding which has so often occurred IN INC
past both shiphOard and IN various HSului'oi's
that it has been commonly known as ship and
'iaI' fever. etc. Bu0onic plague may ne Said l"
bear practically the same relation 10 the puollc as
tl-phts fever 50 far its extension Is concerned
The infection cholera Is introduced through the
eliu,en+ary tract principally by food and drink,
rersonal careessness and unCleanliness, etc. beng
also important factors in lis transmission IN
countries where this group Of diseases is almost
always present their perpetuation Is due prlncI-
pally to the lack Of enforcement or proper sanitary
regulations such the early detection and iSola-
zion Of cases, disinfecton and careful observation
and detention of those who have been exposed.
()vercrowdng - an exceedingly important factor
in tho transmission Of these diseases. tnasmuch rs
il brings large numbers of persons in close con-
tact with each other
Poverty also contributes more or less TO their
extension by diminishing the resisting power Of
individuals and rendering them susceptible to
Infection and also causing greater mortality.
Moreover. in the countries referred 70 the natives
sanitary regulations These conditions do not exist
either in New York in any other section OF the
world where modern sanitary regulations are OBJ
served. Furthermore, so far as Ne" YORK city Is
concerned. it Is cXaggeration say that the
methods which employed IN the protection OF
lhe public health and the means taken to detect
infectious disease and the facilities which
hand cope with emergencies unequalled.
Therefore, while the accumulation Of garbage etc
may De regarded menace TO the public health.
it must not be inferred that serious consequences
expected.
gency IS that New York has exceedingly IN
sanitary and impractiC8ble method Of disposinC OF
garbage and other refuse ana that there is no
reasonable excuse for its existence Modern sani-
tat!on demands that refuse shall be promptly de-
stroyed as near as possible to its point produC
ton How far this principle is carried out by the
present method Of garbage disposal in New York
is not difficult As a matter Of fact large
accumulauons Of offensive garbage always exist In
New York. These at the dumps and on scows
1t Is true that they are at the waters edge but
IL some instances this IS IL the immediate vicin-
ty Of densely populated sections Of the city. This
material IS brought from long distances frequently
IN decomposed condition and remains on the
scows until they can be removed to Barren Island
fourteen or fifteen miles away. The distribution Of
the offensive odors from this material IS rccog-
nized during the transit Of the scows and over
large area in the vicinity Of Barren island The
present method Of garbage disposal requires t he
separation Of this material from other refuse.
This is impracticable and cannot be enforced.
Practical sanitarians are unanimous in the opin-
ION tlat a ctys garbage and other waste should
be collected and crenated together; that this can
be done has been practically demonstrated both in
Europe and in this country. The argument or
criticism that it is more expensive than the pres
ent method should have little no weight when it
IS considered from the point OF view OF public
health Incinerators placed IN different sections
Of the city would allow quick trips and pracucaIy
insure destruction Of garbage before its decOmpO-
sltion-a most important consideration.
IN such en- emergency present exists il
would not be necessary to solve the problem as 10
what docks the garbage shall be taken to- or after
II has arrived there. when # may possibly be
transferred 10 Barren Island. The construction Of
an lnclneTator Is very simple. and il be oper-
ated with few men; therefore in almost any
emergency il is probable that sufficient men could
he obtained TO cremate whatever material could he
brought TO the incinerator.
Properly constructed incnerators be operated
IN huiIt-up sections Of the community without
causing any special annoyance This has been
demonstrated in Hamburg and in other places
When the proper method OF garbage DISPOSAL is
understood there is doubt that hotels and
other institutions, we'll as private dwellings
VIII lncinerate their own waste and thus take The
burden from the municipality. This is already
being done; for instance, the PENNSYLVANIA Hospi-
tai IN Philadelphia. situated in thicklv settled
portion OF the city with, daily average census