New-York tribune., 1907-07-02
PHYSICIANS FEARFUL.
Many Of Them See Epidemic iris
ing from Garbage Piles.

Among the physicians of the city there is al
most general opinion that thousands of persons,
especially children. running great risks of con-
tracing some dread disease a result of the con-
diton of the streets because of the garbage drivers
strike. Many of them place the blame on the city
officials, both in the Health and Street Cleaning
departments.
DR.. Walter G. Crump. of No. S37 Madison avenue,
said yesterday that he had driven through the
East Side and had seen conditions that no other
city in the world would tolerate
For the life of me cannot why there are not
thousands of persons already afflicted with dis
eases of some kind" said DR.. Crump. While
driving through the streets 1 thousands
of children playing in the decayed garbage. I
even number of dead dogs and cats. The
poisonous fumes from the decomposing garbage no
doubt killed those animals. They must have
eaten it. Those dead animals certainly are focus
for the development of the disease germs, as de-
caynS organic matter generates very rapidly unless
removed Immediately
ITO add TO this extremely perilous situation,
the public doesn't realize that the lives
Of hundreds of thousands in danger from the
tuberculosis germ. There are. for instance, about
sixty thousand consumptives this city, each OF
whom probably expectorates Il hundred times
day. Many of them expectorate in newspapers or
rags, and then throw them into the street Think
of the germs that turned loose
These germs multiply rapidly. and the atmos-
phere becomes filled with billions and billions
Of them The oder has Become 50 intense that the
tenants living in Easements and the first floors
are compelled to close their windows at night.
You can rest assured that We are going 70 have
an epidemic of stomach and intestinal troubles
when these and other COntagi diseases break
out it will ne beyond the power of the Health
Department to cheek the epidemic until several
hundred deaths have occurred. No one can realize
what serious thing this is unless he understands
the situation thoroughly from 4 medical point of
view, I also noticed. while going by the fsh and
meat markets that meat while being carried from
the trucks to butcher stores was entirely uncov-
cred.
The meat being exposed to the germ dust simply
adds TO the danger Conditions Just bad among
the pedlers selling sliced watermelon and other
fruits, which exposed all day and be-
come coated with the germs flying through the
air. All of this is against the health laws
Or. Sinclair Smith. specialist In nervous dis
eases. OF No. Sc West 50th street. said that it
up TO" the health authorities It's awful
state Of affairs and a disgrace to- the country ne
said The people should not stand for IT, Just
at this time OF the year. when disease spreads
fast placing the lives of hundreds thousands OF
people i'll danger. There isn't another city in the
country that would tolerate such conditions. It's
all up to the hg officials and they should he
blamed for the present conditions. The strike
should have been prevented. They shouldn't have
allowed the strike TO take place at this time of
the year.
There is grave danger of epidemic. Typhoid
fever, typhus fever. even yellow fever is likely
TO break out. BY this time the propagation Of
disease germs is already In fun bloom. and the
situation is already ntoleraby unsanitary. An
other grave danger is the summer complaint of
children
DR.. John l. Moffat. secretary 10 the Kings
opatMc Eye. Ear and Throat Journal" said he
could not hud words strong enough to express his
views on the present conditions
Il know of the terrible conditions that exist. anil
have all can do to write for my own journal In
regard to the outrage. l writing an
teresting when am through with II. II Will be
published in the next issue