Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-25
DOCTOR DISMISSED;
USED ANTI-T0XlN
Woman Head of ChiIdren's Home,
Where Diphtheria Rages, Does
Not Believe in That
Treatment

WHITE PLAINS, April 24.-Because
DIR. Edward w. Weber, who for two
years has been house physician to the
Westchester Temporary home at White
Plains, insisted that anti-toXin be ad'
ministered to the children suffering
from diphtheria on account of an epide
mic of the disease now in. the home
and which he says Mrs. Mary Jordan
the superintendent, refused to permit
he has been dismissed by the board OF
managers.
The Westchester Temporary home is
a home for incorrigible and INDECENT
children of the county and now has
about $50 inmates. At present, accord
ing to the report of DR.. Weber, twenty
five inmates are suffering from diph-
iberia, and when he ceased attending
the institution as house doctor March
26 last there were twenty-five other
children who had cultures in their
throats.
The statement of DIR. Weber and
several directors of the home says
Mrs. Jordan, the superintendent, be-
lieves in homeopathic treatment, and
for this reason he asserts that she re-
fused to give the children the antitoXin
or to permit him to administer it. She
declared it was too strong a medicine
for a child. DR.. Weber asserts that the
first boy seized with diphtheria was
John Gladsby, colored, years old, and
that he was doctored by Mrs. Jordan,
who gave him medicine, and he was
sent back to the nursery.
Shortly after that" said DR.. Weber,
"the disease showed. There is no doubt
that Mrs. Jordan looks after the chill
dren we'll and keeps the institution
clean, but she imagines that she knows
more about medicine than doctor
does. l was dismissed as house physi-
clan because my views on treatment
were not coincided in by the superin-
tendent. In a letter L sent to the exec
utive committee after l had received a
tJpy of resolution dismissing me
without giving a chance to be heard,
said: Are the health and lives of the
unfortunate children committed to a
ublic institution to be sacrificed by the
whimsical vagaries of a superintendent
with an inordinate idea of her own
knowledge and importance"
Mrs. Jordan succeeded Superintendent
Pierce as head of the Westchester Tenn
porary home. When asked if she had
anv reply to make to the charge of DR.
Weber that she refused to give them
medicine he ordered for the children
and to administer anti-toXin as he di-
rected, she sent word through an assist
ant that she would not discuss the con-
troversy in any form whatever, and
that it was simply up to the executive
committee to speak for her.
DR.. Weber says he was so taken bach
by the unusual action of the executive
committee in dismissing him without
asking any questions, that he sent g
letter of protest to Richard NJ. Hoe, the
secretary of the board Of managers ol
the home in which he said:
"On March Is diphtheria developed il
three children in the home. On the oc-
casion of my visit 1 instituted treat
ment at once, including isolation. Cul-
lures were taken from the throats OF
affected children and sent to Dr. Smith
of New York for examination, which
resulted in confirmation of my dag
nosis of diphtheria. l then Immediately
administered anti-toXin to these chill
dren. On the following day, March 16
other cases had developed, and when
asked for more anti-toXin Mrs. Jordan
absolutely refused to give me any, in
sisting that they were simply cases OF
tonsilitis. On several other occasions
was also refused anti-toXin when l had
insisted that it be given.
From the time of my first visit to the
date of discontinuance of my services
twelve days elapsed. During that time
there developed twenty-five cases OF
positive character, while about the
same number of other children had de-
Veloped throat symptoms which under
the circumstances of such an extensive
epidemic 1 justly regarded as being
suspicious. Criticism of my medicines
and treatment was a common occur
renee. In other cas-s my medicines
were ordered discontinued and medi-
cines more to the liking of the wise
superintendent were ordered instead.