Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-29

suicides IN the city and the causes OF Sucn
distressing mortality. The rate of suicides
has increased tenfold in the last fifty
years, while the mortality rate from natural
causes has decreased. The city at present
has 1000 suicides a year: last years record
was seventy-seven in excess % that for
any previous season. Forty-three cases Of
attempted suicide we're carefully investi-
gated. Two we're directly due to poverty
and four TO unemployment. The remaining
thirty-seven were laid to a variety OF rea-
sons. which led the investigators to the
conclusion that poverty is not the greatest
cause of suicide.
Statistics also show that the age at which
the greatest number Of cases occur is
from 50 TO so. Three men to one woman
Kill themselves. There are more suicides
among Professionals than Catholics, more
among Roman than Greek Catholics. more
among Greek Catholics than Jews.
There are more kinds of misery in New
York. DR.. Devine declared, than Milton
imagined in his hell" Contrary TO the
idea that misery is a retribution for a
mans or parents misdeeds, DR.. Devine
stated that 1t depended largely on condi-
tons which society could control.
DR.. Devine discussed at length the state
ment OF a probation officer that nine
tenths Of the misery In New York could
be traced to the social evil. He pointed
out the fact that since the framing of the
model law in 1902 by william Baldwin
and the committee Of fifteen to protect
the children In the tenements, there had
not been a single conviction. OF 1904
complaints, 81 were dismissed by the
tenement, house department. "a were
dismissed by the corporation counsel, only
nine were brought to trial and they were
acquitted. THE complete unlnforcement
is a most unfortunate breakdown of mu-
nicipal government" DR.. Devine declared,
and he said that the part OF the police
courts in 1t was "a miserable fiasco."
Taller and heavier than when he entered
Bellevue n month ago. Henry Niedelmsn,
% years old. of III East One Hundred and
Thirteenth street, was discharged from the
hospital. His growth is the result OF a
new treatment for the development of mid
gets into normal proportions. Drs. Wall,
Lackey and Burke of Bellevue hospital had
been experimenting with an extract made
from the thyroid glands OF q sheep as a
substitute for the thyroid glands which
are usually missing from the throats OF
midgets. IL Is the thyroid gland that con-
trolls physical and mental development, say
the Bellevue hospital physicians. On Feb
ruary % Neideiman was taken to Harlem
hospital suffering from a cut on his right
knee and a lacerated scalp wound, and
after two days at that institution he was
transferred to the Bellevue hospital. When
ne entered the hospital he weighed only
seventy pounds, and was three feet six
inches in height. At Bellevue he was
treated with several injections of the thy
-
much improved yesterday that ne was dis.
charged a happier and bigger man. When
he left the hospital he had gained ten
pounds and inches in height, according
to DIR. Tracy, who had him in charge. DR..
Tracy said that when Neidelman entered
the hospital his mind was like that OF a
child, but he is more of a man in every
way now. even after Jess than a month
under treatment. Nefdelman received thy
roid tablets to take three times a day
at home. The treatment" said DR.. Tracy,
has been tried with general success in
Germany, but never before with such
marked success here"
Not many of us were prepared for the
really stupendous figures OF the passenger
traffic Of New York City, which are made
public in the report for 1908 OF that most
admirable and efficient body known as
the Public Service commission. says the
Scientific American. 1t appears that the
surface, elevated and subway companies
In New York carry annually over 100000, 0G
passengers. What these figures mean will
be better understood when it is stated that
they are over IS per cent greater than the
total number of passengers carried In the
same year on all the steam railroads OF
the country combined. The total capitali-
zation Of these transportation companies
is over $6S3y0O0,00o. and they derive annu-
ally from the passengers carried over s62,
10000. Incidentally. 1t may be mentioned
that the capitalization Of New York's gas
and electric companies is over 1885, 900, 0C
and that they sell, annually, S2,0Oo.0o, et
cubic feet Of gas; which amount Is more
than % per cent OF the entire gas produc-
ton in the United States. Moreover, the
income from the sale OF electricity alone
in the city exceeds $2O.Oo .OOo.
By the close OF 1905 the city has ev-
pended over $50, 100000 In the construction
OF subwsys. and an additional 100000
will be necessary to build the Broadway
Lexington avenue line, the loop lines con
Meeting the Williamsburg and Manhattan
bridges, the lines across Manhattan below
LANAI slIett III mdHndANdhi I'M u
avenue line in Brooklyn.
-
A Hoboken inventor has constructed q
street sweeping machine which, II we may
trusted the printed accounts of it's operation
in the streets OF New York. Is destined &c
satisfy a long-felt want. It is an auto
mobile with q sweeper in the rear. Brushes
catch up the dirt, which is raised by I
series of receptacles operating somewhat or
the principle Of a moving stairway, and
the refuse is thrown into the box-liks body
of the vehicle. Guided by a chauffeur IN
front and a helper behind, the machine
picked up the accumulated litter Of tn,
streets with great ease and celebrity. Thi,
must be esteemed a great sanitary achieve
ment. especially II the cost OF scayengerinl
shall be thereby reduced.
A total of S,si5 men and women mad,
= their living behind the stands in New
York's public markets during 1908. The,
rented. or leased, 1898 stalls, representing
an investment TO them OF nearly sS,0o0,o0O
Fulton market alone did an average dali!
business OF $4,000 pounds OF fish. The 500