New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-04
SICK ALIENS CANNOT PASS
Model Detention Stations Set Up
for Them by Or. Doty.
GET BEST OF TREATMENT
Hotel Accommodations, Too, OF
First Glass at Small Charge
for Relatives Of Sick.

The rej,,venste6 quarantine stations at
Hoffman and Svinburne Islands. which
have been made into models Of sanitation
and adequacy since they were put under
-he jurisdiction Of Health officer Doty some
six months ago. were opened Tor private
inspection yesterday. Until December OF
last wear the detention islands were under
the control and supervision Of board OF
commissioners Believing that DR.. Doty
could make the stations what they should
he in order to care for detained aliens suf-
fering from contagious diseases. Governor
Hughes abolished the board and told Dr.
DCty TO go ahead
The Health officer had only small ap-
rropriarion but he took the Governor at
his word, and the visitors and representa-
.ives of the press who visited the islands
xas-xrsay were surprised at the splendid
eo,,inrnent and excellent service DR.. Doty
has installed within The six months Of his
administration.
The diseases with which the Health Of
ncer has 70 contend are divided into two
groups The first group, cared for at Swim
burns Island. consists Of typhus fever
srnallpox, cholera, bubonic plague and vel
low fever. The second group. embracing
measles. scarlet fever. diphtheria and
chickenpox, is handled at Hoffman Island
DR.. Doty is q strong believer in the as
siasnoe Of sunlight and fresh air in caring
for the unfortunate aliens who are forced
through contagious disease TO detention
on the island and his first step in the work
Of making over the detention station was
10 remodel the main hospital at Hoffman
Island. It was an old-fashioned building
six months ago, but to-day 1t is filed with
an abundance Of fresh air and sunlight.
hon
courts built around the main hospitals and
the new pavilions, so that patients could
re- rolled out without inconvenience into
The open IN invalid chairs.
The work Of Improvement went on quickly
and within five months Holman Island was
ready for go patients and SWinburne could
easily handle go. The measles problem
mas 3 big one Realizing that mothers had
e right 70 accompany their sick children
during detention. DR.. Doty provided &C
Communications for them and today the de-
ten7ion station has capacity for Itp steer
2 &c passengers. On the south side Of Hof1-
man Island are two large new buildings
for cabin passengers. They have the ap-
.,ointnents OF a modern Arst-class hotel
an6 the only tax upon the passenger Is D
G dsv, which. includes everything.
Il was learned yesterday that there is
.nina1 meningitis cases brought 70 this
ror- On steamships Of the Greek Line. AS
2 rule. Dr. Doty has from ten TO fifteen
casee under treatment at q time This
aroo,Int Is larger than all the cases re-
,,o~-ed At one time in greater New York
The r,a-ienrs are treated with the serum
discovered By DR. Simon F1exner, of the
Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research,
and the mortality Of these cases through
the use Of the serum has been reduced from
20 TO 20 per cent
The food problem was one Of the hard
tasks before the health officer. Although
The best and purest food was served to
patients and the mothers OF alien children,
the American style Of cooking did not
appeal TO the foreigners. Observing this,
Dr. poty appealed to the stewards OF the
various steamship lines for menus. and now
each nationality gets the sort of food it
was accustomed to. The menus are pre-
pared a day in advance, and must be eE-
amined and passed upon by the medical
staff al the islands before the food is al
lowed TO be served to the patients and
their relatives. Through an arrangement
with the Western Union Telegraph Com
rany. DR.. Doty is permitted TO send free
Of cost kilograms to all relatives or friends
Of patients, advising them OF the condi-
tion Of the latter.
The Health Officer was not satisfied with
the water at the islands, and in the early
part OF his administration he had an ar
1esiar well bored that now supplies forty
i've Thousand gallons OF water a day.
Moreover, he Installed 2 plant to eliminate
q small percentage OF salt from the water.
and now the island gets twenty-five thou
sand gallons Of pure. fresh water The
milk supply also did not suit him, but he
found farmer with a large herd Of good
COWS On Staten Island, who agreed to give
I'D mis- route and supply milk exclusively
70 the patients. The COWS are under con-
slant observation. and the pure milk supply
has saved & large percentage OF the infant
patients on the island.
Apart from obtaining large staff Of
competent surgeons and nurses, DR.. Douy
has made a special department for con-
Halesoent patients. He said yesterday that
81 was not safe 10 let a patient who has
recovered but who IS likely TO have subse-
ouent complications, leave the island. Spe-
cial care IS given to all patients TO see
that they DO not suffer any after effects
from the contagious diseases.
The patients and their relatives were ex-
ceptionally cheerful when the visitors in
spected the islands yesterday.