New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-13
Dean of Cornell School DefieS
LAWYER to Make Him Mad"
DR.. S. FLEXNER A WITNESS
Commissioner Bplger Points Out
That Health Officers Medical
Skill Is Not the Issue.

,,estieation into the administration of DR..
Alvah H. Doty. Health officer OF the Port
OF New York. before Commissioner Bulger.
appointed by Governor Dix to conduct the
investigation.
DR. Polk. who is also dean of Cornell
Medical School. has been a member OF the
advisory board selected by DR.. Doty to
govern and discuss quarantine matters
Other eminent physicians who have served
with him have been DIR. Bryant Dr. Jacob
and the late Dr. Janeway. Frequent inter
ruptjons by Commissioner Bulger and
Charles Dushknd. the lawyer retained to
nress the complaints Of Jewish immigrants
against DIT Doty. drew the hearing out 10
such length that no time was left at Z;SO
o'clock in the afternoon 10 hear the tesu-
mony Of Mrs Doty, who was waiting TO
he called by George Gordon Battle, Dr.
Doty's counsel
Was DR.. Doty's administration OF the
work at Quarantine Efficient" asked MI
Battle.
"Eficientr' cried Or. Polk BASED on
my annual visits for fifteen years ! should
say that il was" The prosecution OBJ
icctod. and Commissioner Buleer ordered
the response stricken from the record
once Dr. Polk. in making reply to the
commissioner said ne thought his answer
ought not to go on the record.
RI take care of that record, Dr. Polk
That's precisely what I'm here for the
Commissioner said. growing red in the
face.
Lawyer and Doctor in I'm.
Mr. Dushkind tried to get some admis-
sion of inhumaue treatment Of women at
Quarantine. but Dr. Polk parted the ques-
tons. saving that he was there to report
on physical and medical conditions. The
other conditions were for the priest or the
rabbi. he said At this juncture Mr.. Bat
lie requested Mr.. Dushkind to stop shout
inr Al the witness.
Look here shouted the president of
the New York Academy Of Medicine. get
ting 10 his feet and pointing his finger at
Nr. Dushkind Evidently it IS your in
tention 10 get me mad, and although you
may think there is abundant cause for
such condition | shall stay here until
Monday morning before lose my temper
and the witness sat down. wreathing his
venerable face with smiles.
DO YOU think it an efficient administra-
ton when out OF five cases Of cholera AZ
Quarantine three OF them are permitted
10 cross the border line?' Dnshkind cried
with trembling finger waving under Dr.
Folks nose.
BY crossing the border line do YOU
mean that the patients died. queried the
witness. and then while the room was
having its laugh. Or. Polk interrupted
..The reason ! asked Is to get clear your
meaning You know We doctors often en-
r.lov that term 10 state disagreeable
fact"
Funigation wasn't I'm the witnesses line,
so the prosecution gained nothing by ask
Ing DR.. Polk If he ever heard that the
dormitores at Quarantine were never
fumigated.
DO YOU believe in fumgation?' Dush-
kind asked sarcastically.
81 certainly 40 not / think # is hum
bug
Then why is it the general practice
"I can assure YOU, sir" said Or Polk,
"fumisation is done in obedience TO popular
supcrstftion. but personally ! do not be
Ueve in it," and the witness tapped his
shoes vigorously on the stand for en-
phasis
Dr.. Simon Flexner Testifies.
Dr fYexner testified that he had fire.
Gucntly visited Hoffman and Swinburne
Islands and had carefully but unoffcially
noticed conditions at Quarantine for the
purpose Of getting spinal meningitis cult
tres, which he secured almost daily. He
started 10 say that he was highly pleased
v.ta She work that he ssw there when
Coa1,-fssioner Rulger cut him off, and de-
mA.Fed that the remark De stricken from
~ accord.
IL through Or. Flexner's examination
nv Mr. Battle Commissioner Bulger in
sisted that the witness merely tell what
ne saw there and refrain from expressing
an opinion Mr. Battle insisted that he
had a right TO put on the record the opinion
Of a meteorological expert regarding Or.
Dotys efficiency.
Il have never heard the ability Of DR..
Dotv as medical practitioner questioned
IN this Investigation cried the Commits
sioner That is not the point at issue
here. The point is one OF honesty of ad-
ministration. aud honesty in declaring re-
suits of administration
The Commissioner made it plain that he
wanted TO save time and trouble for Mr..
Battle by obviating testimony as TO Dr..
Dotv.s ability as recognized by Dir. Flex-
ner. but Mr. Battle insisted that he wanted
Or. FIcxner's testimony on the record. and
some Of II. as brought out by the Com
missioners questions, was allowed to
20 on.
Mr.. Dushkind tried TO get some word OF
condemnation from the witness in regard
10 woven wire mattresses that were used
~ Dr. Dotv. He was rather surprised 10
find that the head Of the Rockefeller In
stitute not only favored their use. but said
he had often used them himself. Wire
mattresses he quietly affirmed. were just
as comfortable and heap more sanitary
than the ordinary kind.
In substance, Or. Flexner's conception
Of the ARCHAEOLOGICAL work OF Or. Doty
was that 1t was better than the standard
set anywhere else I'm the world. lie could
see no danger in permitting mothers TO
20 from the hospital wards to nurse their
children. and 10 all of Commissioner Bull
gers hypothetical examples Of the excess
20 which this violation OF quarantine might
be carried i'm case Of infectious diseases,
he replied that he did not know such things
were allowed at Quarantine.
AT 2:2O o'clock the hearing adjourned, and
Mr. Battle agreed TO continuation next
Thursday morning. when Mrs. DOty may
take the stand Mr. Battle considers il
improper 10 call Dr. Doty until all the
other witnesses for the defence have been
heard