The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-17
CHOLERA PLAGUE
 IS THREATENING
 AMERICAN PORTS Serious Task COnfronts the Quarantine Department the Coming Summer GROWING SERIOUS
 IN NEW YORK CITY Fifteen Cases at Swinburne Island Hospital and Others in Symp-
 tomatic Stage-Health
 Officers Statement

New York, July 16-Although the ehol- era situation at Quarantine at present is regarded by pr. Alvah H. Doty. health officer of the port of New York, as be- ing well in hand, he did not conceal his tonight that New York was vasion of cholera" Further Doty de- clared the quarantine department of every port in this country is facing a very serious task during the coming summer '' and it is not improbable that many ves- sels arriving from Italy during the next of the disease.
 Today's official report of the situation shows that there are fifteen cases of the scourge at Swinborne Island hospital, and four cases symptomatic of the disease. Within the past "A hours one more victim has died.
 The steamer Perugia has been detained and the medical staff is preparing to make bacteriological examinations in the case of each of the PAS persons on the steamer Moltke who now are under ob- servation.
 Governor May Take Charge
 It is possible that Governor Dix will be called upon to take charge at quarantine. Charles Dushkind, attorney for the immigrants whose charges against Dr. Doty are being investigated by a commission, made public tonight letter fa Ind of ba commission, suggesting that the latter call upon Governor Dix to take charge of the health offices department.
 In a statement issued tonight in re- ply to an interview attributed by morn ing newspaper to Judge Buger, Dr. Doty element of, danger. The statements at tributed to Judge Bulger, Dr., Doty says, "are so calculated to alarm the public in the very midst of a heatened invasion ol eio'sfs aat l feel justified ia mak- a reply
 ing question asked by Judge Bulger in the interviews:
 What can Dr. Doty, health officer of the port, mean when he allows five men who have been in daily contact with persons suffering from Asatic cholera to they wore when among the cholera vic- tims and touch elbows with everybody they meet?''
 Dr. Doty's Statement
 pr. Doty's statement says on this point:
 to were called as witnesses by the people in charge of the investiga- ton, and were permitted by me to be absent from duty at Hoffman Island for this purpose. Cholera is not transmitted by clothing, or by thesair, but by actual contact through the mouth with dis charges from the intestinal tract of the cholera victim. There is, therefore, no danger whatever from contact with a person who has been in the presence of the disease.
 At the present time we are deal ing With serious outbreak of cholera in Italy, and in other sections of the Mediterranean where it has in creased in virulence since last year. A majority of the vessels which recently have come from Italy either have brought actual cases of this disease It is with great difficulty that the latter condition is combatted and it Is only through a most exhaustive bac- astrological examination that we are able to secure the facts.
 Ut is in the presence of these con ditions, when the con fidenee of the public interests department should not be unjustly disturbed, nor it's facilities for protecting the public health dl- unfinished that the man appointed to in- vestigate this department makes the amazing declaration which Commission CT Bulger makes this morning in the midst of the hearing with no testimony in reply yet offered.
 Facing Serious Task
 "The quarantine department of every port in this country is facing a very serious and onerous task during the summer. It Is not improbable that many vessels arriving from the cholera infected districts, of Italy with In the next few days will bring one or more cases of this disease. The crisis is drawing heavily upon the resources of my department. It also puts an strain upon the discipline of the department. Commissioner Bulger's
  quarantine conditions affect not only the public mind, but the discipline of quarantine on which the public is largely dependent for the. health and safety"
 In his letter to Judge Bulger, Mir Dushkind relates some testimony taken at the committees hearings and bases his contention that Dr. Doty should be relived from duty largely on the fact that Charles Leavitt, carpenter employed at Hoffman island, and four other employees at the island were per mitted to leave their posts and attend the hearings. MT. Dushk ing asserts that he fears possible infection might result from such practice.
 Dr. Doty covers the point raised by MT. Dushkind with the declaration that employees at Hoffman island come in contact only with persons held under observation and not with actual suf- ferers from cholera who are sent, he says, to the Swinburne Island hospital as soon as they become able, to prevent infection among others held at Hoffman island.
 Mir. Dushkind also calls attention to the development of a number of eases of cholera at quarantine, as he alleges several days after the period of in cubation had expired" as further req son for viewing the situation as alarm ing and bringing 1t to the governments attention.
 Washin gton, July 16.-The public
 
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