The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-08-13
DOCTORS TESTIFY FOR DOHY
IN REPLY TO RUSSIAN INMI-
GRANTS AND EX-EMPLOYEES.
Dr. VIM. N. Polk Praises Conditions at
Hoffman Island-Dr. Simon Flexner
Says No such Precautions Against
Cholera We're Ever TAX en- Before Tier

~ vVus TOIh GTuISCS SOuUVIOUS ~
Hoffman Island-Dr. Simon Flexner
Says No such Precautions Against
Cholera We're Ever Taken Before Here
The Doty forces lined up yesterday to
testify that the present administration
OF the Health Officer Of the Port is com
petent and efficient. Among the wit
nesses who appeared at the inquiry be-
fore Charles r. Bulger. the commissioner
appointed by Gov. Dix to hear the COM
plants against DR.. Alvah II. Doty. were
DR.. Simon Flexner. director of the Rookie
feller Institute Of Medical Research
DR.. William NJ. Polk. head of the Cornell
Medical College and president Of the
Academy Of Medicine: DR.. John W.
Brannan. head of Bellevue and Allied
Hospitals, and Prof. William p. North
rup. a specialist in children's diseases
who is connected with Bellevue and Pres
byterian hospitals. Only Drs. Flexner
and Polk were examined yesterday. The
hearing will be resumed next Thursday.
Mrs. Doty was present yesterday ready
to tell about the payment of bills for
tuning a piano and for the purchase
Of golf balls. Two nurses. Miss Iva
Davis. graduate nurse. who is in charge
Of the cooking at Hoffman Island, and
Miss Winifred Noon. head nurse at HofY-
man Island, also were on hand for DR..
Doty. DR.. Jenkins. predecessor Of DR..
Doty as health officer. was in the court
room.
Before DR.. Polk was called Isaac Y.
Cohen. who appears as personal counsel
for Commissioner Bulger entered a pro-
test against the hearing being suspended
before the complainants were all heard
so that the defence, or DR.. Doty. might
get in its side. He said it was contrary
TO precedent and that Charles F. Hughes.
now United States Supreme Court JUS
tce. wouldn't allow such a proceeding
when he was conducting the insurance
investigation.
Il am ashamed Of that rule and re-
pudiate il absolutely" commented Com
missioner Bulger.
DIR. Polk was witness that the COM
missioner and Lawyer Charles Dushk ind.
representing the Jewish Morning Journal.
soon found knew what he intended to say
and would say it. He said he was mem-
Der of the medical advisory board which
public health matters The other men,
bers Of the board were Drs Bryant,
jacob and j neway The board had no
Official standing, Dr. Polk said. and ne
did not know who had proposed it, but
it was supposed to represent the best
medical interests of the community.
He described visit he made 10 Hoffman
Island on June Is. Conditions were good,
he said He tasted the food and il IVES
satisfactory The women working in the
kitchen had "the ordinary appearance Of
cooks
Strike that out" said Commissioner
Bulger Cooks have no common ap-
pear ance. What We're they doing? That
Ii what we want to know"
Cooking" said DR.. Polk blandly. And
moment later he said: IF you want to
dissect cooks go ahead can keep at it
until Monday"
DR., Polk raised many laugh Don't
keep shouting at me" he said to Lawyer
Dushkind; You are irving to get me
angry. You couldn't do that"
Lets be good natured," interjected
the commissioner.
"Yes. let's have a good natured investi-
CATION" said the doctor, turning and bow
ing to the commissioner.
DR.. Polk agreed that where there were
cholera suspects. as on Hoffman Island,
the table utensils should be steriliyed
He admitted in answer to a question that
he saw no "sterilizing apparatus" on
Hoffman Island, and Lawyer Dushkind
insisted therefore that nothing could
have been sterilized.
"Oh, no." said DR.. Polk, IL have told
YOU that there was lots of boiling water"
Boiling water is first rate sterilizer
Nnt 60 hA 4
(the steamship companies have to pay
when immigrants are Detained Lawyer
Dushkind wanted to know IL it wouldn't
be preferable that each immigrant should
have new mattress, DR., Polk laughed
good naturedly. Wire mesh with a Gov
erng of blankets made the best mattress
for everybody, even immigrants, he
thought As for the expense. I'D rather
put the money into something that would
do the immigrant more good food, for
instance" he said
BAT the mattresses should be fumi-
gated" insisted Lawyer Dushkind
Il do not believe in fumigation," said
popular superstition, At another time
he said; The only efficient fumigation
is plenty of fresh air
Dr. Polk was quite certain that LAWYER
Dushkind did not understand what eff
ficiency of administration meant. For
instance IL it came TO looking after the
interests Of 5000. 900 persons on ono side
and of 1000 immigrants on the other he
would think first of the 5000, 900. That
was simple. So il there were 900 i'm
migrants on Hoffman Island the first
thing to consider was to keep the cholera
away from the city.
Ill.,. 81 don't think n cholera hs is very conta-
through two epdemics and think know
something about IT, All that ia nacao