New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-23
WITNESSES DEFEND D0TY
Or. John w. Brannan COmmendS
Health Officers Regime.
PRAISE FOR CHOLERA FIGHT
Woman Head of Missionary So
ciety Also Testifies for De-
PENDANT at Hearing.

Dr. John W. Brannan. president of the
board Of trustees Of Bellevue anC Allied
Eospitals. was the principal witness yes
,erday in behalf Of Or Alvah II. Doty'
Health officer of this port, when the inves-
tigation of DR. Dotys regime at Quaran-
tine was continued before Commissioners
Charles ~ Bulger. in Part IL of the Su-
preme Court. Or. Brannan was on the
witness stand for a good part OF the DAY
under cross-examination by Charles Dush-
kind, counsel for the compliments His
cross-examination will end with to-day
hearing.
Formulating a great many Hypothetical
questions, based ON alleged conditions OF
maladministration at Quarantine, MI
Dusbkind sought TO get Dr. Brannan to
admit that Dr. Doty's administration had
been sadly inefficient Or. Brannan IN
sisted on commencing Dr. Doty's adminis-
tration as Health Oficer and said it was
through his efficiency that the recent
threatened epidemic of cholera was dissi-
pated soon after the disease was first
brought to this port
woman SOOl w lAUSSS wi 1NNy'
Mrs. Emma Michel. superintendent Of the
Woman's Home Missionary Society of the
Methodist Episcopal Church made good
witness for Dr. Doty. She had occasion 10
visit Hoffman Island frequently, she said
in connection with her work Whenever
she visited the hospital at the island she
had found it clean and every attention and
kindness was paid to the immigrant chill
drcn by the doctors and nurses, she testi-
fed
ON cross-examination by Mr. Dushkind'
Mrs Michel admitted she usually tele-
phoned the hospital authorities before VS.
i,ing the island. She said her observations
had been wholly in the children's wards
and not in the larger wards
Ida Davis the nurse in charge of the
comrnissary department at HOFFMAN Island
was recalled for cross-eXaminauon by MI
Dushkind. Her testimony was abruptly
ended when Mr. Dushkind began TO pry
i,to her personal affairs and family MS
tory. the witness fatty refusing TO teSu-
~ regarding these matters. The girl hau
ureviously testified that she was Ill anu
away from the island for two weeks last
June. When the lawyer asked her where
she had been during those two weeks 'he
witness declined to answer any questions
I'm that regard.
An adjournment was taken AT this point
Later Miss Davis was said TO be in
historical condition and unable to return
and continue her testimony at the after
noon session. She will probably be recalled
to-day.
Had No Authority in Cushing Case.
mr. n counsel
for the complainants referred to the case
~ the man Gushing who had worked on
tfoNnan island watching cholera suspects
crd later became sick with cholera at his
LONE. on Staten Island. Dr. Brannan salo
Inc had read Of the case in the papers. and
,rot was the only way he knew about It,
"Didn't YOU. as a public official al pub
lie hospitals and interested in cholera
cases. regard it Of enough Importance 10
asli Dr Doty about it and see that the
cushing family were quarantined?' asked
Mr. Dushkind
The witness said the case was not in
his Jurisdiction. lie would not deem II
necessary 10 quarantine all the members
Of the Gushing family, and it was very
unlikely any Of them would contract chol-
era. which had proved to be the fact after
ward. he said. In such cases II was es-
sential TO keep all persons who may have
been exposed under observation, he SAID
but he would let the men Of the family
who had 10 work go TO their business.
Why, then, would you deem it neces-
sary TO quarantine the immigrant passen-
gers on a steamer where cholera had de-
veloped?" asked Mr.. Dushknd.
They would be subjected to unusual ex-
posure, and as a rule they do not have TO
work. and il would he better preCaution
10 detain them" replied the witness.
Mr. Dushkind cited a case Of woman
who handed on steamer which had re-
ceived a clean bill OF health in regard 10
cholera at Quarantine. One Of her chill
dren was suffering from measles and was
removed from Ellis Island 10 Hoffman ISL
and three weeks afterward. The mother
went TO Hoffman Island 10 see her child.
contracted cholera and died two days af
terward. Mr.. Dusfkind said. lie contend
ed that the mothers visit TO Hoffman ISL
and was during the time in July when the
water was found 10 be affected there and
that she contracted cholera from the un-
sanitary conditions on the island.
Dr. Brannan said he understood the
woman in this particular case contracted
the disease from one of her children, who
was found to be a cholera carrier"
George Gordon Battle, counsel for Dr.
Doty, said he would prove this to be the
fact