New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-22

our own children is regarded with com
parative complacency."
Authorities assert that the last few
years have shown no Improvement, but
that instead. the conditions are growing
moro difficult.
1.-THE New York Academy of Medicine
committee on public health, hospitals and
budget has made an investigation of the
conditions in the city's contagious dis
case hospitals. The Sunday section OF
The Tribune Is authorized by the com
mittee 10 give publicity to the facts con-
tanned in its hitherto unpublished re-
port.
These facts are star Ting enough in
themselves, but perhaps only less so than
the strange circumstance that the second
greatest city in the world should be re-
sponsible for such pitiably inadequate ac-
commodations for Its sick.
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
The Academy of Medicine committee Is
composed of DR.. Algernon 1. Bristo"'
DIR. Robert j. Carlisle. DIR. Charles IL
Dana. Dr. Haven Emerson, DR.. Arpad q.
Gerster. DR.. S. S. Goldwater, DIR. Thomas
John n Huddleston, Dr. Abraham jacob
Or. Egbert lie Fevre, DR.. Samuel Lloyd
DR.. Frank 5. Meara, DIR. James Alex
ander Miller DR.. w. Gilman thompson
DR.. Philip Van Ingen and Or. Ensly X
Williams.
e. II. Lewinski-Corwin, Ph. d., is ex-
ecutiye secretary Of the committee.
The death rate IN the contagious dis
ease hospitals is found to be much larger
than the death rate from the same dis
eases outside Of hospitals.
Overcrowding Is a frequent necessity
and overcrowding inevitably produces
many cross-infections on this account
children have been known to enter hos
n,tsl with the measles, and II they got out
at all not few have done so only after
catching scarlet fever. chicken pox'
diphtheria. pneumonia, whooping cough
! and what not
AS many as six children have been
found. according to former Commits
sioner Of Health, in one bed.
"yye know that cross-infections occur in
every general hospital" said DIR. Corwin
| a few DAYS ago. "If true in the case OF a
general hospital, Ho" hoS" "'"'"
ouent must cases Of cross-infections be
in hospitals for contagious diseases?
| .~rhe chances of infection are one thou
sand times greater.
eve haven't got the facts. because the
BOARD OF Health does not publish status
| tics Of cross-infections in its reports
THE NEED OF PUBLICITY.
such statistics it was pointed out, were
mast important for the public to know
| And the question might be asked. since
medicine has ceased to ne secret science
why should these facts be kept from the
public?
Numerous cases OF vaginitis have been
! found among little girls who have en-
,ered the hospitals because of chicken
nox or other contagious disease.
cases are admitted with diphtheria and
get scarlet fever
Because of too little air space children
with measles die just like rats" as
member of the committee put IT,
DR. Corwin advocates the separation OF
conyalescent patients from those who are
actively or acutely i'll and the placing OF
the former in specially provided for
h.a,cb hospitaIs, TO be erected IN the
sa,,,,rv--st least in the outskirts Of the
city 49,.
Nv doing this he thinks three things
would be accomplished:
| -Recoyeries would be accelerated
,.oo.use Of the much needed fresh air