The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-15

death on Barren Island. and this IL
the case of an infant overcome ~
the heat. How the folks there lN"
and thrive under prevailing conditions
is too much for my comprehension
but apparently they do"
This is not ali. If one may acce;;
another story told with justiiiab,r
pride by islanders themselves The
say that some time ago "A we'll know
Brooklyn physician threatened with
tubercular trouble went to Barron
Island TO live for "a time. and that
when he came home 20 BROOKLYN lie
came home "A we'll man-all tuhercu-
lar symptoms gone, strength re
newed and able To resume his prac-
tice. Further it is asserted that his
medical man was so convinced of tho
standing of Barren Island as a neal
by health resort hat ne has since
then sent several patients there who
were suffering from rheumatism ami
that in several Instances they received
substantial benefit from their %sojourn
Until the Health Department com
pletes and tabulates its survey COM
missioner Goldwator's associates d.
not feel at liberty To speak at length
Of conditions on Barren sland. Tha
general feeling among them seems to
be. however. that the only reason why
Barren Island thus far las escaped
devastating visits from epidemic dis.
eases Of one kind or another Is he'
cause IL Is So remote from the usual
haunts Of men that up to the present
time germs of serious contagious dis
cases have not been introduced there.
Should scarlet fever or typhoid. for
example, break out on Barren Island
under existing conditions, there Nigh,
he a far different story to tell as re-
CARDS It's immunity from epidcmics
II is to guard against such a possible
contingency that Commissioner Gold
waters staff have been making a care
ful survey, with the view of having
existing conditions changed.
one Of the interesting features thus
far brought out is that when the
Health Board sends over a
to Barren Island, charging persons
with maintaining "A nuisance. for en-
ample, Policeman Evans finds little
difficulty in serving the papers, hut il
is quite another matter To- bring the
= ''N EANIl'i'lN 'N'I ~ lllt
mainland and into a cour room,
Boats run AT intervals during a part
Of each day, but unless tac schedule
of sail!ngs has been CHANGED within
a few days the ISLANDERS who are
summoned have To- leave Harren's
shore in the oNtuIng and spend a
night on the mainland otherwise. Il
Is said, they cannot be in court when
courts opens the following morning.
So far as known. the Health De-
partment is not undertaking to effect
a general revolution of Living cundi-
tions there. 1t has its own particular
feId of work laid out for IL ON Bar
rem Island as elsewhere IN Greater
New York ana it is going ahead
calmly, quietly. in the regular routine
of its duty toward All residents of this
big town. Those interested in the
welfare uf the island cherish the hone
that persons who are actively inter-
cstod In social service and educational
work may deem II Wei worth while
t. examine carefully this opportunity,
and perhaps 60 send trained workers
Gown there with tn" view of lettering
conditions, as they have been hettered
In :" many other localities.
Religious life on Earror Island 10
represented by two churches. Wherein
services are held ou SUNDAY. So far
hs could he hSccrtaincd no resident
pastor has been assigned to barren
Island for many years. If over. II
Is cited as a fruitful field for sim
coro missionary cftort by those organ
cations of n denomination or am
other which So generously provide
medical missionaries, tcl"hcrs, preach
ers. as well as schools, churches,
chapols and hospital service for otner
islands than Barren isles of the
South Pacific, for example, as well
as for Eskimps Of tho polar region.
the inhabitants Of India. central AZ
RIGA and many others In remote pats
OF the world.
In brief, the scientific survey I'M
dcrtakcn 10y the Department Of Health
m " yet have great and unexpected
results Of many kinds, social, rolig-
iouS n educational, Tho field for
such uplifting effort, il is pointed out,
lies close at hand the people arc
there. the opportunity apparently en-
list"
Already "A beginning has been made
In housing conditions, and ono of the
illustrations herewith published shows
a striking contrast between the pre-
vailinc typ" Of shack and the new
block of modest but neat dwellings
recently completed, 1t is understood
that since these new dwellings were
erected IA great many islanders, for
merry content to inhahit shacks, have
had their ambition aroused for Il
pretty home" wherein their wives
and little ones may live more like
other people"