New-York tribune., 1921-10-31
Hylall Assailed
For Conduct of
Health Bureau
Dr. DAWN, in Bulletin of
Medical Association, Calls
Upon Ali Physicians to
Help TO Elect Curram
Influenza Policy Criticized
System of Controlling Drug
Addicts Is Denounced
as Breeder of Tragedies


Misuse of the Health Department
under the Hylan administration was
made the basic FOR an appeal issued
yesterday by DR.. John p. DAWN. cxecu-
tive secretary Of the New York Medi-
cal Association, urging all members of
the medical profession TO support
Henry II. Curran for Mayor.
Disclaiming any political motive for
his action. DR.. DAWN, in tho Official
bulletin of the association, points out
that the mistakes made by the Health
Department justify the whole medical
profession in working for the defeat
of Hylan. "The openmindedness, the
intelligence, and the honesty Of pur-
pose Of Henry II. Curran cminently fit
him to undo the evil vicariously in
ficted by Mayor Hylsn in his admins
tration Of tho New York City Depart
mcnt of Health" says the bulletin.
Because the Health Depe pertmcnt gen
orally has been considered to be above
suspicion, it has escaped investigation.
SO far, by tho Meyer Committee, pr.
DAWN asserts in the bulletin Ho then
relates some of the defects found in
the department by the medical profcs-
sion.
at may be stated in presenting these
facts to the medical profession and to
the people of the city, who are served
by the profession" says DIR. DAWN.
that this act is performed not as
political matter but as matter Of pub
lie policy and of professional duty to
all concerned"
Influenza Not Recognize.
Improper handling by tho depart
'nent under DR.. Royal S. Copeland Of
the influenza epidemic and of drug
addiction is charged in the bulletin.
When the influenza first appeared it
was described by Dr. Copeland as the
ordinary seasonal grippe and 'three
days fever" with the result that "by
the time the health officerssgot around
the disease had either claimed its vic
Tins and ahated or gone to other local
ities," the bulletin charges.
But the most serious complaint
lodged against the Hylan administra.
tion of the Health Department CON
Germs the departments definition of
drug addiction as "pestilential dis
ease This enabled the department to
carry on raids and expose victims to
merciless publicity.
"Whatever excuse or justification
there may be for unwise or mistaken
methods Of control by the Department
of Health in cpidemics of really con-
tagious diseases like influenza and
poliomyelitis, there can be no excuse
whatever for q similar method of con-
troll over a disease which is neither
epidemic, nor contagious in character,"
says the bulletin.
For years the Legislature of this
state has refused to incorporate a
clause in its drug laws compelling the
registration of drug addicts on the
ground that blackmail, oppression and
extortion might result from this action.
Notwithstanding this fact the regstra-
tion Of drug addcts was made compul-
sorry in this city by the combined ac-
tion of the late Narcotic Drug Commits
sioner and his deputies, Miss Sara Gra-
ham Mulhall, formerly identified with
an advertised remedy for the drug
habit, and the Health Commissioner of
this city. Under this system a clinic
was established where for the first
disease awaiting medical treatment
were made the object of public ex-
posture to sightseeing occupants Of
rubberneck wagons for their calious in
Spection.
Political Influence Charged
again under Governor Miller Gov
ernor's Smiths drug commission was
tardily legslated out of Office. not with
dishonorable discharge which it had
earned, but with all the spoils of a
political campaign waged against the
disease of drug addiction, chiefly in
this city. Up to this time and in this
way Mayor Hylan's Health Commits
sioner has done more to further the
ends Of the drug law promoters and
the drug cure insttutionalists than
they have been able to do for them
selves in all the years they have laborcd
with the Legislature.
What these ends are every politician,
every well Informed man and every New
York newspaper knows full we'll Trag-
edies innumerable have regularly fol-
lowed the illegal rulings, the round-ups,
the drives and the raids upon drug ad-
diets. There are no records Of the
cures or the emoluments which have
resulted from this form Of political
health service. The remedy for this
condition which as far as we are con-
cerned is now local one is not to be
found at Albany
"Only by the election Of Henry II.
Curran as Mayor over John r. Hylan
can we bring this problem to his atten-
tion for a solution. The open-m;ndcd-
ness, the intelligence and the honesty of
purpose of Henry H. Curran em;nertly
ut him to undo the evil vicariously in
flicted by Mayor Hylan in his admins
tration OF the New York City Denart