New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-20
DENs OF DEATH....N No. VII.

THOUSANDS DIE UNNECESSARILY.
We come now to the consideration OF the beat
r,ode whereby these conditions of atmosphere, 80
destructive Of human life may be Uncovered ana
Tho ,roner measures applied for their removal.
From necessity, great crowds must Always eX'
lat in cities this, however, should be the reason
wby the most strenuous efforts ought to be mace
TO obyiste their welknown efecta.
Much has already been done TO obylase she
dsathy consequences Of compulsory croWdlng, by
Ehe general improvements in building, the reguia.
zion of streets the removal Of high walls, which In
former days entirely surrounded every clty and by
obapges which tend to afford sufficient space
tor people necessarily brought together t. obtain
tho requisite supply Of air TO the demands of the
aystem. It has been seen that the Investigations
into the causes Of the excessive mortality in pris
ms in former days. and into those occurring in
sbjpa, have resulted in the application OF means to
yomedy the fatal effects of crowding, with an efH
c;ency that cannot be otherwise than surprising
No the scientHc philanthropiss such facts give
most gratifying assurance that the diseases arising
from aimilar causes, which still exist, may yet be
removed, together with vast amount OF human
suffering and is train of privations In clasa least
dsesae that, either for its orig extension ia de-
nendent on the violation of the physical laws under
consideration, there atl remain measures to be put
in force, if not for itB extinction, AT least or ies i'
CATION to great extent
Uhara cannot be- it is admitted, the aame gov.
eminent applied to those occupying their own
5velIngs as has been exercised in prisons bat ths
abould be- no reason why similar attempt should
~, ia he ofTacfa of n Er1ilnr 8kAtA
ofIvipg. Indeed, as was just remarked, the very
necessity Of dwelling closely together furnishes
the beat reason why aimilsr attempt ought TO Do
made, and suitable Investigations undertaken to
saoertsip low far the same principles can De ap'
piled to people thus situated. The applications OF
general principles to certain cases can only be made
after a proper examination into the peculiar wants
of each case When these are ascertained, the
application ofthe principle becomes CON- ar&tively
easy. Without m investiget on with tha e nd in
view, all attempts at g remedy will BE- unsAt iSfao'
tory and useless ,....,.,
|. ia therefore obvious that what lie most needed
in our City is suitably organized Preventive San
atory Police, composed of persons capable OF under
stspdne and estimating the effects OF certain
oauseo that produce disease within dwelling, and
nv their timely removal prevent their action IA
pIau to accomplish this object was suggested some
vests aimee by the most scientific City Inspector
We have ever had, ard more recently urged upon
the proper authorities without avail.
The importance Of oiH,ial interference in this
manner is conceded by oil who have bestowed any
tboueht upon the subject The extent and mode
however, ofthe application Of iclent measures OF
nreveDtion have not been lnyestiGat Win the
oKre demanded by the important results dePendlng
on them. All preventive sanatory ma aaures nave
basn confined to causes OF an external nature
sucb "a aye internal or domestic have not been
looked after with the same attention Indeed so
fe, ga measures in anticipation are concerned t1eyN
have not been attended TO at dwelling places
never receiving any attention until they have be-
oome 40 utterly unfit for human habltati2n "a 70
have been made special subject OF complaint Or
rntu disesse itself has marked them as plague
spots of the worst kind The necessity of an ua-
RENTED attention to the condition of the streets,
lanes and alleys of the City has been SO repeatedly
subject Of municipal reports, newspaper remarks
and other means Of public Information, that there
Is little danger of cleanliness being hereafter neg
lec.ed 20 any very serious extent Health " ar
deps Policemen and other officers OF the City are
constantly watching for iniractions OF the City Or
dinanoes in reference to deposits OF decomposing
substances in the public thorougbfares The City
Police, especially while engaged in their ordinary
duties in every part of the City, have an opportu
nitv of detecting an Infringement of the laws re-
lstns to public cleanliness, whereby measures for
the efficient prevention Of disease are in constant
oneration 80 far as external Municipal Police can
ret The removal of such aources Of infection need
never be delayed until there is a formal complaint
of their existence made Or until the effects have
announced their existence in q way which cannot
be misunderstood for they are always visible, and
always known.
II Ia not so, however, with the domestic Causes
ofthe spread OF presidential diaeases the existing
arrangements do not place them under proper
aspstory supervision hence the 6rat notice that
il made public oftbs absolute nnGtneEs Of place
q, human residence is the existence of the disease
isslE which thus discharges the duty OF Health
Warden as has so often been the case In cellars
and excessively crowded courts. When the taofH
thereby made known, there Is no want OF active
measures on the part Of the public officers Tor the
immediate removal Of these Gauges while all the
journals are loud in their praises OF those who have
30 promptly repaired to the injected spot, dispersed
The inhabitants and eleansed and purified the place
Such measures, we all know, are often, very often
needed during pestilenoe; for the disease il con-
snusly spreading and appearing in other places
and always with violence and fatality in proportion
to tho condition in which the poor always live-that
Of excessive crowdipg The term "the pOor's
plague" OF former days, il equally applicable in
oar own time; or precisely the same osn5isioD ex-
ists row. bat not to tho same extent Ii is thsfe