The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-06-20
From the New York Courier and Emo xirer.
The B~aalSsy Improve meat OF Ctslos


Man Is rational being but yet has a nature which is
constantly tending assmiae him 10 the lower animals
by sub]ectng HIM 10 the dominion OF the present and the
palpable. He is in general. most strongly influenced BY
agencies which Immediate IN their effects, and by cir
camstances which directly appeal his outward
II is not ignorance solely that is the occasion OF this, nor
IN fact is ignorance mainly The chief cause is rather
The power OF habit over the physical syslem-the DIM
Guilty OF foregoing cherished indulgence or OF deylang
from confirmed and familiar course. Ii always re-
qures an effort TO ourselves from that 10 which
We are woaied. The incorporate man, who would re-
coil with horror from the hemock bowl will yet eagerly
reach after the alcoholic cup 10 which he Is addicted,
though he perfectly knows lis lfe.s shortening power
The woman who will lremble like an aspen leaf IN a
storm al sea will vel genleelly lace herself 10 death
shore without the slightest concern, and IN spite OF all
the warnings OF science. Everywhere through our so
cial existence, we are constantly obeying the more pal
pable OF Natures laws with most rigorous exactilude,
and violating others, Just potent though more subtle,
with the most perfect indifference We don't have hall
much regard TO effects TO the regularity OF The means
by which they are brought about shock Is TO us the
most Shocking OF all things, and shock would be moth
ing without It's suddenness We practically say to all
the fatal agents about "don't be too abrupt and do
your business s6adum arten and will stand almost
anything You may kill us if you please, but pray kill
us by inches"
An explosion in Hague street insantaneously destroy
ed forty lives, and the whole city shuddeTed with
horror An RECONSTRUCTED building in 23d street. in the
twinking OF an eye crushed five human beings be.
meath its ruins, and every heart thrills with indignation
But disease. working lis silent way through It's
sve stages of ill., dangerous dying, annually sweeps
from our midst into the grave six thousand persons who
might, by timely pecautlon, have been saved from Its
power, and the act exces scarcely more emotion Wv
the last chapter OF the last romance. We have
to count up the dead ones once week; he hands(
his weekly statement foLIbe public; It obtains;
chance, hasty glance, anthen passes IRON popular d.
tention forever. The average annual rate OF mortality
in the healthy country towns OF our State 10 about one IN
sirtyseuen in this city 1t Is one an Mlrythree and
halt Thus man has just twice the chance OF ne IN
the country that he has in the city How many OF our
citizens have sobery regarded this tremendous
reallty-a reality which more directly concerns their
earthly existence than any other possibly CAM vi those
who have needed IFS existence how many have seriously
inquired into its cause, and tell you that the direiu
fact the consequence mainly OF the accumulation OF de-
composed matter in the atmosphere OF vegetable ana AMI
NAL origin, which in the open country diluted. scat
tered by the winds, oxydized in the sun, and incor
porated with growing vegetation, and that TINS &C
cImulatlon can De prevented by cleanliness ana ven
| lilaon !, And OF those who have general idea
| OF the philosophy OF our city mortality, how many
feel like making 1t the ground Of earnest praclica
action, and holding our lawmakers and rulers sricil,
responsible Tor their destructive neglect! What mean
the apathy OF our medical profession whose concern s
or ought to be- much Tor the prevention as Tor the CURE
OF disease Why is il that our annual mortality IN pro
portion to population has increased nearly twenty pc
cent within the last fifteen years, Notwithstanding h
constant improvement of medical skill, and yet hardly
single note of alarm been sounded by those who shoul'
be the guardians OF the public health WHAT lrealis
have they. any of their American brethren elsewhere
published upon The great subject OF the Hyg enc OF town.
and cities Ia France and Germany the sanalory i'm
ProVeneh on the peope mas long occuied Tue Puohc al
enon. and most perfect systems OF medical police are
operation In Great Britain the importance OF the subjec
has been growing public estimation Tor the last twenty
years. and has become OF the stimulatin.
ideas OF the day II engages ina remarkable decree TN
attention OF the press and OF Parliament, and there is no
a in the Kingdom that is not feeling the benefits
OF the practical application OF the principles which its dis
cussion has developed 1t surely cannot be said that th
need Tor saDaloy reform New York is less urgent thar
it in London In fact, ihslanding the immense
amount crime and paupesm in The latter city, and not
hume rous other great natural advantages which
Joy It's ssnaioy condition is materially superior 10 ours
In New York person every thirty three and hal
nine In England ii has been satisfactorily determine,
that The annual rate of mortality would in town
in fifty, II proper sanatoy measures were taken 10
the prevention of disease Ii this is true there, there
no reason why it should not be true here and If tru
here every attribute OF our rational nature constants
to earnes, action in reference the fact We have by
means done with the subject