The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-21
Tn. Relief OF the Poor-SanItnry Condition
OF NIfIes.

We published few days ago a report o.
~ association IN this city, established for the
relief Of tie poor which shows the alarming
eytelt q pauperism in this city. II Is asserted
n this document. az 1t has before been by the
secretary Of State Of New York. that pauperism
i. RAPIDLY On the increase. TIE HERALD has had
occasion to advert to THIS fact on previous coca
sions 10 eyory seventeen persons there Is now
ope rauper In 1881 there was bu. one in one
bunared ana tWcny-three, and swo thirds q the
whole psuperism 81 the state Of New York are
Supported ~ hi. city. Associations for tie re-
liet 81 Tie poor who 40 no. the immediate or
iects II the charity ~ our statutes have become
rtce. airy IN a community where so much private
soG,riug exists: and The discrimination which
my arc compelled to make between veal neoes-
slty and imposturc enables them 70 throw mach
l.gbt on the sanitary condition Of cities. We
imagine however that the tables which this as
-oc'ation presented to the public eye are not as
eIrefuliy prepared o. they night be. Thus .e
lnd ID the report OF the thirteenth annual meet
iog 81 tbis association already pahlisbed in the
HERALD that The number of persons relieved by
Il during the year past was over IL, 000-one-
seventh " orr whole population. al least such
appears to b tie footing OF the third column Of the
table though ii j. afterwards stated 10 he a less
number Probably these may have been the
humber 81 times these persons were relieved. II
i. however. statement which needs revision be-
ore It can b made the groundwork Of correct
legislation.
Undoubtedly the sanitary condition Of popu-
lous towns hss much 10 DO with these results
raa food, damp and dark dwellings, impure air,
usd water want Of fu,l and personal exposure
IN contribute to swell The ranks OF pauperi N
and = Is, the Whole charity Of public and private
relief. ltis now a well established theory ID {
much Of The ravages Or disease and the sufl.rin.
81 want nay be foresecn and prevented by
proper system % sanitary regulations. In tbs
ght W. al present choose to regard ogr oblig !:
tlous o. men and Christians. What a dreadful
morteli follows the neglect Of these maxims,
which are the results Of medical and polite |;
economical inquiries In great city like New
York II is amentable to ZEE bow vast Is the mum
ber 81 orr yearly dead. Two great cemeteries,
Jcopgd from our midst. contain, il il supposed,
more then eighty thousand graves, though both
of recent origin. On Long Island and on the
Bay shores other large tracts Of land have re-
Gently been laid out ss places Of interment, ard
IRE also rapidly Cling up. Our Potter's field Il a
series Of many strata Of Wondering corses
piled on each other in CHASTITY heaps Hospitals
snd dispensaTics are multiplying around US, aud
vet no in'erposticn OF humanity stays the career
Of mortality. II is the opinion Of the learned Of
the medical faculty that considerable proper
ton Of the lives cut or in large cities, under
some general ssnitary regulations, might be
prolonged.
II II an established fact that cities are tho
favorite haunts If oridemics that there life
hes the least average duration. and that two
per cont Of deaths il a very healthy mortality !
In London The deaths are in the ratio Of ! TO
every 80 persona; in New York, | to 80 and
$500 Philadelphia, ] 10 47sI in Boston,
TO $685. Baltimore, 10 SG.19; Charleston,