The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-06

JHE L lbl-iC HEALTH CONDITION OF THE
SIREkTs.-f summer brings its epjoyments to
tn inhabitants of crowded Cities it is also at
tended with causes for anxiety. The occasional
day Of recreation in the green fields and in pure
air is often dearls paid for by the return to an
unwholesome atmosphere. During the cold sea-
son the neglect Of the usual sanitary precautions
by those entrusted with the charge Of the public
health leads merely to Inconvenience. Frost
and rain perform the work of dsinfection with
out the aid Of the city scayenger, whose labors.
irregularly performed, have no percsptble effect
upon our bodily condition. 1t is different, how
ever, in summer; then the absence of those
natural deodorizing agents which Providence
sends to our assistance at ether seasons tells i'm
mediately upon the City Inspectors returns.
There is but one way of guarding against this
result, and that is by the exercise of greater
vigor and watchfulness on the part of the autho-
rites. If they would only perform their duty
and keep the streets regularly swept and watcred
we might maintain Our normal condition all the
year round Unhappily, their attention is so
occupied by matters pertaining to their own in-
terests, that they have no time to bestow on such
small considerations as the public health.
Thus it happens, that with taxation of nearly
ten millions year. streets are in all seasons in
worse condition than is probably to be found in
thesmallest township possessed of a municipal ad-
ministration. In other communities although
the spirit of jobbing may be as rife, aud the
corruption as undisguised, there is still sufficient
civic virtue left to save the sums appropriated
to sanitary expenditure from being classcd
amongst party spells. With us there is nothing
too sacred nothing too critical to insure such an
exemption. The Moloch of cupidity and sell
fishness must be satisfied, even though thousands
Of lives should be sacrificed to its thirst Of
gain.
At the present time, when the hot weather
is rapidly setting in, and the period approach
ing when the utmost vigilance is re-
quired to prevent the outbreak of epidcmical
disorders what evidences do we find that
we are living under regularly organized system
of sanitary rnles We learn, indeed, that there is
such an officer as the City Inspector, from the
fact that there is an endless squabble being
carried on in regard to him between the Alder
men and the Mayor; but in the meanwhile dirt
and garbage are accommodating in every direction,
and the seeds Of disease are terminating for a
plentiful crop of summer epidemics. If our
streets are left any longer in their present condi
ton, we shall soon have a tolerably clear con-
ception Of the meaning Of the mysterious foapties
so learnedly talked about by the savants of the
Quarantine Convention. We are, in fact, rapidly
breeding the elements Of fever amongst us, whilst
those who have the care Of the public health are
fighting over the spoils that are to be made out
oft. 1t is only when their families fall victims
to some terrible visitation that they will become
sensible to the fact that in protecting the public
interests they are ayerting danger from their own
doors.