New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-15
METROPOLITAN HEALTH.

METROPOLITAN BE sETH'
For several years pact, earnest Efforts nave
been made at Albany for the establishment
os,susiblv of q better--at all events, OF dill
ferent-mode of guarding our City and its
adjuncts against pestience and the diseases
which spring from filth aud nc1ious eliiuVia'
That our present arrangements are detective
costing Too much and eiecIing Tar too Alue--
;s . mos. mnniiest truth. That they msy and
should be improved, is clear enough; aud thar
tie great body Of our active and prominent
uhy,;ciaps are favorable to the passage OF some
sort of Metropolitan Health bill, is quito PROB
able. Many Of our best medical men nave
given tune and effort 20 this matter, Under the
influence Of motives purely philanthroplc and
every way commendabe.
There are other persons eager for betfo-
politan Health act whose impulses are utterly
and grossly selfish. They are psce-hunters by
nature who smell rich and sayory vland' tor
Themselves under the heaps of ofal and putre.
faction which disfgure our city; they are
astiran,s for high places who are intent on
providing themselves with the means oi packing
Nominating committees and controlling delega-
tons. With these gentry, the Public Health IL
but pretext for promoting tbeir o"n sofaia
ends.
We have from the frat regarded the various
projects for constituting Metropolitan Health
Board with the mingled feelings which know''
edyo Of the diverse motives which impel its
leading advocates ia calculated TO inspire. We
want TO save the Public Money, and are con-
(ident th.t considerable sum might be saved
ANNUALLY by rocast OF cur Health arrange
,nents: wo want our City and its enyirons
kent cleaner, swceter, mere healthiul, less e1-
posed TO maarious and pestilentin Influences,
sad We believe this, too, entirely practicable.
But We do not want j; said that Republican
Legislature has made an arbitrary and sweep
inc change in our Municipal arrGngemen''i I'M
der q pretense OF regard for metropolitan
Health when the real object Was to turn u
regiment OF Democrats cut Of ofico and put
Republicans in their places, ,nd ,hs. the net
results are .treets as dirty. nuisances ~ TaIb
fupciionaries a. inefficient, aD' ,ax.n,vsrs os
badly plundered as eve,
. 40" We DO not care how soon cur presen!
Health functionsries are tumbled neck and
heels out Of their places. We believe they
have for years contriyed 10 pocket large sum:
OF public money that they have never earnsdi we
believe the Public Health badly guarded under
their auspices and We have 10 doubt that .hey
have repeatedly contributed large sums from
their evil gains 10 influence or impede legisa-
ton affecting their interests. This last offenss
alone is enough TO seal their condemnation
Let them be kicked out unceremonousiy; but
not till you make it sure that another such
crowd, distinguished only by o different party
label, sh, take their places and perpetuate
the same or similar abuses.
The Health bill, as il passed the Assembly,
make. two Of our Police Commissioners (both
Rcpublicans) members OF the Health Board,
along with physician, &c. We propose that,
instead Of these, the Mayors of New York and
brooklyn (ono a Republican, tho other Dem
ocrat) shall be inserted The Mayors were in
tho bill orisinallyi they hayo somehow been
jugsed out; We urge That they be rcius:ated.
Then We ask Gov. Morgan to 50 gil up the
Commission that no party sholl control it, but
that our most bonored citizens of diverse poll.
tics-such men as A. T. Stewart, Charles H..
Marshall John e. Greene, Hamilton Fish,
James Brown, William Il. Astor. &c, shall
be associated with our leading physicians in
watching over and shielding the Public Health,
choosing their subordinates with regard to
their capacity, integrity, and efficiency, with
out the least regard to their politics; or, il
they must think Of politics, giving an equal
number oi appointments 10 either party. II
we can have such a Metropolitan Health sys-
ten, it cannot be established too soon, and if
we cannot have such ono this year, lc. us
wait till We can.
In consenuence OF the lisp,l.. hety.an IN,