Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-10-12
YREHDMENS AFfAIRS-SANITARY CONDI
TION OF WASHINGTON

Surgeon Robert Reyburn, u. 8. v, Surgeon
IN Chief of the Freedmen's Bureau for the DIS.
trict Of Columbia, has made report to Colonel
Eaton for the month of September, from which
1t appears that in Loudon county, Va, there
are about 5000 freedmen, who are self-support-
ing, sud hence have not required any medical
assistance from the Bureau. .
In Fairfax county, Va, the number of freed
men Ia estimated at 5000. and they are almost
entirely self-supporting. In Alexandria, Va,
the number of freedmen Is about 5000, and in
Consequence of the contraction in the opera
tons Of the government. sansed by the close of
the war, a large number of these people have
been thrown out of Unemployment, and hence will
during the winter. A hospital has been es-
kablished at Alexandria by the Bureau for their
benefit, containing 100 beds, of which 50 are
now occupied. DR.. l.. Heard has been placed
in charge of the hospital, and two other physi-
clans employed to visit the outdoor sick b.
In Washington the number of physicians at
tending outdoor patients, has been reduced to
three, which is believed to be sufficient to sup
ply the wants of the freedmen. All patients who
have no friends or relatives willing to take
tai until conyaleseent. The Mayors of Alexan-
dria and W ashington have signified their will
ing ness to take charge ofall colored people who
resided In their respective cities previous to
the war and the medical officers of the Rurean
have been instructed to restrict their services
TO the freedmen and refugees in their districts
ano not bestow them upon those who are
~
amount Of sickness has increased during the
month"; and is still quite large, the chief diseases
prevailing being remittent and intermittent
feyers, dysentery, &c. .
The Surgeon in his report refers to the gene
raj sanitary condition of Washington, which
ne says deserves and possesses the somewhat
unenyiable reputation of being a very un-
healthy place of residence, and enumerates a
number Of causes now existing here which
tends to impair the health and shorten the lives
OF the people composing our community.
among the causes thus enumerated by Sur
geon Hepburn is the improper cleaning Of the
streets, the filthy condition Of the canal the inn
perfect and insufficient drainage of the city
the practice Of allowing the deposit of filth
Wltnin the city limits, and the erection of a
large number OF tenements on the outskirts of
the city, which are closely crowded together.
and are entirely destitute of all conveniences
requisite for cleanliness or even decency.
In conclusion, Surgeon Reybur remarks:
"As there Is every probability that we will
nave visit from the cholera next season il
may be well for our city authorities to consider
whether they will not be in some degree re-
sponslble for portion of the mortality that
VIII ensue, If the named causes of disease are
not as far as practicable removed. The raw
ages OF cholera have always been found to be
most destructive in crowded, filthy. and ILL.,
ventilated localities, and it is believed there is
no city IN the Union in which the conditions
necessary for its increase and DEVELOPMENT are
more abundant than in this city.n