Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-07-22
ADDRESS AND SANITARY sUGGEs-
TONS or THE BOARD OF HEALTH.

/ city Of Nashville, the undersigned, the tx
ecutive Committee Of the Board, propose
briefly set forth the objects md purposes c
the city authorities in establishing that OF
ganization; TO describe the powers conferre
and the duties devolvcd upon it; and t
urge upon you, Individually and collective
~, cordial cooperation in their efforts t
secure the elective suppression Of al noz
ious causes and agencies tending to produc,
disease, ana the necessity for a prompt com
plianee with the regulations which may be
from time to time, established therefor.
tits notcontemplated to institute measure
which viii entail a heavy expense upor
citizens, but simply torequire on the part 0
every landlord and tenant plain, cheap, anc
easily-applied measures foI the purifcatior
of their respective premises, and such car,
and diligence in regard thereto as viii
preserve them clean and wholesome
1t is not deemed necessary, either, &
adduce a scientific argument to PROV,
that damp, close cellars, privies suf
fered to become full to overflow witt
their contents, and collections Of animal and
vegetable garbage in back premises, are
prolific sources Of infection to the atmos-
phere, and seriously detrimental to health
Common observation and experience are
sufficient to teach this; and the instincts o.
selfpreservation would seem sufficient to in
duce every thoughtful and prudent citizen
to take steps in his own vicinity to abate
such nuisances, and check their repetition
and accumulation. The chief purpose OF
the law is to make sanitary regulations a
general and public requirement, and with
this view, it has empowered the Board Of
Health to prescribe what they shall be, and
the time, the mode and the means Of their
application.
The care in this respect, Of public avenues,
and enclosures in public charge, is assumed
by the city authorities, aud will be faithful
ly performed. The duty of the citizen is
to keep his or her premises clean and
properly disinfected, and to report to the
officers of the Board of Health all
nuisances, which may be observed to
exist in any quarter, whether private
or public. A general compliance with
sanitary prohibitions and provisions, and,
if necessary, an enforced observance of them,
is obviously necessary to their effectiveness.
One unhealthy locality may serve to propa-
gate disease through an extensive district.
1t is for this reason that the law under which
the Board is authorized, obligates the au-
thorities of the city to preserve the cleanli-
ness and purity of streets and alleys, and
empowers them to require, under penalty,
that citizens should observe the prescribed
regulations of the Board of Health.
In this intelligent community, however,
it is not contemplated that compulsory mea-
sures will be necessary. We therefore re-
quest that citizens generally will Immediately
proceed to the thorough cleansing of their
premises, and require their domestics and
employees to daily place all Ofal in the al
leys adjacent, from which it can be removed
by the city scavengers.
For disinfecting purposes, and the des-
truction of offensive odors, we suggest the
use of lime, chloride of lime, or copperas.
OF these we may say, that the first is the
cheapest, but not so effective as the others;
chloride of lime is preferable to either in
some respects, but its cost is greater and its
management more difficult; eopperas (sul-
plate of iron) is an efficient deodorizer and
disinfectant, and by many is regarded as SUI
periorto any otherknown substance. The last
named article can be obtained at price not
exceeding four to six cents per pound, and
the mode Of using it is to dissolve three or
pounds in as many gallons ofwater, and APP
ply il several times a month, mot less than
twice, to cellars, privy vaults and other foul
and fetid places. Chloride of lime may be
used by dissolving an ounce or two in twice
the amount of mixed water and vinegar,
and applying it occasionally. Lime may be
used by plentiful sprinkling two or three
times every month.
We would also urge citizens report
promptly, to the Office of the Board of
Health, every nuisance or noxious locality
which may be observed. An officer and book
or slate will be found there, upon which to
record and describe the necessary particulars;
and it is earnestly desired, that every citizen
will esteem it his duty to himself and to the
public, to assist the Board of Health in the
discharge Of tie onerous and responsible du-
ty which it has assumed.
To correct misapprehension, it may be
proper to state that the action of the Medical
faculty in organizing this system of health
so promptly and literally sus-
tanned by the City Councils, was not dictated
by any fear of epidemic visitation, and that
they are far from wishing to excite undue
attention to such subjects upon the part of
any, or the creation of panic even among
the most timid. 1t was done from high and
unselfsh considerations of public duty,
and they confidently expect, if properly sus-
tanned, that the results of their self-imposed
labors will rebound to the general benefit of
the city.
Until the completion Of the rooms per-
manently engaged in KIRKNIAN's Building,
Church street, the Office of the Board of
Health will be found in the ColOnnade
Building, Cherry street.
J. c. NEWMAN. NJ. d.
T. L. MADDEN, NJ. D.
J. ID. PLUNKET, NJ. d.
J. II. CALENDER, NJ. ID.
II. NJ. COMPTON, NJ. ID.
Executive Committee of the Board of Heal tn.
THE Fires LAST NIGHT.-The first alarm
of fire sounded last night, was caused by
fire which broke out in the clothing house
of Messrs. We'll & Co., on the south side Of
the Public Square, adjoining the drug store
of Messrs. BERRY, DEAIovILLE & WAR
TON. The fire was occasioned by the use Of
a coal oil lamp in the counting-room in the
rear of the building. The flames spread and
soon burst through the root, and were COM
municated to the rear of the drug store,
threatening at one time most destructive
conhagration. Through the efforts Of the
Fire Department the flames were at last ex-
tinguished, with a loss Of $4,000 to $4,000.
and to BERRY, DEsIovILLE & WHARTON Of