New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-07-03
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

Inc IOlOWing extracts from the weekly report OF
Dr. Harris Registrar OF Vital Statistics contains facts
and conclusions which worth remembering
METROPOLITAN BOARD OF HEALTH I
BUREAU or VITAL STATISTICS, July !, 1861
In the week that ended Saturday last, there were
400 deaths in New York, including in the public inst
tutOns, - Of the latter number being inmates ~ State
East RIVER there Se & s deah in rooRyn ncad
ing in Kings County asylums &c Zymotic diseases
27o3 Of all in Brooklyn. The mortality by constitutional
and local diseases was at minimum The number OF
deaths by scarlatna and other fever infections de
creased but the fatality OF darrheal diseases rapidly
% too G pef " ea oBs o Tine e dampc weeks
ever experienced in Newly ork-from humidity Of the
atmosphere, not from rainfall for Of the latter there was
only l42 inches depth Of water but fourth part
much as In the previous week but of the former there
nearly rs per cent of total saturaton of the air
The temperature (69 deg Fahr lower than iii
the corresponding week of last year No disease except
measles az present bears the semDance OF an epidemic
Compared with the records of the corresponding week OF
ds69 there was saving OF l4 lives IN New OK ana OF
~ lives In Brooklyn last week IL was the 26th week IN
the year, and comparing Deaths dongs In the six months
ending with the first six months of the year 1866,
ind one important result that the people and the sanitary
officers Will remember with satisfaction, namely that
notwithstanding the protracted ncemency of the past
Winter and Spring there lOS5 fewer deaths the
first &c weeks Of the present than in the first half Of the
and GO children under five years old The waste OF life
produced by the epidemic Of scaratna and measles has
destructive pests OF infancy since January l. These
infections were most fatal between the ages Of u and
years. and by various fatal disorders that follow them
they have caused nearly double the mortality that
have hays cnarSed to them Yet with al this pressure OF
destroyed more and better life than cholera did In the
mentioned. The chief cause that has brought about
whatever saving OF life, thus far, Judging by
the records and circumstances Of sickness and
deaths seems to be due TO sanitary cleansing
And now, when the great Summer sacrifice Of
saving this year. may well ask, how much of the In
much Of Is yeemaSS o this n1Try t6e s aS s
operation OF the Tenanhouse Reform act and intelligent
NAV VET bring reply that will prove that the existing
and former rates OF infant mortality have resulted from
abOrng classes The records of the Chdren's Aid So
ciey the House of Industry and all the Missions among
proofs Of the real value of tie lives that are rescued from
the caverns OF Taygetus and the city sums will
vince that the present sanitary and tenanhOuse
reform Is worthy OF the support of every citizen To d.
reasonable and healthy standard of l6 per 1000 nhe
yearly rate IN the Fifteenth Ward IS the problem.
Years constant Improvement may be required before
the result fully accomplished but the beginning
made, and the end Is attainablc. l.. HARRIS.
THE PREVENTION or YELLOW FEvER-LETTER FROM
GIN. BUTLER TO GOV FLANDERS or LOUISIANA
Prom Our special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, July o 1867.
The following letter from Gen. Butler to Gov.
Flanders of louisiana viii be considered both timely
important:
WASHINGTON, d. C., June &c. 1907.
HIS Eroeiieney Il. +. FLANDERS, Gorernor or Louisiana
MY DEAR SIR The telegraph informs that the
yellow fever has broken out In NowOrlcans Remember
Ing That in 1862 discussed the question OF its prevention
with you verbally and hoping may do something 10 aid
scourge know you will not consider It intrusion if
give the conclusions to which led by my CNpc
renee with the disease or rather with the lack % H. IL
am persuaded that there need be no yellow fever in
any city, as an epidemic which is visited by the frost
every year, and especially IN Ncw-Orlcans which Is
city where II can he most easily controlled of any OF
siderable size IN the United States because III that city
there are mo underground drains. cellars spoOls
where mephluc gases poisoning the ATMOSPHERE ana
forming. 10 speak, bed for the prop
agation OF yellow fever, can De eugcndcred.
Your city has the peculiar advantage that all III drain
age Is above ground, emptyme into tho canals ana
through the bayous into Lake Pontchartran. found
Inc ham ffVRl f g Il al fff Ifr
than the dos. changing the level by about two feet
otSr o IF n & ino th G through .bc Bg"
lote, straits, connecting the Lake with Tie Gull
took advantage OF such state OF water aud by copous
washing OF the drains aud canals into the Lax from The
Water Works was enabled 10 get rid OF al The f1ul
water south wind would of course, return the salt
water OF the Gulf into the Lake, filing mp the canals and
not be an lriHhsln The very heavy showers Wh'h il
In your climate washing INTO the drain and canals TEE
surface Of the city, would ave hrrrupon perfectly
clear OF the surface MN inlnIhg ~ VIII tc eit waters
Of the Lake which by the next n0fth wind are taken 10
and It's place supplied with pure water The advantage
your city has IN not having drains ana sewers where
nlthy water or less stagnan engrndcrs gases which
overestimated II The atmosphere Is not IN suitable
condition TO promote the yellow fever u viii not be ori
killed by the FROST but Ike the susarcanc winch can
fever may be preserved by being protected from the
frosts during the Winter, and finding an atmosphere suit
able for It's propagation viii become epidemic II 10
finds such atmosphere. but healthy and pure one.
the cases will be simply sporadic, whether they result
from the contagon which has been preserved ~ wooen
garments by other means from the cold, or by being
brought from climate through the vehicles ~
Therefore, two things necessary 10 The
extinction OF the yellow fever First that there should
be impure atmosphere 10 foster the disease IN which
case IT cannot spread una secondly, rigorous quin
tine OF not less than 80 days from the injection Ia prevent
being brought I'm by commerce but these VIII be
sIothdlc Only il the Hlmo1pheIo y P'.,e' A.. -.
My theories may be wrong, but the practice uEdcr
them In 1862 and 1864 at HewOrleans and Norfolk
perfect had yellow fever brought into New
Orleans In 1862 by the rascay OF the Captain OF steam
Nassau but, the city being clean and the atmosphere
pure the fever did not spread. but died out with the vic
hanf lufllI Ia flf tf
the Quarantine station. 10 miles below the city but II
reached New Orleans, because vessel arriving
from infected port, tainted with IT, allowed 10
for 80 days after all vestge OF the disease was
eradcated So at Norfolk which city had ever been Wis
tied by the yellow fever when II the coast any
where greater or less degree ana M one instance as
we remember with unexamped fearfulncss Yet In ls6i
being thoroughly ceansed although occupied b. body
OF troops very liable To such disease and In constant
communication with Ncwbern. where the disease ragged
earfuy, still duruethat Norfolk had not single
of yellow fever although every other city on the
coast from Portsmouth, n H., TO NewOreans had loo
lated or epidemic cases.
Believing fully that It depends solely the action Of
yOur State and city whether New Orleans has yellow
fever not, and desiring to aid much rs may In
venting its ravagcs, which fall alike the just and the
unjust have ventured 10 throw together hastily these
observations In the hope that they may be ~ profit
am. my dear SIR very truly your friend aud servant
THE HEALTH OF NEw-oRLEANs.
NEW ORLEANS, July 2.-Collector Kellogg is re-
cciving kilograms almost hourly from merchant ship
pers northern parts in regard TO the sanitary condition
OF This city. true statement regards disease i that
sporadic OF yellow fever have occurred with
Havana, from New York, and one from Mississippi
This all the Board OF Health report The city Is an
usually healthy and the nights cool.
YELLOW FEVER on THE TEXAS COAST.
GALVESTON, July 1.-The Health Officer of this
port having learned officially that the yellow fever exists
in lndlanOa, las issued orders stopping all cOmmunca
ton between Galveston and that port, and vessels from
Santiago 10 be placed In quarantine for OK
animation.
BRIEF NOTES.