New-York tribune., 1868-01-17
METROPOLITAN BOARD OF HEALTH.
SECOND ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COMMISSION

ERS-REVIEW OF LAST YEARS WORN
The Metropolitan Board of Health has for
warded second annual report to the Governor Inc
document which is voluminous, commences by asserting
that sanitary science Is OF slow growth, and that COM
mercal interests reluctantly submit to any restriction
which does appear to be positively essential to the
general welfare The deaths in NewYork, during the
year ending September, 1867 were 23i43 ana IN Brookyn
during the same period, $3.50, inclusive OF those wmch
occurred I'm the public institutions decrease OF 9l52 on
that Of the previous year IN NewYork In the various
Institutions hospitals and asyums, the mortality was
4075 in the Emigrant Refuge and Hospital and at
Castle Garden. sol on Backwells Island, 6I4 ana III
Bellevue Hospital, SlG the last numDer, however, in'
cuded the dead taken TO the "Morgue and Bellevue I'D.
closure for inquest by the Coroners On TINS suDeo OF
mortality the report says that, allowing nothing tor IN
crease Of population. which Is colDectuIc9 10 ue pc
cent per annum, the gain upon the causes o
disease and premature mortality Is propaDy rs TIeat w
the advocates of sanitary reform ahtcpaieu Inc s
rcts OF this city that have long oeeh % baS ~ Se
most perssony maintained though less than
the districts inhabited by the wellhoused ana seIregu
health In tho Fourth SIXTH and Fourteenth wards the
fatality and amount II disease were cospcuOsy de-
creased by te removal OF excessive lthness, fact de-
veope1 by the comparatively less gain IN the feensn
Mard which preserves uniform eieanihess. r," 1e
Gidehces II Il argued that sanitary ipIoNetgn. w ~
pends upon local review OF the proceedngs OF
the Board from Nov lsSo TO tne same ,ns m non v e
dispute with tho Board OF Education IN which me over
ns are eomplaned Of I'm the matter OF the execution
OF orders the Board would prefer that the persons re-
The orders isucd but when the responsible person re-
fuses or negects to nuisances which exist the
Board eS%d to s9 rs C ncns lC the Of
Sanitary Ordinances and Health Laws were iep1rea n
Brookyn during the year: the causes OF complaint IN
about 400 Of these were removed anu th hnDer
OF hnes Imposed was "a % Htb aDd n6ase caused mainly
10y defective payements or original errors IN
areas alleys. and yards Of tenement houses The re-
moya Of ashes garbage ana rubbish from Tue uMeiing
satisfactory but the Board attributes this fact 10 defects
the contract system rather than TO the neglgenceor
inehlciency Of the contractor With the exception OF
part OF the Winter aud Spring OF the past the streets
Of this city regarded 10 have been IN toerapy
ceany condition, but 1t is not expected that any decided
improvement In the sanitary condition OF ne streets can
be effected during the existence OF the present contract
The payed sections OF the city haye been cleaned uhIer
the authority Of the Board, aud below Canast consd-
erable work has been performed IN cleaning the cutters
Of the most filthy localities In Brookiyn the Alnermen
control the cleapng OF the streets in the several wards
which they represent ana ne %oa hse m eySen 0me ~
the fulfilling OF their obi cations that the aHthQres nave
to y them ae upon and heS aSs @
negligence The appropriation for street cleaning IN lso
was O; in 1851 soOo sums thought to be entirely lsg
which will place this important sanitary Nork III tne
hands OF BIZ Sa@p @eoMsa SSS cell
lars human habltaons, the Report says mas largely
decreased hoped that will wholly cease as the
number OF improved dwellings and tenement houses is
increased cheap and cnsy communication with the rural
House law are reidly enforced The tencments OF the
poor should combine the advantages OF safety an ample
families; which qualte. are IN degree found III those
more recently % m aSoS e
and obey the orders OF the Board Of Health The condi
ton OF the public markets has not been materially
changed during the year, which is attributable to in
reference by the legislature so amending the Heal
law to withdraw from the Board all power and author
ity order the removal tearing down. niuring Of
of the stalls or stands around Fulton or Washington
markets To secure cleanliness and proper ventilation
Of the markets is urged that the removal Of the stands
surrounding markets is absolutely necessary which ls
prevented by the action of the Legislature The sale OF
this market property Is recommended as its Use, In It's
present condition. is detrimental TO the public health s
OF fraud and corruption and by fostering large
and unnecessary class Of middemen Is burden and
tax upon The people Prompt ana appTopTaie lega
tons and To maintain the commercial supremacy OF the
from about $50 to i since the last Report ana these are
for the most part on the East and North Rivers, between
will be still further reduced those having eligi
ble positions on the banks OF the rivers enlarge |
tion for slaughering These saughte,r;houses have
permits from the Board OF Health and are
brooklyn, ASS; it is believed however, there
the latter Notwithstanding the registration. The mar
riages certified and duly returned for registration were
View Of the social evil" Is touched upon and il is pro
posed that all hospitals and dspensaes which receive
yenerea diseases tina, all keepers Of houses OF pI9st
gains admission she should be at once reported to
the police that hospital should he established for pros
should be Inspected The object Of these suggestions Is
the eradication of the venerea disease and the for
each o the proposed taken from tho report
OF the Sanitary COMMITTEES which said that at least 10000
persons IN this city are Affected with venerea diseases
That the chief 0gnaors Of these diseases the pros
ttutes that 10 would be wise to extend To them medical
care especial superyson that there 500 houses
OF prostitution this city and 30 assigation houses and
that the whole number OF public prostitutes was 254
The ordinary expenditures for the year ending November
1867 s39 20 IN this city, aud in Brooklyn <,
2o7 63 during the prevalence Of cholera ia 1866 extra
ordinary expenses" incurred by the Board IN New
York and Kings Counties 10 the amount Of s5lll o. In
1868 and 1867 extraordinary epidemic prevailed IN this
city, yet the expenses of the Health Department. under
the city authorities In 1865 s2O5Ol 49, In 1867 un
der the Metropolitan Board of Health the expenses were
only sss.739 26. The report closes with welldeservcd
tribute 10 the meRory Of Commissioner John g. Bergen
who died July Is, 1857.