The New York herald., 1869-01-18

rate and reliable OF any received by that department
The law contempiates such accuracy In conierring
tions into the causes Of death thorough and exhaust
i've. But appears from the report OF the Registrar
that The returns made e the coro1ers are n genera
entnc classification. The examination Of the bodies
Of the deceased is too frequently either emitted
altogether or 80 imperfecty executed "a 10 give no
definite results. And this Is growing evil in the
Metropolitan district, whith demands the immedi.
ate attention Of the Legislature. Important ends OF
justice and the interests Of science require that
the. violent and accidental deaths referred
to the coroner, shall have tne ..,iast most
investigation. This can be accomplished by giving
this board more practical supervision OF the duties
OF coroners. II should have full power 70 require
that all inquests be conducted IN manner 70 elicit
every fact bearing upon the cause OF death. Under
the present system OF popular election OF coroners
this Is the most efYectual remedy for the ev1.
FoUNDLINGs AND NURSERIES,.
The public evil and the social ana moral wrongs Of
egiumacy great as they are are learfuliy enhanced
by the degrading and inhuman means resOrted to- In
the endeavor to conceal the shame OF parentage.
Direct infanticide and q cruel neglect OF children
born out OF wedock no less Criminal tnan inlanti,
the most serious consideration OF public authorities
and OF benevolent considerations. Though these
in large Cities yet interior towns and the rural
districts send their helpless victims to the yng-in
houses OF the abortionlsts and private asylums OF
sage JeDsiaes Of the cities.
PUBLIC BATHS.
We regard the establishment OF public baths In
n
sity The iaboring classes OF these cities have no
adequate means OF securing personal cleanliness,
even II they were disposed to DO 80; but they have
and In and around their homes that they have lost
much Of the sense Of shame or disgust at its
ference to nth OF the person and home is not In.
herent in any class 1t grows out OF long process
OF training and want OF proper facilities for secur
ing baths. wherever the experiment has been tried
OF establishing public baths the result has been most
encouraging. The poor have nocked to them n In
credible numbers, and manifested an unmistakabe
desire for personal cleanliness. Public baths We're
erected in Boston In 1865, and in 1887 twelve were
IN operation, at which s07 2ol baths were given
during the summer months. Similar baths have also
been established in other cities, as In St. Louis, Mo-
Cincinnati, Ohio; PittsDurg, Pa. Detroit, Mich, and
with the same gratifying results.
wHARvES AND PIERS.
The wharves and piers Of New York and BROOKLYN
are in a condition highly detrimental to the public
exception, wooden structures, generally very much
diapidated, and are arranged without any regard
to the tidal fow. The whole water 'front.' OF tne Two
with decayed or decaying wooden piles, which, like
a net, serve to obstruct the outflow OF sewers and
OF surface filth which reaches the water and TO
gather whatever river filth may ioat within their
meshes The result is that these rotten wharves and
piers cover immense beds Of putrescent dlth which
the tides simply agitate but never remove. The
emanations Of gases from these vast collections dur
ing the hot summer months is frequently so shining
that laborers along shore are compelled to leave
their work.
The effect Of these intensely poisonous gases upon
the public health IS or the most positive CHARACTER
During the summer months diarrhRal diseases OF a
severe and fatal character prevail among those who
are engaged much OF the time upon the wharves ana
PIERS and especially among seamen whose vessels
remain long at our wharves. Several or the most
fatal endemic feyers which have scourged this city
began about the most filthy docks, and were the
most malignant along the water side.
WOODEN PAvEMENTs
The attention OF the board has been called to this
subject by memorials asking its endorsement for
sanitary reasons, OF certain kinds Of pavemenJs in
which the wood has been seasoned, and then per-
meated with creosotsh vapors to prevent decay and
to guard it from the attacks Of insects. The board
has In all declared that its only duty interest
in the matter Ia OF . sanitary character; that the
limited experience In the use OF wooden pavements
does not authorize an olcia opinion the subject;
that time Ii necessary to settle this question, and
that it can only recommend at present that the city
should not engage in extensive paving with wood
until its economy and healthfulness first ascer
tanned by use. The report Of the Sanitary Commit
tee on this subject will be found in the appendix.
EXPENDITURES.
II will be seen by reference to the report OF the
treasurer that the total amount expended by the
board In the entire Metropolitan district for the
year ending November Is, 1868, was $l42, ,645 92.
The amount paid out TO contractors for executing
the orders Of the board during the year ending No.
vember l5 186s was q, 1855 81, Of which amount
s,20s 43 was received from the persons for whom
the work done, and the balance, SAT 81, was
advanced by the board. The several bills comprs-
ing this amount have been filed as a lien upon the
property upon which the work was done, and will
ultimately be repaid to the board.