The New York herald., 1869-01-18
BOARD OF HEALTH.

Third Annual Report 10 the Legsssessfc'
The third annual report OF the Metropolitan Board
of Health has lust been submitted TO the Legislature
IL Ia n yslumnous document and is simple compr
lation OF the reports and proceedings OF that pody
that is published rom week 10 week during the year.
The following abstract embraces the important
points in the report:-
During the year no epidemic diseases have pre-
vailed IN the district. The most notable fact has
been the mortality among young children, especially
OF those under one year OF age ana this has been SO
great az to serious attention and TO lead 10
the inquiry whether the management OF them is not
radically wrong and the deaths out OF proportion TO
the known causes which exist TO endanger their
Profuson OF life is to be found both in the vegeta
BILE and animal Kingdoms and mutitudes OF ndi-
yduas destined. by some inherent vice OF con-
stitution, to droop and die prematnrely. The hu-
man race In all countries is In like manner exposed
to destructive agencies especially IN Its infant pop
ulation Some born with inherited diseases die at
once; denttion with its attendant evils, cuts down
\ multitude SO does improper and unnatural food.
Scaratna and measles and infantile fevers enlarge
the list and bad air and insufficient clothing con-
stantly assail the existence Of those VINO survive
American cities must be explained by the pecullari-
ties OF the climate.
excessively not This Is. perilous TO health. The
winter promotes tendencies 10 coughs, and shelter
fuel and clothing needed. The necessities Of the
poor compel them to resort TO close and unventi-
lated rooms to preserve warmth and to live in filthy
quarters OF the city on account OF their cheapness
and this brings, during the severe winters, long
train OF ailments and diseases. But during the sum-
mer the children die in formidable numbers. There
cannot be q question that the heat Itself has much
TO do with the great mortality Their nervous sys-
TENS are exhausted by 1t and they sink under dis
ease Injected atmosphere, the presence OF dentiton
result. Every physician has met with instances
where the removal of child with cholera lnfantum
from the city TO the country has been instantly fol-
lowed by convaescence. The disease has terminated
rs il by magic, although death was imminent and
the temperature of the two places the same the
VITAL STATISTICS.
The Registrars report shows that 25 459 deaths oc
Cured in the city and county OF New York in the
year that ended on the lst OF October last and that
there were 9,015 deaths in Brooklyn in the same
period Though these totals show a slight increase
in the aggregate mortality in the two cities, the in
crease Is by no means great as the medical officers
justly feared 1t would be, IN consequence OF the in
crease IN population and The excessive temperature
OF the winter and the summer The Registrar states
that no summer in the previous forty years as
hot, damp and unhealthful as the last season. The
total number of deaths by the darrhRal diseases IN
New York amounted to 8, $685. and the zymotc, or
ferment diseases amounted to 1851. In Brooklyn the
former amounted to 1875 and the total Of the latter
class OF deaths was 3,042. The greater portion OF
This lamentable morality occurred In the hot
OF mortality which this class OF maadies gave in the
corresponding months of 1885, 1t was great as to
cause intense anxiety and to lead to the adoption Of
yglant measures to hold in check whatever sources
OF these disorders tnat could be reached
In mapping out the sanitary records OF mortality
and preventable causes OF death in the different dis
trlcts OF the city Of New York the Registrar OF vital
Statistics has called attention TO many facts which
deserve public attention, as illustrating the import
ance Of sanitary improvements. For example, he
shows that in comparison OF the sanitary expe-
rence Of the past two years in the Fourth sixth and
Seventh wards in which, throughout the past year
there has been greater degree Of cleanliness
forced IN the streets and premises than before wit
messed, and by extra expenditures that have not
been made In certain other wards-such, for exam
pie, as the First, Firth and Twenty-second, which
not only suffer from defective cleanliness, but from
defective drainage-tnere has been an important
change In the rates OF mortality. This Is shown in
the subjoned table,