Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-09-22
HEALTH OF WARRINGTON.
REPORT OF fHE BOARD OF HEALTH.

A Healthy ci.y-Lsw Rate # M.5.ali,y-
al-vaecination-Ven.
tilation. &c, &c.
We referred yesterday to the annual repcrtso
Dr. eyburn, President, and DR.. Dexter, Sec
retary of the Board OF Health, which were
submitted to the Board Of Aldermen by tn e
Mayor on Monday evening last, and gave the
most important figures from the Secretary
report OF the deaths during the year ending
June so, 1859. The following report of the
President OF the Board contains many fact
and recommendations OF interest to our citizens
and We therefore lay 1t before our readers in
full:
WASHINGTON. ID. g.. June Both, 1862
To Hen Sdyies J. Bcwen, Mayor Of WashiRg
ton, ID. C.-Sir: In compliance with instruc.
tions from the Board of Health of this city, L
have the honor to present the folio wing annual
report OF the operations of the Board, and also
Of the sanitary condition Of the city OF Wash.
lngton during the year commencing July lst,
le6c, and ending june 30th, 1869.
Owing to causes to which II is not necessary
here to advert, the early organization Of the
Board was delayed until in September, 1868.
when quorum of the members having quail.
fled the Board was organized by the appoint
ment OF Robert Reyburn, NJ. D., as President,
and Matthew q. Emery, Esq, as Vice Presi-
dent The necessary committees were then ap.
pointed, and since the above time the Is oard has
held its meetings at least once, and generally
twlce, IN each month.
NUIsANCRs.
The number of nuisances abated during the
year ending June 30th, 1869. was ten thousand
three hundred and eighty .eight, f1O,3SS.) This
includes all that were reported 10 and acted
upon by the Board as well as those w hica
were suppressed sirectly by the members of the
the eficient charge of Lieut.. Noonan.
TIE NIGHT SOIL QUESTION
Wnlle on the subject OF nulsances there are
two which are of such magnitude and Impor-
words upon them.
The first Of these, to which 1 refer, is the
manner of collection and the disposition of
the night soil OF this city. In the vast ma ority
Of instances scarcely any disinfectants are
used during the collection of the night soil
and the citizens are annoyed and their health
endangered by this criminal neglect on the
part OF scavengers. A bill has, am Informed
passed one Of the Boards Of Councils, intended
10 remedy this evil, and IL to be hoped that i.
forced.
The disposition Of the night soil of this as
well as other large cities, has been always a
source Of great trouble and embarrassment ON
the one hand we have in the night soil a ma
terial which as manure Is unrivalled in its
value and efficacy, and yet on the other the
emapatioDs are so aeleterious and dan gerous
that the great problem has been how to get rid
of II in the most rapid and effectual manner
The method which has been almost unIver.
sally adopted heretofore has been to carry il
into the sewers, and thence into the nearest
rivers. The objections Of this course ar.
manifold. The adjoining rivers and water
courses become poisoned by the putrescen.
substances continually poured into them and
are rendered unfit for drinking purposes. The
poisonous emanations from these streams also
add greatly TO our bills Of mortality, and are
fertile sources of disease and death So great
have these dangers proved, that In the city of
being expended in tunneling an Immense
sewer, which Is designed to empty the Sc wer.
age OF London At point eighteen miles belew
the city.
The question then becomes great, ana indeed
of national importance; can we prevent the
contamination OF our supply Of water. and at
organic material, which is so indispensably
necessary for the purposes of agriculture: and
which is now so generally thrown away,
England, that we can completely and cheapIy
deodor re organic matter, by the use of dry
pulveriZed earth, has, it Is believed, solved
affirmarively this question, and will no doubt
result in the entire abandonment of the present
costly and inefficient plan, and the substitution
OF the dry earth system.
The entire night soil of the city, deodorized
in this way In each household, could then be
transported TO the surrounding country where.
ever IL may be required, without causing any
community; ] would respectfully request the
attention Of the Boards Of Aldermen and Com.
mon Council to this important subject.
THE CANAL NUISANCE
The next uisance to which l will here refer
ls the canal. This is subject which has so
freq uently been dwelt upon by other parties
that il will be sufficient here to say that it
should either be dredged out and rendered
navIgable through the whole OF Its extent, or
narrowed and arched over, to be used as a
sewer for the surface drainage OF the city. In
It's present condition 1t is a sanding dis grace
70 Washington, and is fruitful source OF dis
ease to those who are unfortunate enough to
live in its vicinity.
WASHINGTON A VERY HEALTHY CITY.
The sanitary condition and health OF Wash.
ington have been very good during the past
year. The opening and grading of so many
streets, and the increase in the number of sew
ews, has rendered many parts OF the city dry
unwholesome. Washington is now as healthy
city as can be found in the United States.
This is capable of demonstration by reference
TO the tables Of mortality OF few OF our prn-
cipal cities.
The death rates in New York and Broeklyn,
for instance, scarcely ever fall below twenty
two (22) per thousand OF population, and is
frequently largely In excess OF that propor-
ton, during the summer months the death
rate often reaching thirty 900 per thousand of
population.
The annual death rate of all England is
tv enty three (23) per thousand and in the city
of Paris, whose sanitary arrangements are the
most perfect OF any in the world, the annual
death rate is exactly twenty-five (22l per thou
sand Of population. The annual death rate of
Washington, as will be seen by the accom-
panying report Of the Secretary Of the Board
Is twenty-five (22) per thousand Of population,
showing that the death rate OF this city com.
pares favorably with that OF other large cities
During the year ls6s69 we have had no epi.
denies whatever of serious character. Scar
latina and measles prevailed to a limited extent
during the winter and spring months but
have now disappeared.
VACCINATION.
The epidemic OF small pox, which is now
prevailing in the city Of New York, should act
as warning and direct our attention to the
fact Of the neglect of vaccination IN our own
city. In many OF the countries Of Europe and
also in many Of the Northern cities Of our
country, no child Ii admitted to the Public
Schools, that has not been previously vacci.
that q similar rule should be en-.
forced here, and also that the ward physicians
should be required TO thoroughly canvas their
wards and vaccinate all who cannot show that
they have previously been thoroughly vac.
cinated.
The importance Of this proceeding will be
obvious, when we refer TO the admitted fact that
protection nom smallpox than to have pre-.
vionsly passed through an attack of the disease
itself.
VENTILATION.
The means for an abundant supply of pure
air are very defective In many OF the public
buildings OF Washington, and are especially so
in great number Of the public schools. It is
needless to specify instances of this as the fact
is patent to every one who is in the habit OF
visiting them. This can often be easily rems-
did BY placing q ventilatIng shaft, composed
Of brick or wood, adjoining or forming part Of
the chimney in each school room. Registers
placed in the upper part Of this shaft, and also
In the wall near the floor, would, IN coniunc.
non with the windows, furnish abundant ven.