Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-07-01
THE HEALTH OFOUR CITY.
CONDITION OF WASHING row
Report Of the Beard Of Health.


The Hog, Dog, Coo add Goat Nsssance- Deodor-
fzdtion df Night Soil.
DR.. Robert Reyburn, president Of the Board
Of Health of this city, in his report for the year
ending June LIST, 1870, which report was trans
mitted by the Mayor to the Board Of Aldermen
at its last meeting, after stating that the
Board Of Health OF Washington city has been
during past years greatly impeded in its func-
tons, and its powers for usefulness diminished
by the anomalous. often contradictory charac-
ter Of the legislation Of Councils in regard to
II" and that " grave doubts have been indeed
entertained and expressed by many citizens
whether the board, under its previous organize
ton, had the power to infiict any penalty by
process of law for the infracti6n Of its ordi
nances," proceeds 70 give the provisions Of the
says -" Ii will be seen that the above Law is
great step in advance, as it bestows definite
powers upon the Board of Health. 1t also rem
ders the ward commissioners the executive Of
hcers of the board, to carry out the provisions
OF such ordinances rs may be enacted by them
for the welfare of the community"
As the remainder of the report contains facts
nd suggestions of great interest to the citizens
OF Washington, We quote it entire Is follows;
REGISTRATION or BIRTHS.
"A law was also framed and submitted to
Councils during the past year, providing for a
regstration Of all births occurring in the city OF
Washington. This bill failed to meet the apprO-
baton OF Councils, but trust that it or a similar
bill will soon be enacted int law A little con-
sderation will show the many advantages that
would accrue to our citizens IL such q law were
in force; independently of the valuable statis-
tics that would thus gradually acc umulate,
many questions concerning the succession and
title to property would by its means be speedily
and satisfactorily adjusted"
DWELLINGS WITHOUT oUT-HeUsRs
"Another law which is urgently needed should
be enacted prohibiting the building of any house
which has not attached to il ayard of sufficient
size to contain the out-houses required for the
purposes of deceney. The long rows of One-story
tenements, with no yards attached, found in
many portions of our city, are nuisances and
should be as speedily as possible abated."
Low RATE OF MORTALITY.
"The total number OF deaths during year COM
mencing May 81, 1869, and ending June 1, 1910,
was nineteen hundred and twenty-five, q ,s22)
which, estimating the population at one hun
dred and twenty-five thousand, makes the NOR
tality 1880 per thousand ofpopulation; this, even
in the registration of deaths, shows a remarka-
bly, low rate Of mortality"
WASHINGTON HEALTHY CITY.
"The above figures will, think, confirm and
port of last year that Washington is now as
healthy city as any in the Union. In
order to show this more clearly let us
pricipal cities Of our own and other countries.
The rate of mortality in ST. Louis, No.. for the
year 1869 was 2060 per thousand Of the estima-
ted populationi Philadelphia, Pa, 1918; and
The following Is the rate of mortality in eleven
great towns of England for 1869, taken from the
Of the cst@ateS naHnation ~ per 1s M
Manchester, $3.50; Stafford, 26.75; Shefield 21.7S
birmingham, 216l; Bristol, % %; Leeds, a. 25:
Bradford Brad 2a.5s; Hull, 1881; New Castle upon
The rate Of mortality in France. in the year
1862, was n IS per thousand of the population.
and that of Austria 30.35 per thousand.
DISEASES PREVAILING IN WASHINGTON.
Whilst the various forms of kemitteDt, Inter-
mittent and ContinuedFe form the great ma
jority Of the cases Of disease treated the by ply
sicians of Washington, yet the most fatal disease
Is unquestionably Phthisis Pulmonalis or Pull
monary consumption. The chief and most DO
tent cause Of this disease is the breathing for a
length Of time of . vitiated atmosphere. The
frequency Of this direful scourge, especially
among the clerks of Washington, can be
readily explained II we enter the rooms occu-
pied by them in the Executive Departments
of the government; in many of these places the
atmosphere is absolutely sitting and the man
ner in which they are crowded together displays
giene, or wanton disregard for the health of
their employees, which reflects but little credit
on those in charge Of them.
During the past year our city has suffered but
slightly from what are called zymotic diseases
The cases of Scarlet Fever, Measles and Dip
iberia, have been few in number and mild in
type. 1t may be remarked that diseases such as
Scarlet Fever and Diptheria, which often as
sumo an epidemic form, are generally speaking
much milder in type here, than when found in
the crowed purlieus Of our Northern cities.
know by experience the truth of this statement.
The comparative sparseness Of the population
Of Washington and the great area the city covers
Is no doubt the cause OF this. Small Pox, which
prevailed here so extensively during the war
has almost entirely disappeared and is very
css OF
and Philadelphia during the past few months,
has as yet not visited us.
THE SUPPLY AND QUALITY OF WATER INwAsH-
INGTON.
m MT after and ova in xub;ob
the citizens Of Washington are deeply interest
ed, is the defective supply OF Potomac water
now furnished to certain parts Of the city. The
number of inhabitants in 1860 was sixty thou
sand go ,0Oo)- The population now numbers at
least one hundred and twenty-five thousand
5,0o0) thus 1t will be seen that the population
has more than doubled, whilst the supply of
water has remained nearly the same. This
scarcity Of water has been felt most severely i'm
the northern and eastern parts OF the city, and
shoQldAn extensive ire occur In these localities
durinGthe summer months it Is difficult to see
from where the water could be procured to ex-
tinguish it; illustration of this 1t will be sum
70 se las.
street was during the middle of the day COM
pletely dry, and the residents OF that vicinity
we're compelled to I'LL their vessels during the
night In order to have q supply sufficient for
their needs.
Another, and no less important, point con-
corning our supply Of water, is its vtisted quail
ity. Pure drinking water should contain only
minute quantity Of chlorides and sulphates, to-
gether with Q small amount Of the gases CON
tanned in air. 1t should be, as far as possible,
entirely free from organic matter. Such Is not
the case, however, with the Potomac water as
furnished to its consumers. 1t Is impregnated
with organic matter, and frequently so much so
rs to be repukive in odOr and nauseous to the
taste.
This Is q most serious and dangerous contami-
nation Of the water, and is very detrimental to
the health Of the community. This could be
remedied by completing and using the water
reservoirs, and by proper filtration Of the water
before being distributed. 1t is to be hoped
therefore, that Congress will see the necessity
Of making an appropriation at an early day to
finish the water reservoir and fltering appara-
tus, 30 that the capital OF the republic may be
furnished with an abundant supply OF pure
water.
The scarcity of water could, OF course be rem
died only by the laying Of one or more water
mains expressly designed for the benefit OF those
parts Of the city now insuficiently supplied"
NUIsANCRs.
The number OF nuisances abated during the
nine months commencing July 1, 1862 and end
ing April 30, 1870, was !, SIS. The greater num-
Der Of these were abated directly by the SAM
tary Police, under charge Of Lieutenant Moo
nan, and the Board desire to express their
thanks 10 the officers and men Of the sanitary
police for the cordial corporation and assist
ance rendered them during the year."
THE CANAL NUISANCE.
among the nuisances still undated, the