National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-05-10

number Of deaths I, se4. The disease rayed
with violence from October, 1871, TO the fol-
owing March, during which time II, $50 cases
we're returned and 8, BIS deaths were reported.
Is, 1871, the city council approprl-
ated the sum Of $4,000 70 meet expenses
care OF smallpox CAGES. Although the health
officer, the port physician, aud the quaran-
Tine master Of Philadelphia are not menu
bers OF the Board Of Health, they arc all 90
related 10 II as that the board exercise large
In regard to quarantine matters
VITAL STATISTICS.
In connection with this board, ~ In New
York, the work Of the register OF vital status
tics 10 In the main satisfactorily done In
Pennsylvania, as In New York, the law CON
fcrs upon Boards Of Health authority 70 I'M
pose duties upon, aud control physicians,
undcrtakers, ministers, and others having
to do with marriages, births, deaths anu
burlals, 80 that by instltuting and enior1Clng
appropriate regulations, full and renaolc
statistics touching these subjects may be &c,
cured. We are also thankful to the board
Of Philadelphia for blanks furnished US w
connection with this matter.
EXPENDITURES.
The probable annual expenditures oil inc
Board OF Health Of Philadelphia amount 10
$4,000. -
BALTIMORE.
The Board Of Health Of Baltimore consists
Of two merubcrs, a commissioner and an as
sistsnt commissioner Of health, the former
receiving salary Of s9,s0O, aud the latter
1850 per annum. There arc employed Q
secretary at OIL, 200, and assistant OF sl,OVO
per anuum; two clerks, one at sl,W9 ana
tho othor At 1000 per annum. There Is ap-
pointed by the City Council OF Baltimore
committee Of health, having no direct con-
nectlon with the Board Of Health, but whose
duty IL Ia to consider matters OF law, as re-
lated TO sanitary affairs, and to report on
the same to the Council.
STREET CLEANING, REMOVAL or CARNAGE.
The Board Of Health has control Of street
cleaning, the removal Of garbage and night
soil. For street cleaning and garbage col
lecung purposes tbs city Is divided into Ave
districts. In each district there IL superin-
teudent appointed by tho board, paid Tor his
services q, 900 per annum, who superintends
the men engaged In this service. fersons
employed In collecting garbage receive Tor
their services and the uss Of horse and cart,
each ESQ per day. Work Ia commenced ct
o'clock a. m, and the employees are re-
Qulred to work eight hours per day: Those
engaged In street cleaning receive for their
services and use Of horse and cart, - per
day for 8 hours work. Street scrapers re-
ceive % per day, all tools being Furnished
by the city. The total cost Of this service to
the city we are unable to state,
MONT SOIL.
Fecal matter ls removed by licensed scay-
cngers upon permits issued by tho Board Of
Health. scayengers arc paid for this ser
vice by property owners and others IL cents
per cubic foot. In this city the bucket sys'
ten Is In use. Night soil Is delivered by scayen'
| gers at three dumps located short distance
| out Of the city, where II Is converted into
poudrctte under direction and contr,l OF The
Board OF Health. In conducting this service
dent, who Il paid eco per month, with twelve
men, two horses and two carts; tho men arr
paid 90 per day each; for driver, horse and
| cart, $50 per dAy. The cost OF each dunn
per week is about cleo. Thus far not
great deal Of poudrctte has been sold. A few
orders have been received. II Is said TO b,
| worth sl25O per ton. The establishment o.
these dumps Is Of recent date, and, a. yet
they are an experiment. The fear IL TIA
they will prove nuisance and have to D
Abatod. Already complaints arc mad
against them. Al lrst Ii was proposed to es
tablish four. The people, however, In tn
nelghborhood In which the four were 70 b.
located, were opposed thereto, and their op
position was so serious, positive and pcrsis
tent that IL has not as yet been established
The number OF residences In Baltimore ]
about 80, 90, to each OF which there Is aprtvy
II Is supposed that there arc 100 loads o
night soil removed every night the aycrag
contents Of each load being f7o gallons, max
Ing the number Of gallons removed eacl
night, ~, 625. In this city there IL nothinl
like a general system Of sewerage. IL Is y
be hoped that very soon the vault system o
this city will be entirely dlsused, and priv
system connected with sewers substituted
Your committee have been unable to ascci
tain the income to the city from licenses
scavengers and permits Issued for cleanin
| vaults.
INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
For sanitary purposes the city Is divide
into Ave districts, to which arc appointc'
Ave sanitary inspectors, who are paid %
per month each, and required to work cigh
hours per day. The books Of the office Q
the Board Of Health arc 80 kept as TO b
checks upon these officers.
For vaccination purposes the city Is divide
into ten districts, to each Of which ther
is a yaccinating physician, paid $50 pc
month each, besides ten ward physicians, pal
$500 per year each. The latter expect an
will probably receive, additional compcnsa
tion for services In yaccinating. The humble
OF persons yaccnated In Baltimore during N
last twelve weeks up to April 20, was a, "a
= | Inc OI Nlhlth NuNSh
matter here has been collected from patient
after about twenty days, hence humanlEe
virus Is largely used. The cost OF Vaccini
ton In Baltimore during the past two month
has been $1,000 This amount docs not II
clude expenses Of hospitals or cost OF burial
Tho removal OF patients TO hospital Ia paid
the following rates, Wis "a for zach patiel
removed singly; for two removed togetne
45; for three, ~. For burial Of patients oy'
twelve years OF ago, a.; under, s2. The eli
: furnishes collins and horse and hearso
4 | wagon. The number of deaths aud buria
3. from smallpox your committee were unab
q to ascertain.
VITAL STATISTICS
in this city are not under the charge Of Il
4 Board Of Health. Nor Is there an dbdtto
here. Strengthening, bono, fat boiling ar
a rendering establishments are managed he
with great difficulty, as In New York NJ
| Philadelphia. Indeed, II Is next TO impossib
y either to remove one Of these or 10 enfor
i proper sanitary regulations In regard to
k This Is owing largely 10 the fact that u
: Board Of Health Is neither armed with I'D
: quate authority nor Is independent OF polite
influence. Your committee Is unable to 81
9 either the expenditures or receipts Of ii
= board.
Couclusions-
In investigating the internal workings
4 the Boards OF Health above referred to, yoI
Q committee were especially impressed wit
u the fact that where the Board Of Health
= In the city OF Boston-is fully armed wit
power and authority, conferred by Stat
enactment, aud made measurably indepen,
ent Of local political influence, such boal
4 does Its work with greater promptncss an
r efficiency, and soon becomes, for this rcaso
the more acceptable to the people.
Indeed, a Board Of Health, II not general
: certainly during the existence Of epldcml,
0 or endemics, should WELD almost despot
Q power TO conserve the public health. Yol
: committee may b. permitted TO suggest tn
. = our own board may congratulate Itself upo
the source and the breadth Of Its authorit
a | seconded, as we have been, and have reaso
4 | able assurance that We will DO hereafter,
= the cooperation Of the Governor, the C
= ordinate branches Of the local goyornmo
= and the Legislative Assembly.
We have found still another thing to
true. When In the employment Of suborC
v nate officers and employees regard Is had
I character, requirements and efficiency, d
q | work OF the board Is much more satlafact
II rily done, and It's influence In the communi
n more generally felt, acknowledged and q