New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-08-03

without expense when it wOu!d Clsarracse
their ordinary domestic plans, aud separate
the wife temporarily from her husoa 20
whom her services N their conu4Iou VI LAC
are very essentiaH
The iud gment of the writer is that the
maternal instinct with them viii always De
found equal to the necessities OF tHe
occasion, ard ready to accept any tempo
rary inconvenience, and 10 act ID accord
ance with the best matuIed judgment OF
tie medical profession that promises sue
cess, for tie preservation OF ne ives %
their children.
Next comes tie very important question.
what kind Of an institution or scheme con-
mersurate with the wants OF large cry q
this regard could be inauGrrated tua- Is
really practicable and worthy OF tie IN
.lo,seneIt OF the medical profession. aud
the encouragement and patronage ci .egis-
Ia.ors ard philartLrcplsts!
A free park or camping ground. so-s O.
san;tsrium of 1000 or 2G00 acres or more il
extent. selected with special reference 20
:ts heaitLfulLess-at az elevation above
ma!aIia-its accessibility, the abundance q
pure water, with well shaded walks ard
play grounds, etc. to be improved ~ cheaI'
tenemeE-s free 20 al who have such child
rem, as a summer residence. would Il q
grea. measure supply this GesideCarunl.
This Institution should be governed b
proper ari fixed rules for aGmis sion, tie
preservation of order and health. anu
be under tie general management
Of recognized sanitar!an. The park
should be provided with suitable
play ground, and gymnasium, school
houses ard chapels TO secure the advan-
,ages Of well regulated village home for
ali. Good moral influences might thus be
PLANTED and ;ostered in the breasts Of E,any
children that, under the guidance Of Provi-
deLce, would develop in them the highe.
apG .obler instincts Of humanity and shed
a benign influence over their whole lives.
The rich Can always leave the cities dur
ing the oppressive heats OF summer. anG
find healthy country retreats tor their Chi
special interes. has hitherto been mani
tested by Any city for the health OF Tie
families Of this class of the community, and
no boarding houses or summer resorts
suited 20 the wants OF the poor. have ever
been opened, and it is very questionable Il
they, with their manners and style OF dress,
could, at present, find accommodations ID
any considerable number near cur cities.
TO the guestion-Where could sites suit
able for the purposes indicated be
found! The answer is that a search
Will develop the fact that there are plenty
Of them sufficiently accessible to a.; our
Atlantic cities.
A situation on navigable water, Or on a
line of railroad should be preferred. E!eva-
tor, too, :s particularly desirable, as il re-
moves at once the danger from malaria. ard
secures a cooler atmosphere for the greater
par: Of the twenty-tour hours.
Every 800 feet of altitude above tide water
in this region apprOxinates TO being OF tie
Temperature to he found at sea level ].
further north. l. has been ascectaineG
that the thermometer falls !" fer every $50
feet CT perpendicular ascent.
l. is probable that tie hest results world
be obtained for a sanitarium OF this kind On
some elevated ridge or mountain spur above
the line Of rlalariai influence. where the air
is pure and cool, the water good and alum
GaEt, where provisions are cheap. and
where the normal temperature during the
summer months does not tor any CONSIDER
able period Of the day .ange above So q
So.
i. is the duty, no. Only Of large cities. bu.
OF individual cities and States. ard perhaps
the general government, to do whatever is
possible to preserve the lives of the great
army Of iuuocents that are now annually
sacrificed by a disregard Of the laws Of
health, and the impec unious condition OF
majority of parents of the ,aboring class III
our large American cities, who are unable
to remove their children, wen when sick, 20
the country during the heated term.
The proposed measure is 20 meet this
urgent want, namely, the preservation Of
the iiCes OF the children oT the poor IL
crowded cites; that each Of our large cities
secure one or more extensive tracts OF land
suited to tie purpose i'll an elevated region,
and improve them IN manner suitable -0C
free parks for the pur soses here indicated.
Special care should be taken with al. the
buildings and surrounding improvements,
SO as to insure free and complete vent.la-
ton; good surface and underground drain
age should be made, SO as to keep the park
free from any annoyance from stagnant
water and closet deposits. Stops OF waste
water, and to secure rapid surface drainage
to the walks and Fairgrounds after rains.
The parks should be under the inme-
date supervision Of the medical and civil
police, 20 preserve order and salubri-y, and
should either be so large or so numerous
as never 10 be crowded las that world es-
tablish the evils OF city crowGing): and all
the improvements of the ground should be
made with view TO encourage and enable
the children to be kept or 10 live mos: o:
the time in the open air.
The grounds should be properly laid on.
with shady walks and drives, and improved
in every way that could conduce to health,
by the erection OF pavilions, cabins. cot
,ages, and boarding houses, for the accom-
of mothers and nurses, with their
sick children, during the summer months.
Ii might and would in many cases be
proper for cities to contribute means 20
send patients to the park, and in special
Eases support, by contributions, sick and
destitute children and their mothers while
here.
The opening of free parks as summer re.
sorts for the poor is entirely feasible, and
4 a. humanitarian view deserving Of the
most serious consideration. 10 the states
nan, the measure must present an encoUr-
aging prospect tor the preservation OF Lu-
nan life, the increase Of population, ard
prosperity.
When We consider that the United States
ensus of 1870 shows tina: there is in the
ity Of New York but one child under If
cen years of age to every woman between
he ages of fifteen and fifty land the same
; true Of our other large cities) when there !
'ught to be three, this question assumes :.
till greater Importance.
Il is q fact not to be lost sight of, that the
.eciiUe IN the proportion OF children in the |
United States under fifteen years OF age, to !
he number of women between the ages OF !
.teen and fifty, is progressing, as is very |
onclus!yely shown by comparison OF the |
asst five United States decennial census re.
orts. The following table is made 40 |
rom them. The returns from 1880 and |
$40 include whites only; the others include |
Il classes:
sasus. Female. bet. Children under Children to
Is and 50 years. - wears. irU women.
80 2410G52 4.St.3,O 1882
- 1913 Ul6 6,20I,2! 1863 |
so :,S89,3s .o29,655 l72G |
$50 :,oioooj l2,13i +16 :.tS |
80 .,6JS.Si4 .Jll5o bio 1853 |
Should the suggestion Of free parks ever
G adopted, much valuable information
, the selection of. the site NAV be had by
cnsul,iug the records of the United States |
ignal Bureau as to elevation, force of |
'inds, temperature, humidity, erc-ele-
lents of great Importance in a HYGIENE
ONT of view.
S,,ci narlss shoriH he frae 70 AL uho ha-a !