New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-08-03
FREE PARKS AND CAMPING
GROUNDS.
Sanifnriums for the Sick and Debilitnsed
Children Of the Poor of Crowded
Cities During the Summer Months.
y J. N. TONER. NJ. D., WASHINGTON. D. c.

3y J. II. TONER. NJ. D., WASHINGTON. D. G
The Old adage to take care.of the pence
and the pounds will take care Of them
selves may be aptly paraphrased: Take
care of the infants and the adults Will take
care Of themselves"
The philosophy tia: saw nothing in
diseases buc the evidences OF chastlslng
providence has about succumbed to the
advance of the exact sciences and the light
Of accumulated knowledge, which enables
earnest investigation to see something OF
the law Of cause and effect.
Sanitary medicine is yet in its infancy.
The science of the prevention Of disease
and the protection of life by wise and
.imely legislation has, in America, receive
comparatively little consideration from the
States or the general government.
The principles and advantages Of State
medicine, however, are beginning to Win.
or have won, a recognition from our law
making bodies, and its importance must
give it position Of great influence in the
future. Every measure that has for its
end the prevention of disease, and thereby
the SAVING of life, is worthy the most Sc
rious consideration and support Of the pro-
1ession.
The excessive mortality among children
IN our large cities is a sad commentary
upon the habits OF civilized communities
and the enlightenment of the age. No
man can acquit himself OF the obliga-
ton to assist in ar1esting this evil.
That nearly onehalf Of all deaths in our
country should be Of children under
Eve years of age is unaccountable, and l
strongly suspec: the result of ignorance. or
worse.
With the hope of doing something TO-
ward staying the tide of destruction among
the innocents, the writer desires to cali
ho ~ 1an oteb oa I'd nc
and the medical profession to the PROPOSE
ton of "free parks and camping grounds
or sanitariums for the sick and debilitated
children of large and crowded Cities" as
first made by him through the northeastern
Medical and Surgical journal last autumn.
This article will comprehend the more i'm
portaEt views then expressed, with addi-
Iional data, SO as to bring the necessity Of
such measure more fOrcib!y before physl-
clans and the public.
1t may be laid down as principle that
no city or country is prosperous that is not
increasing in population by virtue of its
birth rate, and that public health is ma
TONS strength. Health is capital, and a
healthy community must thrive.
The State has a direct moral and pecu-
mary interest in the health and lives of her
citizens. 1t is her legitimate province to
make and enforce just and equitable laws.
SO as 70 protect the lives and property of
the whole community, and in an especial
manner is this true of her duty to the
young, whose guardian she is.
II the view be correct that the child be-
longs to the State, and conditionally, and
for limited period, to its paren.a, the
State has most sacred duty to perform,
and should be as prompt and potential to
preserve and protect the life of the young
est and humblest infant in its domain as
the eldest and most distinguished citizen.
To the Old we may owe gratitude. but to
the young are given the hopes and pOssibili
ties of life of honor and usefulness to
their race and State that is unlimited.
A careful examination of the published
reports of the boards OF health of the cities
OF New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Bos-
ton, Baltimore, and of several other cities,
shows that about one-ha!f of all deaths &C.
curing are OF children under five years OF
age. 1t is also noticeable that large per
cent of these deaths take place during
the heated term, and are attributed to
cholera infantum and other summer COM
plants almost peculiar to the United States.
This great waste of human life in its
early years OF existence is unnatural.
Humanity demands that the cause of it be
inquired into, and, as far as practicable,
removed.
In the published reports of the board of
health of the city of New York it appears
that IRON 1904 to 1858, inclusive, Or for fifty
years, there were recorded, including the
still births, 363, 59S deaths. OF this num-
Der Il! ,433 were under five years of age.
which is 1919 of the whole mortality. For
the years 1850, 1867, 1868, 1869 and 1870 the
published reports give a total mortality for
the city Of III, POS, of which 6i,lS2 were
under five years of age, which Is 5O.45 per
cent of the recorded deaths.
In the city of Chicago the published re-
ports of the board of health show that from
1913 to 1869, inclusive, there were 63,53S
death, not including still births. OF this
number 1850 were under five years of age,
which is 5l.2i of the total mortality.
In the city OF Philadelphia, from 1907 to
to 1927, inclusive, or twenty years, there
were reported, including still births,
56.O9l deaths. OF this number - 800
were children under five years of
age. which is $3.50 per cent of the total
In the same city, from 1858 to
1870, there were reported 1868 deaths. of
which 79,0I6 were of children under five
wears of age, which is 1854 per cent of the
total mortality TOR the period named.
In Massachusetts, the State registration
reports from 1871 to 1858, inclusive, except
lS49, record 4S,708 deaths. OF this num-
her 92,567 were under five years of age,
which is 81 Is per cent of the whole NOR
In the city of Boston the health reports
from 1911 to 1889, inclusive, show that
"a. IFS deaths took place. OF this number
p 9l3 were under five years of age, which |
. 81 81 per cent of the total deaths; In the
anne citv for the five years 1868, 1869, 1870,
S7I and 1872 the reported mortality in the |
,itv. not including still births, was 81 JOG, |
# WON I3,I45 were under five years of
zee, which is 1922 per cent Of the whole
Dortality.