Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-06-04
HEALTH OF THE CITY.

Memphis should be one Of the heal
thiest cities in the world. Its location
for health is not excelled on the cont
nent, and no city could be more easily
drained. There is a steady and con
slant sweep Of fresh airs from the south
and north along that great opening
made by the Mississippi riyer-airs
from the sea and from the Rocky Noun
tains-and there is no good reason why
the average of human life should not be
higher here than in any large city on
this continent. Our streets and alleys,
although somewhat filthy, are not so bad
as they might be; they are not beds OF
roses, however, nor are our sewers as fra
grant as suburban flower gardens; but
they are no worse than those Of other
cities. 1t is easy to write sharp critl-
cisms on the sanitary condition of Mem
pAis, but it is a difficult matter to place
that sanitary condition where it ought to
be in the scale. Perfect systems of
drainage are modern institutions, and
out little heed was paid in years past
to sanitary conditions, which are
now considered indispensable. The
Bayou Gayoso and other smaller
bayous which iatersect portions of Mem.
phis are so many breeders OF disease and
receptacles for epidemics. Many of the
smaller bayous have been filled up, and
houses and stores have been erected on
the land so reclaimed, and over natural
drains, sluiceways and springs. In other
cities, and in New York especially, it
has been shown that most of the fever
and malarious diseases were confined to
districts in which sideways and springs
had been filled up, and that no expendi-
ture for pavements and brown stone
would make house built on such an
undrained foundation anything but a
death-trap, and in consequence recon-
mendations for the drainage Of the city
anew were presented. The New York
Graphic presents the following wise sug-
gestions on the drainage question:
This whole subject should be taken up
and provided for in wise and compre-
hensive system of sanitary provision.
A Board of Health for a city like this
has other and higher functions than look
- r. oh lar ha 70
and seeing that shanties are. white
washed and coal-bins are clean. 1t
should make a thorough sanitary ex
ploration of the city, and devise some
wise scheme of prospective improve
ment by which the conditions Of public |
health shall be complied with, and the |
life rate here shall be as high as any
where on the globe. There is no reason
in the nature Of things why city should |
not be as healthy as the country. In
deed, with our modern Accommodations of
convenience and comfort and the me-
chanical arts, and our knowledge of
sanitary laws and mastery over sanitary
conditions, the city should be healthier
than the country, where unconquered |
and unframed nature is too much for |
the human constitution, and the condl- |
tions of life are harder and its allevia-
tons are fewer than in town. The wise
and energetic application Of sanitary
laws according to some system which |
looks forward for a term of years, and |
provides for all possible contingencies
of growth and business, will accomplish |
this desirable end and at comparatively |
trifling expense.
These valuable suggestions can be ap-
propriated by our own authorities, and
considered with reference to the present
and approaching sickly seasons.