National Republican., 1873-11-27
BOARD OF HEALTH,
ANNUAL REPORT OP THg PRESIDENT

ANNUAL REPORT 0P THg PRESIDENT.
N,,,o..I ssuI,ary Buresu = Important
Recsmuiendrsieus - History Of thc
smsIipsx Ia TIL. Cisy.h New Esecu-
tive siss.ieu ssGaesssd.
DIR, G, q. Cox, president Of the Board OF
Health, will ou Monday submit his annual re-
port 10 the President Of the United states. The
report, after reviewing the Congressional iesis-
isiiou creating the board, uJn
Congress, In its sagaclty. and prescience,
TSisH, SH IN large n % degree, should be indspend.
ent Of local Influences, and thus suoserye the
real purposes contemplated BY such organila-
sSSus SS osSs ave fssss Sars no, % ony Ss
resident population. but OF that extended ON.
cial circle consisting Of the President and MS
clerks, employees OF the Government, aud their
families, as well as that vast iunuN OF strangers
attracted 10 Washington as the centre OF polt,-
cal powur and ofiicial business. This view dis-
closes a stronR ciaim upon Congress, by whom
this hoard was founded, both for large share
OF the necessary means for the prosecution OF |
in the shape OF legislation As may be demanded |
by the constantly increasing sanitary needs
and exiRencies OF the District"
Inc tnhnEct III tnt Ontttr " tto "pai" 'ui-
ing The past year are next notioed. -,
= X comparison Of The mor,asry rates o. several
European cities with that OF New YORK is mads,
and In reference to the establlshmentofs
NATIONAL SANITARY urRsiu.
under which head the report says: ~ mcm,rial
aud accompanying biil were presented al the
last session OF Congress, and referred 10 the
appropriate committee, but for want OF oPpot-
nn ss sers esn ss: ss. Iessa %aSy eman, and
earnest advocates 10 its support. and u ts con-
ndeniiy believed that this great measure cannot
fan Of sdop,ioa =. the % soI'ns session ION Q, & ySa
and rejecting lustfe upon the administrator To-
auguratlng it. Tue value OF the laboS Of such
bureau cannot be computed, smoracins, s taey
reproductive statistics, as well as those having
reference TO food, (pro,iuctiou and consumpuon,l
epidemic and iymotic diseases, and many o,ner
quarantine, BY preventing the ingtcss OF foreign
/ eptdemics, and the extension OF aid to state
ere not nc ess' Is 2, M
isIiiR the various health boards Of the country,
harinonising their plans OF operation, and dinus-
not fail TO exert powerful influence upon the
public health. kmoug the measures OF practi-
| cal importance proposed by Il 70 the production
disiIieSsion a iree Of charge 70 ali paris Of The
| country. THIS feature iself will compensate In
It's results for the labor snd expense OF con-
stfucting the bureau
| INFORMANT FONTS N Tue sKcRErARyS REroRr.
Noticing the report Of Dr.. Bliss, the secretary
The Immense value Of CAREFUL -srrauged tab
| uiar records Of births, Marriages, deaths, causes
Of disease and ratio Of mortality, continued
through series Of yearts viii not be cilled N
| Of applied sanitary science! - Its greatly
to be regretted that for some time the vital sta
tislics have been mcAgIe aud deiecuye IN tne
utility OF such reports. This Is, a has been
stated, due TO the sbsence OF any law compelling
the physcan IN attendance 70 communicate the
manner In which .hc board u informed OF deaths,
their causes, and other qualifying conditions.
! Tue best interests Of humanity, therefore, de-
mand that there shall be. at whatever cost Sc.
cured, the most complete periodical statistics Of
births, marriages and deaths, carefully classified,
and recorded In such form as 10 be Instantly
health, carefully prepared, Including the causes
operating at different periods 10 produce certain
! diseases, conutute q most Important basis OF
J preventive measures Not only s this demanded
: in O sanitary view, but for the requirements OF
: law and the ends OF pu0kc Justice. Indeed, nc
$ subject opens more comprehensive He'll OF use
full inquiry or may lead to more important 10
Z The secretary recommends, therefore, for goo,
= and sufficient reasons that more efficient leRis
!, lation be urged upon Congress In order tina
u prompt notice may be rendered OF the exIstenc
i Of disease, and Of death by poison or homicide
. As suggested by the report, such Law as th
s1 tNlktnCy requires Will tunuiC tHt UOhIu, Uy W
prompt detection Of epidemic or contagious dis
eases, TO prevent their extension. The ends 0
justice would be subserved by the exposure o
's nothing Is now Known, while Valuable tes,srnsn
tsry evidence would be accessible 10 our 0w
aud foreign countries. The registration Of birth
ID sicians and midwives, who arc required BY Ia,
,e to make prompt reports Of all births occurrin
y under their supervision. The necessity for III
.. aimInu.on Of reported births Within ~" he ella Ia
IL year, reaching In amount several hundred. A
cording to the IepsIt alluded TO, the number
o .Ss s.ps 2, ss;s :sysns
nj i,IsT colored. The statement, in view OF IL
~, vast numerical disproportion Of the two ell
W. the coloreI 70 De Immensely In excess OF that
the white inhaoitants Of the District.
as as IL shows that for twelve months termnAtir
on ton OF i93i TO every 1000 OF the estimated po
tu ulation. This rate Of mortality, as Justly state
~ compares most favorably with that Of any city
~ saiubrity Of the District. Ia the moriuary G,
Of nfantum predomnate. The causes assign,
Z, large proportion Of the population, In Invent
" ated anti Improperly heated public buildings Of
u Offices, are entitled to consideration.
Q. FINANCES oy rnE BOARD.
Z Noticing the trcasurers report DR.. Cox say
y, "a "The legislative appropriation OF 1874, owing
the extraordinary expense incurred by the Pre-
e aience OF an epidemic and other causes, W
soon exhausted, and Congress appealed 10 for
y deficiency, which was promptly voted, amour
Ing 70 sIssS; Tnls " YIN ,ne additional sppr
, the entire basis Of the financial operations Of Il
u board for the past year. The Legislative appr
he priAilon Of ;ae oco, made at the spring sessio
70 period al which II may be made available Is n
a. n determined. The uncertain aud Inadequate p
.. .. cuniary aid aforded BY the Legislative Assemb
W means to carry out the Provisions Of the organ
- law. The total amount OF disbursements, q
= cording to the treasurers report, Is ss9,sf
which has been expended In tue payment
employees, legal services, purchase OF dlsinfec
ants, fuel and light, books IA.
at IMPORTANT REPRESENTATIONS or THE HEAL
81 Reference Is then made to the report Of ].
m, | Langston, chairman Of the committee on or,
A. nanoes, and 70 that OF the health oilieer, Dr..
" spectors to be Increased TO fifteen, and thu
A. salaries nxed At 800 per annum. Tue cons,
No dated report Of nulsaaces shows that is66s ha
~ been absted during the year, not includii
on minor nuisances disposed OF upon verbal motto
MI In accordance with . law Of the Legislature I
II. quiring all premises 70 be drained in the col
taI fecting proper house-sewer connections h
re been pushed with extraordinary vigor, and co
n. stitutes one Of the most important. t.sanitary
" suits Of the year. The number Of sewer come
tions thus secured since the passage OF the Ia
amounts TO i,to7, thus improving tho conditi,
OF adjacent alleys, and conducting a va
amount Of slops and waste water into the col
mon sewer. 0f lots having stagnant wat
ID thereon 1871 have been nlled. in this connecti,
al. the health of1cer recommends that no dwellin
%. be allowed In the alleys, n q necessity to /
Oh cleanliness Of the city and essential to It's sal
se. tary condition; also, that the cleaning Of ae
lei be placed under the superintendence and a
at thority Of the Board OF Health, believing I
mt work will be more promptly aud economica
- done than by the existing method. Privy-vau
lis are recommended instead Of toxes as santa
IN measure.
", SMALLPOX.
y Under this head DR.. Coz says:
al "The history Of the smallpox as prevailing
he this city has been fully described In the annr
A. report. The epidemic, which at nrst threaten
,er TO leave its deadly traces In every part Of I
M District, was successfully arrested by the vi
to lance and persevering energy OF the ono,
having this subject In charge. The most pow
ri ful measures for the prevention Of the spread
~ smallpox have been found 70 consist In iso
he tion and vaccination. The former was render
nj as perfect as circumstances and the proylsiC
of OF law would permit; the latter most dilligen
ala and faithfully practlced to the largest possii
m extent. The vaccination Of the population, I
m, elusive OF such persons as received attention
the once Of the board. was oonnded to the wa
ro- physicians or the city,"
W. DR.. Cox warmly comments their labors, 81