National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-05-10
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
AvALUABLE AND INTERESTING PAPER.

Vous o. thtf hespcctNo bOnrds OF
neuith-Intcrc.,lnE Information About
QUE Sister Citic.--Thc q, nciu,ions Ar
rived A.
The following Is the full report Of the con
mlttcc Of the Board Of Health appointed to
Visit Now York and other cities to examine
20 the workings OF tho health department
BoAnD or HE.LTH. DsrnIcr or coLUnnn,,
To DE Honorable he board Of Health; The
I 'ndersigncd, committee appointed to exam.
the workings Of the Boards OF Health Of
tho cities Of Boston, New York, Phlladel-
phia and Baltimore, by action had by this
hoard, April II, 1879, would respectfully sub
nit the following report,
Your committee won't directly 10 the city
81 Boston. There thoy mnt gentlemen, mem
bers Of tho Board Of Health Of that city, who
spared no pains, labor or expense In afford
Ing IA the amplest opportunity 10 examine
and understand the Internal workings Of
their board. We found In the State Of Mas
shchusotts two health organlzati0ns-one q
Local and the othor State organization.
The latter consists of several members who
exercise authority conferred by general State
enactment, and who supervise and report
upon the general sanitary interests OF the
State, and tbs operations Of the several local
Boards Of Health.
The local boards have very great author.
u, conferred upon thom by the general stat
uteS They are empowered TO make such
sanitary regulations AZ they may deem ncc-
ei,ary. A penalty not exceeding one hundred
dollars Is affixed to the violation Of any rules
thus established.
rug BOARD OF HBALru or BOSTON
consists Of three persons, Alonzo W. Board
man, chairman, Albert T., whiting and DR..
Samuel II. Durgin. The members receive an
annual salary Of $4,000 each. They are APP
pointed by the mayor, and their appoint
mont confirmed aud approved by the City
Council In tho chairman Of tho board the
loyal profession IL represented tho modl-
cal, In DR.. Daryln, while Me-. Whiting repre-
adnta the business community. The subordl-
nate officers employed by the board arc
secretary with salary Of 81, 800 per annum;
two clerks, 81, 200 and el,0oo per aunum; a
city physician with SALARY Of %, 900 per an
NUM- a port physician, salary el,0O0 per an
NUN, with pcrqulsltes; one superintendent Of
health, salary ", 800 per annum, with assls-
tapt, salary, $4,000 per annum; nine sanl-
tary Inspectors, and two Inspectors Of pro-
Nsions-salary Of sanitary inspectors, Sl, 200
per annum each, with sanitary police force
consisting OF slx persons, and paid 90 per
uAN tbCll4 DBhluts tuttc tuCfC ntCCtrI-
rily very many subordinate employees.
With regard TO the authority Of this board,
its source IL two-foldi First, the Sta 10 stat
utes, and second, city ordinance. According
TO the former this board may make regula-
lions and take action with regard to nul-
Sanees, Infectious diseases, vaccination,
quarantine, offensive trades, undcrtakers,
cemeteries aad burlals, unwholesome pro-
Visions, and tenement-houscs, az causes OF
nuisance not to partlculariEe further; while
by tho ordinance Of the city ID is made the
duty Of the mayor, assisted by the police
force and the various city officers, TO cooper
ate with the Board OF Health In enforcing
their sanitary regulations. THERE'S appointed
annually by the City Council q committee Of
Ave 1.-TWO aldermen and three councilmen)
on the health department, whose duty Il IL
monthly TO examine the records and ac-
counts Of the Board OF Health, and consider
sSs s,opSp npoa Ss1o control aST 'S be
all expenditures on account Of city teams
and stables, tho cleaning Of oess-pools and
streets, the collecting OF ashes and offal, and
the employment Of laborers for such service.
But all works Of the character hero Indicated
shall be performed In q manner entirely sat
lsfactory to tho Board Of Health, and all con-
tracts pertaining shall contain such con-
ditions. In addition TO powers conferred by
by State enactment, under tho ordinances,
the board Is given power TO enforce regula-
lations with regard TO tho interment OF the
dead, vaults and drains, house-oftal, ashes,
fowls, swine and goata, the management Of
stables, livery and Others; the removal of
manure, the Introduction and sale Of dam
aged corn, the conduct Of smallpox hospitals
within the city limits. Tho regulations es-
tabllshed are minute and direct, a. well as
comprehensive, and arc enforced by reason
able penalties. Owing TO the ample author
ity vested In the board by the city ordinance
and statute, the cordial and general coop
Grafton Of the committee In the heath depart
ment, tho operations Of the board are effi-
ciontly conducted. Among other matters
particularly noticeable In connection with
their operations are the following
MONT SOIL.
This matter 10 managed by tho Board Of
Health In CONJUNCTION with the committee on
the health department. Its removal Is
effected by the bucket systom-by contract
at IS per load In winter and % per load In
summer paid by owners Of property: The
sells TO farmers 10 ia crude form. The aver
age load Is 80 cubic foet Vaults here ars
made Of brick laid In cement, and contain al
least 80 cubic feet, the inside Of the same
being at least two feet distant from the line
Of every adjoining lot unless otherwise
agreed by parties Interested, aud equally dis.
s"hN Nv" Wy obNNst PuohS paw W Peehe
or private passage-way, and TO DO so con-
structed as to DO conveniently approached,
opened and cleaned; and every vault mus
be made tight, so that the contents thereof
cannot escape except rs provided BY law;
% S Sa ann s,se are spa W. " ~
done, the Board Of Health may cause tn,
same to be done ut the expense Of owners
aud whenever any vault or privy shall DO
come obstructed and offensive, the same shall
be cleaned and made free upon the order o.
the board; but no vault 70 DO opened between
action Of the board, On this subject tn,
board and the committee on the health do
partment have the amplest authority, tn,
latter having power to determine the sum
to be paid BY persons making application 70
the removal OF fecal matter. For this pur
pose ten teams owned by tho city are en-
ployed. There arc In the city 1900 vaults
md the cost Of removing night soil therefron
supposed TO DO about slOO,O per anpum
eARBAaE.
- The removal Of garbage In Boston Is NOR
directly under the committee on the healtl
department already referred to, and yet tn
work Is to DO done TO the satisfaction OF th
Board Of Health. An officer known as tn
superlntendent OF health has lmmedlat
charge OF this work. Ho has control o
horses, wagons aud carts, besides q larg
number Of teamsters and assistants eonnecto
with this service.
House offIl In tho city proper and sout
boston Is collected In the city wagons an
delivered to contractor at odal depot, whenc
IL Is taken, In covered wagons, out OF tn
city. This depot Is kept In cleanly con
dltlon, all offal being removed twice per day
and the building thoroughly cleapsed an
purified. The house offal OF EastBoston
collected by a contractor and disposed Of b
him. He Is paid for his service $500 per a.
mum. The house oifal Of Boston highlands
collected and disposed Of by the city. Their
are thlTty-nye wagons, owned by the cit,
used for collecting oifal at a cost each pc
year Of q, 500 for wagon and team. This q
Innate, OF course, includes the original co,
Of the articles. In the winter, when cart
and wagons cannot be used, sleds are pre-
yided.
All house offal, separated from ashes {
other refuse matter, Is 10 be placed In suit
bio vessels, and kept In convenient plaS
for removal by city scayengors at least twlt
per week Nor Is any other person permi
ted to remove or carry through any street {
other public place any house offal, greas
homes or any refuse substances unless b
,nacIaI lIcense from the Board OF Health, an