New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-26
EVILS OF ABATTO1RS.
DANGERS PROM THEIR PRE6ENCE In
CROWDED CTT1ER


CROWDED CrTlEa
VIEWS oy PROP WILLIAM 4. HAMMoXD-IArossi-
puIrY or ENTIRELY SURPRISING DOORS AND
yMANArroys FROM THESE EsTABLlsHNINrs-
GREATER DANGERS FRON THEM THAN SRoA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PROPER sIiUAIioSo
YOR ABATTOIRs.
The question Of the erection OF q large apat-
toir In such section Of tho city was proposed IN tne
plans and specifications laid before the Board OF he'n
several weeks ago s continues to attract the atenu""
Of houseodrs especially those living on the West ede
above Piftethst Prof. William A. Hammond
N. d.. Of the Medical College Of the Unf
versity of tho City Of New-York, who has made
public hygiene . study, and Who &c.
liyered . course Of lectures upon that subject
In Bellevue Hospital Medical College In the Summer OF
1872, called upon By TRIBUNE reporter, ana asked
for his upon the matter Of the proposed apstor
lie said that relation to the question OF erectinga
large abattOr several Of them, within the densely
Inhabited portions Of this city, number OF important
points require consideration In tho rst place there Is
evidence to show that the occupation Of butcher u
ut oil unhealthy per nor that the emanatoDs given on
from freshly killed animals are In the slight
est degree prejudicih to health. On tho contrary,
all experience goes TO show that butchers are,
far at least their appearance may he taken az
evidence, remarkably robust class Of men, end they
appear to he exempt from certain epidenics. II has
been asserted that during the Summer they are liable
to be attacked with bos carbuneles putrid and malis-
nant fevers, but my inquiries convince me. said Dr.
Hammond that this IL not true Some authorities have
asserted that the ford cOunenanee end stout body OF
the butcher due to the gradual absorption into the
system Of nutritious particles given on from tho flesh vi
recently killed animals hut there evidence 10 sup
port this opinion The rue solution Is to be found tn the
fact that butchers class take good deal OF active
exercise and that they cat large quantities Of animal
food This latter crcnmssnceone which IL not essen
ftnu
liable gestions rsecally Of the BRAIN and to be
particularly subject 20 epDeptic seizurea
A regards the enanatiOns from reeh meat there ie
not for supposing them 20 be deri
mental TO health. Now, II this were the end OF the
matter perhaps there might be no objection to placing
large sbattors ell around our dwellings. but I'M
fortunately there are other factors to be considered All
the animals killed not In healthy condition, and the
CARNATIONS from diseased carcasscs may be In the highest
degree Injurious. hSve demonstrated the fact that
pus eOrpusclos be transported considerable dis
through the atmosphere AMI that thus disease may
communicated in reality by actual contact, although
the OF the infection and the subject Of IL are far
apart TO be sure danger from this circumstance would
be much lessencd by careful ISOLATION Of all animals abont
to he killed, absolute immunity probably could not be
secured
Again. the hcathtnness Of abafoirs depends upon the
maintenance absolute cleanliness IL must he reInem
bered that an abattor other things being equal, Is
sentialy more dangerous health than slaugh
trrhUise For In the former, not only ore the animals
killed aud the flesh prepared for market, bat the other
portions Of the animal not fit for fOodthe skin, the
hair the borns the hoofs, the intestines, the fat,
tho blood, all subjected TO various manu-
featuring processes. Cleanliness Is TINS more
difBcult to maintain, decomposition IL more
apt 10 arise, and additional precautions have
to be taken prevent dclerous result from the
coepsye the odors from these processes are and il il BIZ
no means certain that they can he prevented entirely
are in the highest degree detrimental 10 health appears
however. to ba settled though there are not wanting an
after the battle VI Paris 1000 Lad horses remained on
The sc for n y as sna du Msn s Gsre
gather them together 30 De burned and not one Of
least degree. In our own civil there many in
stances where dead men and animals remained on the
In no ease did those in the ncghboIhood suffer any de
teroration of health similar Instances could readily 9e
Of medical students spend large portion cf their time
in the disseclin and few eases can be recalled
v wlsss aSd Pp gases wIi abound there John Bell
on hS that ether a nan
inspiration Of tine products Of human putrefaeuon has
rise to lingering consumpion. iyphu scarlet fever, and
Of bea d. Bel also cites cas-, Of bat"er Who had
lived long time with shamhes ON one side OF his house
impaired aud this caused him pay greater attention
than before 10 some Of bis surroundings. lie ex
Se Sna II lie % Tsed i to- T
hang nj cage in any window OF the cowhouses around
this yard and not bird will live a week"
the CARNATIONS referred to become deeterous TO health
The action Of carbonic acid gas Affects the system "a
The aperture closed by spsn Of the gOttis and the
person poisoned by carbonc acid gas dies at by
asphy1ia want Of breath Experiments upon animals
show this concusyey. Ph0sph0rcttad hydrogen, given
all animal bodies in state Of decomposition Ii
exceedingly poisonous Suphuretted hydrogen is sl
poisonous, and Ia constant enanation from decOm
posing animal matter Dupuytren found that so part
Of this gas in the amospherc was sufficient 10 kin birds
in a few seconds have verified these conclusions by
my experiments, added Dr. Hammond:
But bcsdes al this, asattors are Objectionable In
inhabited localities for other rcssOns a. Muulated
animals sometime escape and inct great injuries
individuals t2j The walls OF the abattoir gradually
absorb the eanatons and the very walls become super
saturated with germs OF decomposition That this IL
true IL Illustrated by case In the old New-Yolk
Hospital. The Infections disease known IA hos
pltai gangrene attacked tho patients in one. OF
the wards. 1t believed that the walls had
absorbed the disease The clustering was removed and
ease, which continued nearly vrucnt as before IL
finally became necessary 10 pull down the entire walls 81
Gated because the cause was removed The epidemic OF
puerpera fever within few years in Bellevue Hospital
with the germs Of that disease. Kothing bat Tearing
down tho entire walls could eradicate the disease,
g.; The odors from animals not yet killed and from The
eytTetiOns ObnO Sou8 u comfort ana health a.
scL persona aud hence this becomes Very important
consideration III the location of mi aiattoir in The neigh
borbood OF the Roosevelt Hospital 5.l Animals may
escape the yards and iniic damage Ia persons
Alter giving you this brief sketch of Of the
important points upon the question, said DR.. Ham
Inond. / would simply cay in conclusion this:
l. An abattor should be situated on high ground away
from theky settled districts aud close to running water
H. Special sewerage should bc provided for II.
III. The supply OF water should be unlimited.
". The walls should be coated with hone inpcrvious
v. The floor should be concrete and also mpcr,ious
doy hv nf Ie1lf VIII