National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-01-27

The Board Of Health held q regular meeting
LIST night; DR.. T. S. Verdi in the chair, and DR..
d. W. Bliss, secretary. All the members present.
The treasurer, Mr.. John Narbury, IT., submit
ted bills amounting to $3.50; which were ap-
proved.
The following Is a synopsis OF the operations OF
the health office for the week ending January
3I6; reierTed to Commissioners, IL: citizens com.
plants 20; notices issued, H. causes r. pecunsry
conditions investigated, u; burals at public ex'
poor, ISL; cost Of medicines, t59.l7; dead animals
removed, s.; loads OF garb2ge removed; loS
inspections: 4,7bO punches fish, $500 bushels
oysters; concentrations: 10 pounds bacon, 2
geese, rabbits, ~ bushels potatoes, "a pounds
cheese, 1,SOO dozen eggs, go heads cabbage. Ant
ized, "a. He also reported the condemnation OF
400 bushels Of oysters yesterday, which were
taken to the Seventeenth street wharf and Dis
posed Of.
DESTRUCTION OF Rad EGGS.
He also submitted the following communica-
tiOn, calling attention to the extraordinary num-
Der Of eggs condemned during the past week. He
saws large invoices Of what are called 'pickled
eggs" in very bad condition, have lately been
shipped from the West TO Baltimore, some OF
which have found their way to this market, and
have been exposed for sale, mostly by street ven
doris. We have succeeded in securing and de-
stTOyipg about 500 dozen Of these eggs. and
have caused the highest hne To be imposed in the
Police Court upon one Of the hucksters OF the
eggs condemned. l have directed the food In
speetOrs to keep careful watch at the depOts and
inspect all eggs arriving. BY this means the i'm
pOTtRtion will be, to great extent, arrested, but
] would caution hOusekeepers and others not to
buy eggs from the street haTkers or vendors, ex-
cept after careful examination, and this precau-
ton is imposed before purchasing any article Of
food from this class Of dealers, because owing TO
the small number Of food inspectors employed 1t
Is impossible to have them under constant sur
veillance as are the market dealers. In this eX-
igency il may not be reIniss to republish the fol-
lowing ready method Of becoming expert in the
oil ton nf trnnI n almost
Gle OF diet: Fresh eggs are more translucent at
the centre old ones Gt the TOP; very old ones are
tenth Of salt has been dissolved, good eggs sinh;
and Indifferent ones swim: bid eggs float in pure
water.
The above were adopted.
TIE PHYSICIANS TO THE rooR.
He also submitted the following:
have the honor to recOmnenS that the pay Of
the ply sicians TO the poor for the District Of Co
lumbia he increased 10 $50 per month. This rec
Ommendation is made alter careful study and
strict inspection Of this service. venture the
assertion that in no city in this country do the
sick poor receive more earnest, Intelligent and
economical treatment than is this District. These
ply siciRns all young men, are remarkably active
and efficient. AS shown by the last weekly report
they have averaged each iOrty-hVe visits and
nifty prescriptions for the week. labor which
neeessitates personal Inconvenience and eXpendi-
ture Of time for which their present rate Of pay
very poorly cOmpensates Most OF the poor live
in alleys where the houses are not numbered, and
the physicians when summoned by an ignorant
messenger often must search an hour to md the
patient. When there he must perhaps, at the
risk Of accident, ascend a rickety stairway and
seat himself on rude box, in an atmosphere
reeking with poison ard disease-were he must
spend time to diagnose the case and prescribe or
apply the remedy.
Certainly for such a service $50 per month is no
adequate compensation, even in the most strait
ened condition Of public finances. Knowing that
the motive Of the board, in the Inauguration OF
the present system, was TO ascertain at how low
rate this service might be efficiently performed,
and also to compensate the physicians reasonably,
keeping the Whole expenditure for treatment
within the least possible amount, 1 make this
suggestion, believing that four months expe-
rence has proven 1t 10 be an act Of justice to de-
serving public servants. The whole annual ex-
pense, even at the advanced pay, will not exceed
q, eco, unless an epidemic should visit us.
In this connection would report that probably
at no time in the history Of the District OF COlum
bia have there been SO many destitute people
especially In the southeastern and southwestern
sections Of Washington, eases OF abiect poverty
attention. From actual observation and through
our sanitary inspectors and physicians / am, per-
haps, better able than any other person 70 report
that either by personal appeal to the citizens for
o general charitable movement, or by Concerted
official sction with the honorable Commissioners
Congress be asked TO relieve temporarily the suf
fering now existing in the District. Certainly
these hundreds Of destitute human beings must
not be allowed TO starVe aGd become easy victims
Of disease through Jack Of effort on the plrt OF
those appointed 10 govern and protect Lem
know that the people OF the District, those who |
are POssessors OF even q moderate supply of this
consftIon describe, will unite to bring relief |
And ehOuld the honorable Board Of Health IN. |
tertake through its inspectors and the physicians
these uniortunates, with the same system as gov
ems the performance OF Its legitimate duties,
satisfaction and great blessing will follow its ef-
rortF,
THE RECOMMENDATION REFERRED.
Mr.. Marbury moved that the compensation Of |
The physicians be $50 per month from the Isl oil |
February TO the end Of the fiscal year.
DR.. Bliss moved that committee OF two be ap- |
pointed to confer with the District Commissioners
on the subject and ask that immediate action be |
taken toward relieving the sick poor Of the Dis. |
tTet.
MI. Marbury thought both his and Or. Bliss
proposition cGuld be carried out, There was no J
necessity for bringing the subject OF compensl-
ton before the Commissioners. 1t was matter |
that belonged to the Board Of Health exclusively.
Mr.. Iangston said the authority Of the Com |
missiOners 10 give the Increased compensation |
was necessary. He favored paying nifty dollars |
per month. If such was in the power OF the board,
and thought the committee, by seeing the Com
would bring about the result desired.
He found large amount OF poverty in the Dis
trict, and he favored having this matter brought
10 the Commissioned and through them to Con
gress. 1t should be attended TO at once. He con-
sdered that the physicians were not receiving
sufficient pay for the services rendered.
Mr.. Marbury claimed that the Board of Health
had a perfect right to increase the physicians
that there was no necessity for
troubling the Commissioners about IL.
DR.. Cox was glad that there was so much In
terest manifested for the poor, and urged that
immediate action be taken In their behalf. He
favored the proposition TO confer with the Com
missioners.
DR.. Bliss said Washington was q city of pau
peTs, and the only thing that could save it was
the aid Of Congress, who must remove the incu-
bus on the District. The situation at present was
desperate and appalling.
The motion Of Dr. Bliss was adopted, and
MesErs. Bliss and Marbury appointed the COM
mittee.