The New York herald., 1875-12-08

into tho vaults and by exhaustion enptyng the con-
tents and carry all tho stun into tight vessels
placed on wagons; in this way dong away with the
productive Of disease. All tho scayen.ers in
buckets, against this plan. They went body tho
Mayor and some OF the Commissioners and threatened
all sorts OF political vengeance against the party il
their work Was taken from them. The result Of the
entire affair was the scayengcrs victorious This
entirely inonensive plan dropped its adoption
would seriously hurt the democratic party and vote on
election day. | am hrm believer OF man power
Tor tins department Drain the swamp lands, improve
our sewerage system and houss drainage and the
beneficial effect on the public health will DO seen
Wishing the Doctor good day and thanking him for
his interesting review Of the question the reporter left
DR. STEPHEN SMITH,
ex-Health Commissioner, was the noxt party applied
to for Information on the subject
REpoRrER-Dr Smith, what is your opinion az to
the present sanitary condition Of the city2
DIR. SMITH, think our present sanitary condition Is
decidedly bad but some sections Of the city much
worse than others The death rate in the Fifteenth
ward IS but half that in the First and Sixth wards and
less than twohrds that Of the Eighth Fourteenth and
Seventec1lE wards This explained by the fact that
in tho Fhtccnth ward. AZ a general rule each family
occupies separate dwelling In the other wards each
house contains any number Of families, from three up
REpoRrER-Thon yol consider the tenement house
system the principal source Of disease?
DR.. SMrrH-les, the returns Of the health Depart
ment show that from 80 to 10 per The total NOR
taity i N tenement houses aud that the highest
tality Ia in those containing the largest number OF
families Oncthird Of tho mortality IS caused by dis
eases originating IN or aggravated by foul air filth and
coEtagon, called zymotic deascs These facts prove
that IN certain sections Of the city, whore the people
live In their own dwellings, the public health as good
as that Of country town In certain other sections
where the people sed together the mortality is
twice a great rs IL should be.
RGPoRrER-What the principal sources Of disease
In the poorer class 81 dwellings,
Or. SAirH-It we exclude street Nth, imperfect
pavements and defective sewers, We lnd within tho
house conditions which create all the clements Of
heahuness.
FirSf-Thcre is no ventilation maintained, the house
is sealed box
Sccond-Thc house drains are 50 imperfect that they
serve as conduits for tho distribution OF deadly
gases to every room.
Tairt-One hundred persons living in tightly closed
house. story above story soon inject the air by tho
cxcrctons from their bodies with the fatal ami
NAL 20 sons.
Fourhrhc unhealthy habits OF the poor lead to the
saturaton OF cio'hing furniture, walls hoors SC,
with animal and organic matters dangerous to life
Finsiiy-Thc poor live in such familiar contact that
contagious and infectious diseases spread without the
slightest hindrancc Faulty sewers defective
methods of street paving and the removal Of
NTH, and extensive sources for the produc-
ton and propagation Of malaria these sources Of
heathtuncss of small amount compared with those
which are generated in tho houses OF the poor
RgroRTER-To what extent can 'rei0rn" bc cx-
tended TO the present condition Of the tenement houses
Or SMiTn-rhese evils can to large eXtont be reme
died AMI in all cases mtigated By intelligent and persist
ent efforts OF the sanitary authorities In the ars place.
house drains be constructed that neither
gases gases from the house nlth enter dwell
hngs Competent sanitary engineers should VISIT every
tenement house In the city, AMI where such provision
Is not already secured the necessary change should 10
made under their supervision. system OF ventilation
can be devised which will be eltreguating aud which
viii secure change Of the entire air OF any dwelling
every hour.
Sanitary architects should be empowered by personal
supervision carry this reform in every tenement
house The people should not be permitted 70 over
crowd their dwellings only certain number Of
human beings safely live in givcn number or
square yards of surface and in given number OF
cubic feot OF air space This limit should be liked and
rIgidly enforced
There should be system OF house to house inspcc
ton among the poor by competent women Who should
by personal advice instruction and aid, thor
ough house cleaning least month and reform
the methods Of housekeeping and care of chilirca
REPoRTgR-What is your opinion Of tho present sys
tom adopted by tho Board Of Health
Dr SMirr--Boards OF Health are generally too mod
ical In their organization, aud hence expensive The
general inspection Of nasancrs should bo made by the
sanitary police lfthis was done tho number OF med
ical officers ia the employ Of the Board could be rs
duccd and the physicians relieved Of tho
work OF inspecting common nuisanccs They could de-
vote their timo 70 the most important OF all studies
the causes Of sickness aai death--Yhich squire mod
ical knowledge for their discovery aud appreciation.
No branch Of sanitary work IS so necessary 10 the sue
cesst administration 81 health laws as That which will
unfold those hidden AMI as yet mysterious causes
which give ~ excessive mortality rates rom certain
diseases. The modical element Of Il Board OF Health
Tins reduced and required to perform only professional
dpticsi men skilled in engineering, architecture and
other branches could be added and tic most thorough
reforms could be instituted into all the defects In exist
ing houses AMI II enrm"thod 81 consire.,nn
Tho AoXt gentleman called upon 10 state his views
on lhs imporllnt question Of sanitary condition
was
PROFESSOR ALoNzo CLARK,
who 10 answer % inquiries tho subject, stated az
foloSs:-
In my experience malaria las been very prevalent
along hp limo of tho Fourth avenue Improvement aud
have been informed by parties employed on this work
that The aorkmcn suffered great deal from inIcrmt