The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-07
GheQnteIliqetrcer,
important Recommendations oil
the Health officer.


DR.. Jepson, the city health officer, read
m interesting and important paper before
the Health Committee Of Council on sat
urdny night last. 1t contained state.
men,s of 30 much interest to the we'll
being Of the city that the committee re-
solvsd 10 recommend their publication in
n,mnble, form to Council. The princi'
nal noints were these: That the statis-
lie, Of the city OF Wheeling show that
7.O7 per Lcent OF the whole number OF
deaths occurring within its limits are
from typhoid fever, and 1915 per cent
from diarrhoeal diseases, which are
alarmingly high ratios as compared with
some Of the principal cities OF the coun-
try, For instance, in New York the rate,
under the former head, is only LOG; in
Philadelphia only 2.3O; St. Louis $50;
New Orleans 100; Cincinnati $50; Wash.
ing,ou 22S; Buffalo 4.s3; Pittsburgh 400;
Milwaukee 1.9l; Providence 8; Richmond
7O7; Cleveland 4.54; Toledo 2.54, and
DlytOnS.
In the same cities the per cent. Of fatal
diarrhGal diseases to the whole number
Of deaths Is as follows: New York 1902,
Philadelphia 8, ST. Louis II, New Orleans
$40, Cincinnati 9.40, Washington 9.3S,
Buffalo IL, Pittsburgh 700, Milwaukee
1850, Providence 9.2S, Richmond 1910,
Cleveland l4.oO, Toledo 1925, and Day
ton 0.2O. ......- -.
Wheeling shows, rs We have said, 1915
The reader will see at glance that our
rate OF mortality from these two classes
Of diseases is unusually high. But one
Of all the cities named has as large a pro-
portion OF deaths from typhoid fever as
Wheeling, and that city is Richmond,
one.half Of whose entire population is
'colored; and but four Of them, all much
larger cities, show as large ratio OF
deaths from diarrhaal diseases.
These statistics naturally suggest some
inquiry as to why Wheeling, otherwise n
healthy city, should be SO liable to dis
ease in the respects named. DR.. Jepsor
holds thatit is very largely, If notexclu
sively owing to the following causes: First
offensive sewers and cutters, and, second
improperly constructed privy vaults, ant
very offensive md poisonous method o
cleaning them. Under the iirst head he
asks why arc our sewers so offensive
Because, first, the openings are wholly
untrapped; second, into them flow the
washings Of numerous water-closets and
vaults; third, they are not flushed with
water often enough to keep them clean
He recommends the following rene
dies for this Condition Of our sewers
First, to cut off from them all water
closets and privy vaults; Second, to put
some form OF trap in the sewer openings
Third, close some OF the street openings
entirely; Fourth, provide for the proper
and frequent flushing OF the sewers.
He also recommends that every prop
erty owner should be compelled to drain
all the waste water from his premises IN
to the sewers instead OF into the street
cutters. Next, that there should bc
better method Of building and keeping
privy vaults IN order, especially those
built in wet ground, that are liable tc
overflow; and, next, that they should be
cleaned in the cool months OF the year, OF
else cleaned by the improved odorlesI
methods now in use in many cities as
for instance in Pittsburgh. .
DR.. Jepson shows by European stats
tics what great advantages have FOLLOWED
in various cities by remedying their sew
crage. For instance, the death rate If
twelve cities Of England shows that aftel
the sewerage had been remedied, typhoid
fever fell off from 10 to rs per cent, the
average being over AZ per cent. He hold
that there is every reason to believe tina
like good results would follow the propc
Improvement Of Whecling's present de
fectivc system OF sewerage.
We trust that this important paper o
tho Health Officer, when submitted t'
Council, will receive the careful consid
Grafton OF the members Of both branches