The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-07-29

decorum throughout, and notSithtanding
thereIwas some excitement yetthere was
scarcely any breach whatever'of' the pro.
prieties OF discussion. The Republican
party in West Virginia has no reason to
be ashamed of its organization when it
can show to the world such body OF men
as assembled at RGrkersburg on Thurs
day last.
Deaths Doings In Wheeling.
From Advanced Sheets Of che Medical Student
for AuguSt-Dr. Jas. E. Reeves, Editor.
Tocharge the frightfnl mortalitSinthi
city during the month of July. to theex;
cessive heat OF the weather, is not suti-
dent to account for the extent Of deaths
doings in our midst. Neither should it
be offered as one Of the reasons for the
large mortality in Wheeling for the past
two years, that the death.rate in all cities
must increase pari passu with the increase
Of population. Nothing, indeed, could
be more fallacious than such PROPOSE
tiop.. ~, ~ =. /.
bago was to 20 of its population; now,
With population more than four times
as large, It's death.rate is scarcely In 40.
It has been the experience Of cities in all
countries that as improved works Of sew
erage and water supply go on, and clean
illness is enforced in the streets and alleys
and in the houses, and the poor are
brought out from the damp Easements and
cellars to the light Of day, the death.rate
falls,.ti; 81 !tlttsVs. 10 -
In Wheeling, with population OF 2S,-
900, there were 1876 deaths for the quarter
ending the 3Oth ofJune;a heavy increase
over the death-rate for the same months
last year; and it was much higher ip 1876,
Notwithstanding the remarkably cool
summer, than Tor the two or three pre-
vious years. Last year, there were 1S
fdeaths recorded for May, so for June and
4s for July. This year, the returns show,
4S for May, s7Ie Tor JUNE aand nearly. 400
for July-a death record unprecedented
in the city'S history.
Thus it is seen that even SO early as the
month OF May, 1875, the mortality (4SJ
equalled that OF July, 1875, and was 80
in excess OF the number (ls) reported for
the same month last year. And yet we
have not had to deal with any malignant
epidemic disease, and there has been but
one case OF death from. .sun.stroke TO point
directly to heat effects.
There must, therefore, be some other
cause besides the great heat Of the season
to account for the terrible mortality in
the last three months; and it does not, we
think, require great energy OF obserya-
tion 10 discover that other cause. It lies
surely IN the lack OF sanitary improve
ments-the shame Of the city, such as un-
paved and muddy, or dusty streets; alleys
reeking with all manner Of garbage and
other filth; inadequate sewerage; shrinking
cutters; choking gases from open and
Overlooking privy vaults and untrapped
sewers. These inexcusable defects, which
are the active factors Of disease and
death, are chargeable to the city govern.
ment-to the failure Of the Councils to
comprehend the demands Of the rapidly
increasing population Of the city, 70 be
up to the spirit Of the age, and TO profit
by the warnings OF, the past WHO Can
wonder at the 100 deaths in Wheeling for
July, when It is told that the garbage
carts stopped their rounds on the LIST of
March, ana were not put on again, be.
cause Of the wrangling in Councils about
the letting Of the contract, until the lst
Of JuneI Issit strange that the refuse
from q population, Of $4,000, thrown into
the unpaved streets and alleys for the
space Of three months at a season Of the
year most favorable for corruption,
should promptly produce an abundant
harvest Of sickness and death2 In
word that the mortality should reach As
IN May, 72 in June, and 100 in, July :
Certainly not.' !. - :, -
It's ascertained that there are about
twenty-five cases OF illness, on the aver
age, which incapacitates for labor, to one
death. According to this rule, then
during the quarter ending June 30lh,
there were 4, ,l60 cases ofsickness; and In
the month OF July alone there were 2,275
perhons sick in Wheelipgls u..E
To this, add the suffering on beds Of
sickness from preventable causes, the
bereavement, ,thdutter wSGtehedness con.
sequent upon such waste OF health and
destruction- Of human .life; the=sum Of
doctors, druggists and undertahers' bills,
and we have the cost Of the sanitary neg.
lect Of the city.
Besides these manifest causes ofsickness
and DEATH; therelpre several concealed
Influences which, during The heated term,
have no doubt been potent for evil. These
refer to the supply Of impure ice, tainted
meats, and stale vegetables. The winter Of
l874-5 was exceedingly severe, and !the
ice-crop was the largest for many years.
Wheeling creek was stripped from Full
ton TO the Ohio river, regardless OF the
rafpse habitually thrown into It from the
slaughter.houses, ,oil.refneries, gas.works,
ETC., situated along It's banks, and the
emptying Of sewerage into Il from the
Third and Fourth Wards. The ice from
this impure field was Housed under the
excuse TO supply soda fountains, beer
saloons, meat shops, and fill undertakers'
orders, The summer Of 1875 was so cool
that but little Ice was used for any pur.
pose. Last winter, because Of the open
weather throughout there was nothing
added 10 the stock on hand from the pre-.
yious winter. Hence the inducement
this summer to deal out to families the
| ice obtained from the noxious. field about
the month of Wheeling creek; and II may
have carried diseasean death into many
The sale Of tainted meats and stale
vegetables has also, no doubt helped TO
swell the death-gate Of Wheeling, apd this
traffic along With other evils must 90 on
until the City Fathers rise to the level
Of seeing the necessity Of ethcient,
scientific health Sisyeillance- oven all
spoh natters,' '.' ~.
1 a.