Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-22
The Raard Of Health.


SOME FOOD, THE SOCIAL EVIL, ETC.
Alta meeting of the Beard of Health last
niEht-Dr. Cox in the chafr-tne sanitary
committee, through its chairman, CDR. Cox
reported in relation 10 the Complaint again
the contrs ctor for the removal OF offaI, that
the permission given 10 private parties TO re-
terms OF the contract, and deserves the dis
approval of the board. Since, however, no
mischief had resulted, the committee recon-
tractor be excused, with the distinct condi-
ton that hereafter the board Will insist upon
a rigid compliance with the contract, or q
forfeiture Of the same. Agreed to.
THE REPORT or VITAL STATISTICS
for the week ending January 18th, was sub
mitted, showing the number of deaths to
have been $50 white and 26 colored. The
principal causes were as follows: Consump-
ton, 10; apop KY, cerebral 2; meningitis,
2: pneumonia, 8, and servile debility, 4.
Marriages 10. and births 1o2. The mortality
was 10 less than last week, o; at the rate of
1875 per 1000 per anpum. Increase OF the
population by births over deaths was "A. or
at the rate of 14.3 per 1000 per annum; 1879
diseases, 1921 from constitutional, 81 SO from
local, and 1207 from developmental. Rate
OF mortality OF the white population was
ty of the colored population was 30.0H per
1000 for the same period. NUMBER OF births
reported during the week was 1o2-whtfe, 81,
colored, 81. Rate of increase OF the White
population by births over deaths, sci per
loco, while the increase of the colored Dopu-
lation by births over deaths was 2S.SS9 per
1000 per annum. Deaths corresponding
week 1875, white, 81; colored, 47--total, 9S.
BAD FLOUR AND PICKLES.
Health Officer Keene in a communication
to the chemist OF the board for analysis and
report q sample of flour and bread made
from the same which has been reported to
him as causing the illness OF several persons
who partOOk of 1t. On motion OF Mr.. Mar
bury, the health officer was authorized to
procure an analysis, previous To which DR..
Verdi offered an amendment, that jar OF
pickles recently purchased OF q grocer, and
which had made a family SICK, be subjected
TO chemical analysis, to see If they contained
copper, which was agreed to.
MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS.
Premises No Ills ID street northwest were,
on resolution submitted oy tOe heal. Of
fcer. condemned as q nuisance, and abate-
The eoroner's report for the month OF D.
cember was submitted, showing that tina.
ofhoor had been called upon TO hold Ii in
A letter was received from Jno s. Crocke.,
warden of the District jail, calling the atten-
ton OF the board to the close proximity OF
the small poX hospital TO the Jail ana the
danger OF communicating the disease of
small pOx TO the inmates of the Jail. Re-
ferred TO the committee on legislation.
MI Langston moved that the committee
on legislation be authorized to attend to the
duty OF procuring the necessary annual APP
preparations from Congress for the Board of
Health; adopted.
On motion the chair was admitted to that
committee.
DIR. Cox called the attention of the board
10 that portion OF his annual report relating
TO
THE SOCIAL EVIL,
and stated that there appeared to exist q
general misrepresentation as TO the position
the Board Of Health occupied on this ques-
ton. He had recently been waited on by
comm ttee of ladies and taken to task by
them on their superstition that this board
had committed itself 10 action necessary to
mi q Inns aOr1f0 ir1pft in Cnf
report. He bad received anonymous COM
municatiOns scoring him sOundly for pre-
Stunning to allude to this subject. A sermon,
he understood, had likewise been preached
by clergyman OF this city upon this sub
ject in which this board had been raped
without stint. He desired TO say tat
what was printed In his report was
furnished merely as information: there being
no recommendation made at all-the object
being to show that this subjcJ, IS receiving
the attention OF sanitaTians senerally all
over the civilized world, with tie view of
checking the spread of the most loathsOme
and destructive disease to which the human
family is constantly exposed. he cared
nothing for these attacks upon himself, but
he felt IL due TO his associates and the public
TO state that the Board of Health had never
even discussed this subject at all, nor had
any official action been taken in relation
thereto. The passage alluded to in the report
was voluntary act of his own, for which
he did not desire to screen himself The pub
Tic were under misrepresentation as TO the
facts.
SOMETHING TO KILL SMALL Pox GERMS.
A communication was received from Prof.
Thomas Taylor, OF the Department OF Agri-
culture. calling the attention of the Board of
Pealth to a new composition of matter, "a
E. mple OF which accompanied the letter,) to
be used In the disinfectiOn of the clothing of
persons afflicted with small pOx. The LIQUID
onsists of benzole, carbolic acid and alco-
hOl. The first named is the best known SOL
vent Of all oily and degenerated fatty mat
ter, and the carbolic acid and alcohol have
such an affinity for water that all WAGER held
mechanically In spores or germs of vegeta-
BILE or animal matter will be absorbed and
the life of the germ destroyed. Prof. Taylor
holds that the germs of the small pox disease
are enveloped in degenerated fatty matter,
and are in this way protected from destruc-
ton, unless a solvent such as he proposes is
used. The communication and liquid sam
pie were referred to the sanitary committee
The SNYDER Release Case