National Republican., 1876-09-20
BOARD OF HEALTH.
Rsception Of Prominent Visitors.

The Board of Health met at their rooms last
evening; DR.. T. s. Verdi, president, in the
chair, and every member present.
Before the board met the following promi-
nent visitors were announced and received:
Nagsjo, Mijako, Ivanaga, members Of the I'M
perial Board OF Health of Japan, delegates to
the International Medical Congress at Phila-
delphia, and a commission to examine the
manner of conducting Boards of Health in the
cities of the United States.
DR.. Verdi, from the sanitary committee, to
whom was referred the resolution of the board
inquiring whether the so-called "Spa water"
issuing from the pump on Louisiana avenue
contained matter injurious to health, reported
that in consequence of the board having no
funds for a chemist they called upon the Hon.
Frederick Watts, Commissioner of Agricul-
ture, with the request that he would cause
chemical and microscopical analysis to be
made of the water, and report the result of
such examination to the committee. The
Commissioner very courteously granted the
request. The principal ingredients which the
water contains, and which may have referred
to its beneficial effects are the carbOnic acid
and iron. They are not present in great Gu IT
titles, but probably in sutficiency to benefit
mary persons who drink it.
The carbonates, particularly of lime and
magnesia, and the carbOnic acid gas in free
state, generally assists digestion by saturating
an excess of acid in the gastric juice. The
salts of iron, in the form present in this water,
may be beneficial to the debilitated hence
the ''Spa water" is certainly unObjectionable,
and, used properly by those who need such
treatment, may be productive of immense ben
eft. The attention of the committee is, how
ever, called to the fact that this water is sold
at the pump, and they are surprised at 1t, be-
cause the water issues from the street, and is
therefore not private, but public property.
The committee have been told that public
pump existed, but that the Board of Public
Works, in their recent improvements, closed it
up. If that is the fact, the committee would
recommend that the honorable Commissioners
restore the pump, so as to give the public The
benefits # is entitled to.
The report was adopted.
DR.. Verdi, from the same committee, report
ed on the resolution Of the Senate inquiring
what effect the failure to drain the surface of
the valley formed by
TIT BED or TIBER CREEK
between H and K streets northeast has had, or
probably will have, upon the public health,
that they found that while sewers have been
placed on both sides, and in the neighborhood
of said creek, in said locality, with the sewers
there laid, ard that, having withdrawn the
water from the upper part of said creek, this
portion has been left TO eceive limited guam
tity of the percoat on of water from the neigh
borhood sufficient to keep the bed OF said
creek constantly moist, but not sufficient to
wash it of or keep it under water: and that in
asmuch as said creek has received for many
years offals OF the neighborhOOd, its bed is a
composition of animal and vegetable matter
therein deposited, which being now exposed
for want of water to evaporation, gases must
arise that are injurious to public health; that
the neghborhood is now thickly populated,
and that proper regard to the health and
comfort of said people makes it imperative
that the bed of said creek be drained by con-
Meeting it with the sewers, and then filled
flush with the heights of the adjacent streets,
so as 10 prevent the evaporation aforesaid.
This work should be dOhe without delay, for
the fall is the season of the decay of vegeta-
tion, which will increase its dangerous emana-
tions.
The report was accepted.
Mr. Marbury, from the finance committee,
reported a number of bills; which were ap-
proved and ordered to be paid.
The following is synopsis of the
OPERATIONS OF THE HEALTH OFFICE
for the week ending September 16: Nuisances
reported, 3S7; abated, $50 referred, as; re-
ferred to Commissioners, 10; notices issued, p;
citizens complaints, 81; causes of death in
NSSIlSdleO, ~, lhHCSsi-
gated, S; burials at public expense, Z; causes
of zymotic diseases investigated, 2, viz: Scar
let fever, l; diphtheria, /; premises found in
sanitary condition, .; tons of garbage removed,
1S9; dead animals removed ,lS9; privies cleaned,
SIS; inspections-S,6S $50 punches fish, 2,35S
bushels oysters, $3.50 CLAIMS, $500 crabs, s
sturgeon; condemnations-S9 punches fish, 13S
bushels oysters, $50 clans, 900 crabs, 2 stur-
geon, 81 pounds ,eef, 42 pounds bacon, II
pounds pork, 25 pounds veal, 12 chickens, 81
egg plants, 25 dozen eggs, II dozen corn, 1872
cantaloupes, 162 watermelons and IS bushels
of miscellaneous vegetables; animals impound-
ed, n; redeemed, "a; killed, So; amount real
lied, S22.
After the transaction of other routine busi-
ness the board adjourned.
PRESIDENT VERDI's RECEPTION.
At the conclusion of the meeting of the
board President Verdi invited the members and
distinguished guests to accompany him to his
residence on Sixteenth street near l northwest.
Here they were most cordially received and
entertained in a sumptuous manner by the
gentlemanly and generous host.