New-York tribune., 1876-10-07
HEALTH ASSOCIATION.
CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING.

CONCLUSION OF THE MEETING.
| ELECTION OF OFFICERs-INJURIGs FROM ULUNI-
MATING GAs-sANTrABY REFORM IN SHIP LIFE
TOPOGRAPHY AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
lFRoM An OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRBUNE.l
BosTON, Oct G.-The American Public
Health Association convened yesterday morning at
o'clock The association is weatherproof and an.
other evidence Of its scientific courage accepted
regardless the ran invitation TO visit the QEaran-
tine and the public nsttuto on Deer Island in the
afternoon. The fOlOwng-named gentlemen elected
officers for the ensuing year President Dr. John H.
Rauch, Chicago, ILL., First VicePrts silent DR.. L. H..
Steiner Maryland; Second YicePresdent, DR.. F. NJ.
Hunt New,Jersey; Treasurer, DR. J. Foster jenkins,
New-York; Secretary DR.. Elisha Harris, New-York
Executive Committee-Dr. John NJ W0odwOrth, Surgeon
General Marine Hospital Dr. John 5. Billings, United
Army; DIR. Jackson s. Schultz. New-York City;
Dr. A. l.. GlhOn, u s. Navy DIR. Charles fusom Boston.
voted that the next meeting take place at Chicago
on the third Tuesday of September Of next year.
Prof. L. S. Wood OF Harvard University then read a
paper Illuminating Ca in its Relations TO Health"
The effect Of its manufacture upon the health Of the
wOrkmen was detailed at length II appears that tho
who tend the retorts less liable TO dis
eases Of the respiratory d. Peterson Of Copen-
hagen has found that Of 333 unhealthy persons enl-
ployed in a gas factory, 200 among the retort-
tenders. Prolonged catarrh is a common complaint.
Dr. L. L. C. Garyin of L0nsdale Il. l., read paper on
Sanitary Requirements in Large Factories. The paper
showed careful study and personal observation. DR..
Elisha Harris spoke Of the necessity Of factory inspee
ton. The following resolution offered by Dr. Garyin
then passed. q
Resolred the due protection and welfare Of fac
tory operatives requires halliday schooling for chill
dren rs years Of age; uniform hours of labor not
ceeug so per week frequent inspection OF tue mills
tenement dwellings Of factory villages, and OF the
milk sold to the Inhabitants by an authorized public
j. Herbert shedd, civil engineer, Of Providence read
paper Water Supplies for Large Institutions and
small Communities" Dr. ~ L. Gihon, medical inspector,
T. 5. Navy, read paper the need Of Sanitary Re-
form in Snip Life" The bad hygiene Of ship life
from popular ignorance the indifference Of and
the negligence Of officials THIS is true OF the national
Of the merchant marine.
The evening meeting concluded with paper by
Dr. John 5. Billings, Assistant Surgeon United States
Army, entitled Queries to the Rights OF the Com
munty versus those of the Individual in Matters OF
Public Hygiene" To what extent has the community
majority OF it, the right interfere with the liberty Of
the minority for the sake OF public health without render
ing compensation for the damage it may thus mfict
on this point he was disposed TO accept the reasoning
Mr. James Fitzjames stephen. who states that If the
object aimed at be good, the compusi0n employed such
as to attain it, and if the good obtained
balance the inconvenience of the c0mpulsion
itself, then the cOmpulsion II night and proper.
The association held its final session THIS morning
James r. Gardner, T., director OI tie state Survey OF
NewNork and Secretary OF the American Geographical
society read an Important paper on the keiail0n be
Health" lie said:
The whole Tendency of recent investigations proves
that the controlling Of our most fatal diseases is 10
found local conditions. lOWt Iful climatic
Influences N modifying forms Of life, science teaches
tnat death dWcs not often in tho Nlewless wind'
which neither direct nor restrain, IN the earth
Yrneath his iect. Fourteen years ago Dr. Henry l.
Bowdtcn dcmonstratcd before STATE Medical 5oci-
ey, that certain conditions Of the soil slew annually
massachusetts, thousand OF her citizens by consump
tion atone. No plan fOr artificial drainage be
pletcy successful unless based on thorough compe-
n,uslon OF the natural drainage system Oh the
area under treatment. The region above the
Palisades on the Hudson furnishes excellent
Illustration ot these staemeH ts. Ihe pIaeag fronts
river eastward with Ddn 300 1eei lgh, and west
ward slopes gently Ia tho HaeAesacA valley lis all-
the summer climate. All Typographical conditions Of
unusual health here present aud yet maara die.
cases abound l1e ltasCh lol ths VII piO'amy De ouhd
m the cousuraton OF the rock The dense baslt under
wing tGe tnln s0i on the plateau aisorDs almost no
water the rock were eiluel u-slied OF porous, ls
t Of the plateau would insure perfect uuderdtdnage;
Is, have probably Oh the Palisades tOpO-
graphical conditions iayorlug health Wmie underlying
structure j. the governing cause OF prevailing diseases
In contrast, consider thc formation the helderOerg
plateau, lying also near the hhlson laFet' An t'caI-
mcnt 1000 Iect hgh bounds ON the eastern side, the
uiDe-an0 composed OF horizontal limestone resting on
SnaIes' ieccutl eAhmheu the ha5"IW ui5luaIe y y
TEN OF this yaod region. Prom te more level paris
Iatious divide these nth many pIIate basins,
each draining toward its own center wLcre funnel-
how whose future is subtcrJnCan. TIE plteaus
elevation lnsures that these waters SINK at once many
But ts same Helderb6rg limestone under different to-
graphical conditions, has proved one o. tbc most powerful
country tine mortality al Sduul~y excessive and
ODsr FASTENED 10 tiie tLat limestone
regions were especially liable tue terrible scOurge.
Tie truth as explained by the State GeuloL OF
York, PIO1. Jas. Han appears tO have been this:
du,ky s, indeed uudcriald by Heidelberg limestone,
through whose many open hSsurrs much fuul surface
water OF The city easily ana certainly found It's way
downward; but the streets have an elevation OF only
80 40 ieet above the lake, the drainage sank this
small distance and there remained, wmc poisonous
gases continually through the open assures by
which tie water descended proving tAat the very geo
logical conditions which, il combination with other topu
graphical features, appear most favorable 10 beatih,
here spread beneath sandusAy deadly network open
drains with OutIall