The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-07-27

age would probably be'about the same as that
for death-S1S7. 200 The total of these three
items is $423, 1852.
1t will be noticed that no account ia here
made of the expense of the care of the sick or
of the burial of the dead. This omission Is
madelbecause the money for these purposes re-
mains in the city, and helps support Portland
physicians. nurses, undertakers and grave
diggers. 1t would be fair to include the depre-
citation OF real estate which always attends .
dimiuutior of population and a reputation of
unhealthfulness; put, though it would add ma
terially to the amount of loss, it is ignored as
being unnecessary in proving the case.
But the query verv pertinently arises here,
Would a City Board of Health save us these
nearly so lives and this almost half million of
dollars? Not in the first year of it's existence,
certainly; for it will take long time to edu-
cate people up to the point of aDpreciating the
need of close attention to hygienic matters
= There is vast deal of dense ignorance OF both
native and exotic origin which must be over
come, huge amount of Indifference and even
prejudice among the more intelligent which
will have to be dispersed. 1t is reasonable
however. to suppose. judging from the success
of similar boards elsewhere. that the efforts
proposed would prevent at the least oalcula-
ton, one-fifth of the sickness, and disability,
and death which are now produced BY avoida-
BILE causes, and we could thus save IL lives and
S84.692 That these estimates are small must
problems involved.
On the other hand, how much would the
proposed Board of Health cost the city by way
of running expenses and the Improvements
which it would inaugurate? This question can 3.
not be definitely answered at present, but prob
ably it would average less than $4,000 a year
for long time. But even supposing it to cost
all of this, is tnot worth while to expend so
comparatively small sum for the sake of so
large number of lives and such an amount OF
treasure, all of which would otherwise be pitt
fully and irretrevably thrown away? Can
we afford to have such waste of the most
precious things. when we can SO easily and
cheaply prevent it? We spend millions in rail
roads in the hope that they will bring people
here to live and do business; we exempt new
enterprises from taxation fer many years for
the same purpose; is it the part of worldly wis.
dom or humanity to let these same people die
so long before they ought, die too, from oul
neglect? The shrewd political economist, the
intelligent man of business, the Iarge-hearte6
philanthropist, every one who has quick sympa
thy for his fellows or loves his own life will
have eager and emphatic answers ready for al
these questions. Self-interest sound sense apG
| even sentiment conspire to urge on the cit!
| government to a speedy and vigorous policy il
| these premises. However high the taxes may
| be, everybody who understands these problems
| will approve of any measures which will dis
| pei from the city of Portland the shadow O
death which is lowering over it.
In concluding this report, desire to public
ly express my thanks to Mayor Butler for thu
| opportunities which he has afforded me for
| visiting the unsanitary portions of the city
under the protection of the police. The intel
| ligent interest which he has shown in health
matters from the day Of his Inauguration il
deeply. gratifying to every physician. If mu
| nicipal authorities in all our towns would dis
| play nearly as much concern about the we'll
being of their respective neighborhoods, Main,
| would not be another year without State
| Board of Health. would likewise
| acknowledge the courtesy of Mr.. VIM. A. Good
| win, the City Civil Engineer, who has invari
| ably honored my numerous drafts upon hi
| time and patience, and of my professional
brethren who furnished me with the data
without which an:approximate estimate of the
| distribution of disease would have been i'm
L