The Portland daily press., 1877-07-27


Diarrheal Diseases. ses..............5S, or SO
Ely Eryyelpeas, -. ,....'.'''''...''' q OF ~ "
WhOoplDg cough. ,..........".... i, or 1OO "
Furthermore, when we consider that Is of the
II recorded as "infantie" (the other two not
being recorded); that 20 of the 2S who died of
disease of BRAIN; all of the IL under "con-
vulsions"; all of the marked ''teething'; 1
of the who bad 'disease of throat; 1 of the
6 labelled "disease of bowels; / of the 3
who died Of ''disease of spine'; and l6 of the
2S unrecorded and unknown were under five
years OF age; knowing. as we do that cerebral,
spinal, intestinal and other symptoms alluded
to in these several terms are likely to be very
prominent in the most destructive diseases of
children, and consequently to furnish to nom
medical person ready and apparently proper de-
scriptive names for the disorders; we can easily
see that the per cent.-large though it already
is-should In come of the infective diseases be
considerably raised
We may then conclude from the above fig
ures that our death-ratesis higher than the nor
NAL, and particularly high for city so favora-
bly, situated; that more than q fourth part of
all deaths occur from infectivs diseases which
might be almost entirely abolished; that more
than one third of all the deaths are among chill
dren of less than five years; and that majori-
ty of decedents from causes which are largely
removable by public health measures are found
in this class of children of tender age. Deduct
the deaths from infective diseases, and our
death-rate would be reduced nearly to IA in
thousand. This is not at once attainable of
coursej but much may be accomplished by the
Intelligent cooperation of the municipal au-
thorities and private individuals, and we ought
never to be satisfied with anything short of the
ideal.
DISTRIBUTION OF INFECTIvE DISEASE.
The vital statistics of Portland ignore the
existence Of disease until it has attained suffi-
cient intensity to destroy life. Consequently
consultation of the books at City Hall affords
no light on the subject of the prevalence of dis
ease; for there may be widespread epidemic
with but few fatal termnations aud, in anoth-
er instance, large majority OF all who are at
tackled may succumb. In order to ascertain
the extent to which various diseases prevailed
during the last year and the parts of the city
which had suffered most. the aid of about
thirty active practitioners was invoked; for it
is clear that no one mans practice ia safe
criterion on such question in place where
there are so many busy physicians. Each of
these was asked to name the residence (giving
number and street, of each case of zymotic dis
ease occurring in bis practice from the 1st of
March, 1876, to the 28th of February, 1877, and
the month in which the patient was first seen.
Upon large map of the city the spots were
marked at which cases had appeared sepa-
rate color being devoted to each disease. Thus
the location and character of every reported
case was shown in the most graphic manner,
and one could see at glance what neighbor-
hood had been afflicted with the specified varie-
ties of sickness 1t was anticipated that GER
tain localities, which have long been believed
to be hot-beds of disease, would make a Dota-
BILE chromatc display on the map; but, to the
surprise of all, these places werelnO more proml-
nenty marked than many others which had
not bee" accused of particular unhealthfulness,
and, in some instances, they seemed to show a
peculiar exemption from disease. The cause
of this unexpected result was not long obscure
Inquiry showed that large part Of the physi-
clans, from whose reports the data were gath
cred, had not recorded all cases which they
had attended, being accustomed to omit the
names OF charity patients and those Wao, from
poverty or parsmony, request physicians SER
vice on one occasion only and dismiss him,
with or without his fee, at the end of his first
visit; and these deficiencies of record naturally
happen most frequently among the very people
who mainly compose the population of the sus-
pected districts. The results, therefore, are
not to be trusted to show the relative unwhole-
sOmeness of different sections. Another effort
in this direction will be made next year, and
physicians will be asked to record everything
which bears upon the solution of this impor-
tant question: Are there localities in Port
land in which the infective diseases are par
tcularly prone to manifest themselves? But
while these results neither prove nor disprove
the correctness of the ideas which have been
SO long entertained regarding the insalubrity
of certain portions of the city, they are of
enough value In another way to fully pay for
the labor which they have cost They show
must dangerous disease all over the city, es-
pecaly typhoid fever, scarlet fever, diphtheria
and the diarrh9al diseases. On the map
almost every street occupied by dwelling
houses is spattered with the colors which were
used to designate these diseases, demonstrating
that the causes which produce them are not
confined to a few special localities but are gen.
eral and widely distributed over the city. In
deed, it would be unsafe to say that there is
any we'll populated region of considerable size
in fhnr0 has not hnn loaa Of
these maladies. The questions at once arise,
What are the causes of these outbreaks? Are
the causes removable? If so, in what manner
may they be abolished? 1t has been stated
that the diseases named are often called filth
diseases the chief agencies in their produc-
tion being bad air, bad water and bad soil
There is abundant reason to believe that all
these Influences are at work in Portland to an
extent quite sufficient to account for the preva-
lence OF these diseases; and this will be made
plain by consideration of the method of dis
posing of excreta and offal, and the sources
and character of the water supply.
THE SEWERAGE.
1t is well known that the bodies of animals
are continually throwing oil waste matters
which, if prevented from escaping, act as
deadly poisons. 1t is jost the same with a
community. There are always effete materials
forming, which must be effectually got rid of
or the safety of the people will be imperlled.
All but the most benighted savages appreciate
this to some extent, as is evidenced by the
almost universal custom of burying or burning
the dead, and thus preventing the contamina-
ton of the air which would otherwise ensue;
and the more enlightened nation is the more
attention does it bestow upon this subject.
One Of the chief ways of disposing of liquid
refuse is by underground channels called
sewers; and the importance of the method is
sufficient excuse for devotiDg large amount
of space to its consideration.
The purpose of town sewerage is to rapidly
remove aud dispose of the unclsan refuse Of
lfe The sewers should be tight and imporous,
of proper size and shape, have a continuous
fall, be we'll ventilated, have suitable means
for inspection and flushing, and outlets at safe
localities as regards the pollution of air and
water. Let us examine the Portland sewers in
each of these respects.
The material of which the sewers were gen.
orally constructed until about five years ago
was brick. Since that time nearly all the new
sewers have been made Of pipe, which is supe'
rior to brick in being less porous, presenting
fewer irregularities of surface on which sewage
matter may accumulate, and consequently be-
ing more easily kept clean. Many, perhaps
most, of the older sewers are much too large
for the work they have to do. Street commit