The New York herald., 1877-09-07
Report Of the Washington
Board of Health.
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS In DANGER.
Cheerful Greeting to the Forty
fifth Congress.

eueCt upou Suclr pfOpeItys AA'S AebSs~S "~'S w.
radictsd point blank by the Board OF Health who felt
that thcr professional rect,tude was compromised by
apparent neglect Of duty involved in the existence
Of such sickness.
THE BOARD OF HEALTH.
And now comes tho same Board Of Health with
report the sanitary condition Of tho city which Is
calculated throw the shade tho worst picture ever
yet drawn OF the evils complained, as tho following
extracts will show
The committee nnd that marshy deposits exist,
bounded north by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
(n0w abandonod) and south by the channel OF the
Potomac; that from tho Long Bridge extending east
ward are revealed similar deposits constituting an
almost unbroken and direct limo TO Gicsboro Point, tho
condition continuing nortaward along the East
ern Branch Bcnning's bridge. vhese de-
posts the result OF accumulated debris from the
percoaon OF adjacent shores, the gradual accreton
OF many years. rne waters O The cities OF Washing.
ton and Georgetown falling gradually from the a'ls
miles OF sewers tho receptaclos Of all the Nth Of the
metropolis, directed toward tho river and de6oucn
In the very marshes IN question The quantity Of such
perncious material constantly flowing TO the river 10
almost ncaculable, but certainly amounts TO thou
sands OF annually This pu;rescent matter enters
into these Marshes to be stirred by The tides, anu I'M
perfectly carried of account OF the Immense
Of rank vegetation which obstruct Its course
A FEARFUL PICTURE
The tidal currents being unable 10 bear away effec
lively the sedimentary matters against the power OF
returning waters, this half dissolved putrid matter:
with tue foul additions gathered in It's iaRgard course,
Is brought back by cddies these fats only
klo auQ IermoQL the rcuX OF every tlue cODtAnl-
natng the surrounding atmosphere lar and wide by us
offensive and pcstiriierous eluva. Tho character OF
these deposits 10 such TO favor the Development Of
u rank vegetation, becoming the receptacle Tor an
endless organic growth subject 10 ncessant
This laboratory Of life and death affords birth
and burial 10 myriads of plants and aninalcuia The
surface Of Marshes covered by water exposed
TO the rays O scOrchng sun, presents green car
pot covered with c0nhrva and ntusoria Whatever Its
condition, whether submerged or hidden under lux
urant vegetation, tho collections these areas form
a indus Tor fermentation and decay which should not
gasses evolved IRON these deposits are protocarbon
ute OF hydrogen carbonic ac.d, supnuretted hydro
gen and traces Of phosphoraied hydrogen.
ABSENCE PURIFYING ELEMEXT.
Ozone the great purifier is never found in the at-
mosphere OF these marshes, and It IL supposed that
tho absence OF this powerful agent 10 due to the TACT
that becomes exhausted IN oxdlzng the products Of
this extensive theatre Of decomposition. The gases
alluded not, however, the only products OF fer
under all circumstances provo fatal to LIE. But with
these are dacngaged organic emanations which arc
carried TO attitudes and TO distances as the same
conveyed by the vap0rs that form simultaneously upon
surface OF these marshes and II Is rather to these
organic emanations vegetable or animal, that physlc
lists attribute the toxic principle, which develops fever
cholera dysentey and the ordinary gastric intestinal
muadies.
PRODUCTION OF MALARIA.
Dr.. Charles b. Russell says-lt we'll established
fact that the essential element in the production Of
malaria would appear to be vegetable decomposition
and order that this process should ensue, the sm u
operation Of air, moisture aud certain high
range Of temperature Is absolutely required or this
character swamps ana morasses, auv,a deposits,
loose, porous, sandy and argelacious SOILS, Deep
loamy, marshy lands, underlaid by impormeablo
strata, aordng capacity Tor the retention OF moisture
regions exposed 10 periodical and occasional inunda
tion &c" "rhe Toxic principle" says Michel Lew,
"that accompanies this gas escapes from the voatza
tion OF vegetable and animal substances lying in
state Of putrofactton IN these basns" That
principle Bousslngault iound in the air OF
some American PLAINS, and demonstrated its
nature to be organic Bcchi has discovered the
same in tho maremme ol Tuscany. Vauquelin
Dupuytren aud Thenard also bear Testimony TO the
presence OF this organic principle, and It Is believed
tnat its introduction into tho human system causes
the development OF so-cailed ''maiaria" discusses.
The careful investigation OF these scientists and
the analysis made by them Of the constituents OF
miasm show that they contain IRON thirty to thirty
FIVE per cent OF vegetable organic matter Tho marshes
in locality contain besides, the deposits Of sewers
aboundng IN suiphuretted hyurogen, carbonic acid
ammonia, &c. Villcrmo has demonstrated by stattst
cal researches that children succumb learfuly 10 tho
influence Of these marsnes Comparing the mortal
ty OF children from salubrious districts with that
marshy localities he gives tho proportion OF LOGO OF
tho former to l.546 Of the latter Michel Lew also
states that malaria the death OF great many
children, and not only generating specific maladies,
but also by seriously aggravatng and often rendering
incurable diseases from which recovery under more
favorable circumstances might be possible.
DISEASES DEVELOPED.
Darrhea dysentcry and other acute gastro-intes-
tnal maladics are the morbid forms developed in
these young beings by this paiustral poison. 1t Is
by medical authorizes that Is with dif-
hculty infants be preserved in the malaral DIS
tr'cts OF Africa The records Of tho Registrar Of Vital
Statistics OF Board OF Health give tho following
pcrcen tagc OF the mortality zymotic prevent
able diseases-lS75, 95S or 2L90 OF total number OF
deaths 1876. 930 22Ul Of total number OF deaths;
1877, 9IS, or y 02 OF total number oil Deaths The
unrcmtting efforts OF the Board OF Health IN rcmov-
ing nuisances Injurious TO health, which II
crcscs competent jurisdiction, has in tue last six
years greatly reduced the percentage Of mortality from
symotic diseasex rho abatement OF the river
OF malaria, and hence your committee does
not hesitate 10 declare tuat these grounds
reclaimed, properly drained and nlled tho mortality
from xymotic diseases in Washington will bo reduced
70 minimum. The local malaria Affects strangers
VIZ. unaccimated persons from more elevated dis.
tricts-much moro sensiby than the denizens oil the
city. We have many sach coming to Washington. the
capital OF the nation, at all timcs aud seasons.
HEALTH JEOPARDIzED.
The President Cabinet officers, Senators and Repro
sentatives the foreign ministers, and multitude Of
army and navy officers, departmental clerks and their
iamies, are among the temporary residents Of the
District OF CoumUn whose health 10 put III tho great
est jeopardy by malaria The PRESIDENTIAL mansion Is
inmates, as Is well known, have TO some extent sui
iercd from the agencies alluded 10 herein. II is Tor
this reason that successive occupants OF tre Wnite
House have sought other homes during the summer
These statements are not made On purely theo-
reiIcai grounds. The testimony Of the existence VI
a poison IN atmosphores coming IRON marshy locali-
the lands affected thereby in the shape
OF continued il-health broken constitutions or IN
monuments marking the spots who're The victims havo
fallen. Around and within the Roman Campagna, the
Maremme OF tuscany aud the Italian httord w. 0OO such
victims annually mark the course extent and fatality
Of malaria Precautions IN regard 10 regimen, cloth
ing &C., only relard tor time the approach o maIi.
disease but the light precarious at best and
possible Tor the most part only Win tnose ID aiHucht
circumstances Hygiene 10 the only recourse 10 which
the OF those unfortunate localities can hope
fully look Tor relief for the adoption OF such prevcn
tive measures as will forever render sanitary these
nurseries OF poison and disease anu tho encourage
oil sanitary science operating in THIS direction rs
the solemn aud imperative duty OF every enlightened
government
Washington has now attained large proportions. hav-
ing population OF 100000 II is tho capital OF our
great country. Possessing many advantages and ex.
traordnary beauty, the result OF the vast system OF
naugurated by the late Board OF Public
Works ana pushed to completion by The present local
government. It's uturc Is iul OF hope Under the IN
teligenl administration OF progressive sanitary laws
regulations the improved portions OF Tue city have
been greatly benefited aud the nort,lty from zymotie
preventabe diseases largely reduced, comparing la
voraDly with the heathiest districts ot the country
At certain seasons, however, the prevalence OF sucl
diseases that south OF US lies an enemy which
any may rise and spread mantle oi death ove
the uns Inspecting city. Heat, moisture ana soutl
winds may unite In generating miasma, from which
lew could hope 10 escape
LOCATION or nALARIAL DISTRICTS.
About ioar hundred acrss Of these swsmps Ne 0l