The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-11
The True Function OF Municipal
Gov arnment.

Cove nment.
Sanitary statistics of the period between
january and October of this year reveal
that in the city of Brooklyn the ravages Of
diphtheria and scarlet fever have increased
to an alarming degree. More than thirty
three per cent of the cases of diphtheria and
twenty-five per cent of those of scarlet
fever have proved fatal within the past nine
months-that is, eleven hundred and sixty
nine deaths have resulted from causes due
to unsanitary conditions in Brooklyn, and
which are from their nature preventable by
proper administration OF the sanitary
code. This is simply slaughter, tor
it bears no proportion whatever to
the natural death rate. The families whose
members have persisted from diphtheria
and scarlet fever can justly lay their loss at
the doors of the city government, whose
duty is, above all others, to prevent the
development and spread of disease, 1t
would seem that ut last the Brooklyn Board
of Health is about to adopt measures calcu-
lated to stay. in some degree, the march OF
the destroyer. 1t is preparing to quarantine
all cases Of diphtheria and scarlet fever,
both as regards the patients and those OF
their families who would be likely to spread
the diseases named into new places and dis
tricts.
It is we'll known that the public schools
have been the very hotbeds whence diph-
liberia and scarlet fever are spread among
the youthful population of large cities.
The children are brought into close associ-
alton during study hours from all quarters,
and through parental ignorance and often
brutal carelessness children suffering tho
early stages Of the diseases named are
forced into the crowded schoolroom. The
brothers and sisters Of sick children attend
school daily without any regard being paid
by their parents or teachers for the posi-
BILE consequences. The proposed action
of the Board of Health Of Brooklyn is,
therefore, well enough, SO far rs it goes,
but falls far short of what must be
done if these horrible diseases are to be
driven from the city. It is safe to lay down
MS principle Of municipal government that
the rigid administration Of the sanitary laws
is its chief function. A sanitary police will
more effectually preserve q community from
moral and physical dangers than any other
power. The trouble now is that city gov
ernments affect to despise dangerous con-
ditions that may be truly said to be
the chief sources of all evil and attend
only to some of their effects. Dirt
and crime are close companions. Disease
is assuredly the child Of such parents. If
it is desirable to limit or prevent m effect we
must operate on the cause, otherwise oil
efforts fail. To insure a rigid observance of
the sanitary laws, the cleaning of streets
and dwellings, the supplying of the popu-
lation with pure water, class Of officials
must be employed who can appreciate the
nature of their duties and execute them
faithfully. AS it is such persons are not
charged with these duties. Therefore,
although the Sanitary superintendent Of
Brooklyn may succeed in quarantining cases
of diphtheria and scarlet fever, and the
schools may be temporarily closed to the
children of the same families wherein such
cases occur, the result will not be as salts
factory rs is anticipated unless all the
sanitary laws are everywhere enforced.
This is the true function of the municipal
government.