The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-10-03

interest, TO urge upon our authorities the neees-
sty oil immediately adop ipg q general system
d drainage and carrying Ii out at sny rate
He said that he might dwell al great length upon
the relations Of the swamp around with dissase,
but as the subject was one upon which all fnielli
gent physicians aud scientists agreed, he would
not touch upon IL. He would, however. call our al
tsnion TO the fact til at ihe very heart OF the city
itself needed "a much attention AMI considers
ton az the swamp for it was well known fact
that large proportion Of The grounds on which
our Residences we're ereeted-in The most
central parts Ut the eltylwere lower than
the bottom level nj rur draining, bitches and gut
tiers. Under such circumstance 10 was not sur.
pfising that the lpwer floors Of theae buildings
" re cons antly damp and breeding malatia-
situated, az they were. In many cases,
which he illustrated, beneath The level of
the yards, which the mseves were lower
than the drainage level Of the street. And
In case II rain what was The consequence,
though our streets and even our yards presenteds
healthy APPEAR nee, eesspbols existed under
our houses into which the refuse OF the court
and sinks were Washed to remain sagnating.
This was one Of The details, said DIR. Gsndet,
which demanded the most serious attention on
tbe part OF our Board of Health, and he defect
could only be remedisd by q thorough system OF
drain gs no half way measures.
On the same subject we have the following
communication written at our requesD from
DIR. CHARLES TuRptH,
one OF our most distinguished native physicians,
who has for many years given much attention to
The sanitary necessities Of our city
Dear Hr-siDoe the time has come 10 make an
| attempt AT destroying the bansfui reputation for
unhealtbiness which has been given to our oity
aud to establish the truth with facts. / hope
| That our medical men and the Board OF Health
will make 1t their duty TO continue their Efforts
in order to fisaipats the old beliefs that New Or.
| leans is city Of terror and death.
| oan assert that all impartial observers will
admit that within the past thirty years it's innate
has transformed itself in remarkable manner.
| Thanks to this change medical constitutions
| have lost their former malignant characteristics
existing diseases give way more easily to rationa
tres, ment, epidemes OF all kinds have become
gradually less frequent and The mortality bills
have undergone similar decrease. Vel ow fever
itself, so much dreaded by strangers. Ia stri-
king proof Of my assertions, From 1919 to 1883
| there were twelve yellow fever epidemlcs. say an
| average Of four in seven years.
| From 1888 to 1856 the epdsmies we're twelve
| In number, or aD average Ut six in eleven years.
Finally, from 1866 TO 1876 twentysone years, We
| have had only three epidsmios.
knee carboio sed was used for the frat time,
In 1874 and that it's efficacy is still doubted by q
| large plumber OF ply sioans. experience in the
/ future alone confirm or dispfove it's results
To-day II depends entirely upon ourselves TO
aid such favorable olmstological conditions and
TO render them still more propitious by hygenio
measures vigorously applied. / would therefore
call your attention to those measures which ap-
| pear to me most important
| l. The gradual raising OF the surface Of the
| ground In order TO diminish the development Ut
| the deleterlons masmas in the sub. soil water,
the OSCILLATIONS and constant presence OF which
| have been so well demons rated in the report OF
the Board of Health Of 1879
2. THE RAISING AND GRADING
OF the levels Of our streets. sidewalks and yards
in order to facilitate the drainage Of huvia watts rs
| and household slops.
D. The establishment Of more efficient system
of scavepging, better suited 10 our climate and
more in accord with modern progress.
| 4. The classification and regulation Of all in
| dustries, which, BY their ema nations. refuse and
dangers, leopard life and the public health.
8. The subsection Of The construction Of all
buildings TO sanitary regulations. The exactiot,
above all. OF Free ventilation under ground
| floors, which should be six inches above the
ground. the ground itself to be six inches above
the lev of the CITY.
6. A more abundant distribution Of water, par
| tiguarls in the poorer and more remote quarters
Of the city. We would thus establish upon a
solid basis hygenie and public s.lubrity which
woul1 enable the Board Of Health to put into
practice oil the perfected means afforded by the
pbyeioal and chemical sciences 10 insure comfort
and security to the community.
| But ii we wish permanent sanitary condition,
aud the return Of immigraton and Of our COM
| merohl prosperity we need complete drainage
of the city, 1t should. therefore, be drained at
| any o ct. We may then or joy healthnsss com
parable to those cities reputed as being the
| heaitbieat in the world.
think IL useless to speak in detail of the adj
van ages Of drainage. They are facts already
| firmly established. II IL sufficient for me to cay
that It will exert q highly appreolable Influence
upon the temperature of our atmosphere, its
eeotrio condition, and upon the chemical piinGi-
pies and the germs and spornles oontained IN the
| air we breathe. You shall then also diseases
| in their relations with ''paludsan iutoKioatlob
snd the constitution Of The soil, undergo great
changes in their character and ours bty.
Itremans for us to act. bave full confidence
| in the ability and int igenoe OF our engineers
and believe that they will be able TO ovsrc all
the difficulties presented by the confguration OF
| our marehy soil, aud 10 carry out with success
n work which is demanded by all classes OF
society.
CHAs. URP1N, D. M.
MR. W. II. BELLS PLAN.
| In the course Of seye III conversations with the
| reporter Mr.. Bell fully elnodhted his plan for the
thorough drainage of both the front aud extreme
rear If our CITY. His pas, which has already
| been made public is perhaps as well known as
any other, it having been partially but rery par.
'isy carried out during his administration nj
| City Surveyor
| IL was TO ssta blish both above and below the
corporate limits of tho city protection
levees higher than possible overflow, and along
| the lake shore rsvstment lsvee laced with iron
plates, tho lower end well buried in the bottom
Of the like, and slopipg at an angle Of about
| forty-five degrees. This revetmtnt was TO be
backed by hesvy earthwmk. with room fpr a
shell road and promenade. Large canals were to
be cut. and some we're leading. through the
| Meairie Ridge to the lake, ut the opening OF
which powerful draining machines were
to be established to elevate the wage over
into and above the level OF the lake. Inside tn 10
| revetmen', which was to extend oil along the
lake front. he proposed to have o large canal,
which would serve as reservoir, thus preventing
the water dutig heavy rains from backing up
and covering orr streets. The levees along the
New canal and Old basin were to be raised
above the safety mark, and the entire city,
az it were, surrounded by wall or embankment.
With these heavy machines ut the lake, not only
the city itself. but the svamps behind Metair1e
Ridge would be opened up for settlement and
| tho causes of disease removed. The gutter
water would then flow into the canals, and the
low level produced by the lake machines won d
draw it at once thther, to be elevated into the
| lake ITSELF
DIR. JOSEPH T. SCOTT,
that we'll known physician Of our city, was also