The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-09
The Board Of Health VS.. The Sanitary
Condition Of the City.
SALARIES, DISINFECTANTS AND STATIONERY
How an Appropriation is Expended for the
Benefit Of Officr.HOlders.
OUR FILTHY STREETS
Causes OF the Present High
Death Rate.


In this city hundreds OF thousands of dollars are
yearly expended Tor sanitary and for the pro-
lection Of the public health. The Board Of Health,
through numerous officers aud attaches, direct the
enforcement of what known the SANITARY Code''
laws enacted Tor the protection OF the health of tho
community aud the prevention of disease Yearly O.
ports made by this Board. in which are published
glowing descriptions OF the amount OF valuable work
performed by this Department. of epldcmics guarded
against and OF the improved state Of the public health
and excellent sanitary condition of the city.
The constant repetition of such statements year
alter year has to certain extent succeeded In
making tho people OF this city believe that New York
Is OF the hcalthiest places in tho world 1t Is
only and again that glimpse tho sanitary
condition OF tho city is got at when epdemics and
contagious diseases break all the efforts Of the
health officials powcrIess prevent their spread
Now York, Notwithstanding the vast sums OF money
spent IN maintaining an extensive department to caro-
Tor the health OF the community and TO preserve the
city good sanitary condition, has at the prosont
time a much higher death rate than the majority OF
important cities either In this country or in Europa
There been but slight decrease-two thres per
cent-in the rate of mortality during the past
fifteen years. and when these facts considered
In connection with the yearly expenditure OF large
sums of money, the question very naturally arises
mcnt of department that proves costly the
Same time inefficient
The Board of Health, as at present constituted,
sists OF four members, who, they fulfil all the
gagements they have undertaken, must, indeed, be
kept quite busy. Tho President of the Board, Pro-
fessor Chandler, has, in addition his dutos Com
missioner OF Health and executive officer Of the
partment several other positions that engage his
attention. He Is also professor OF chemistry In the
school Of Mines, Columbia College; the College
OF physicians and Surgeons and the College OF Pbar-
macy, and associate editor Of the Chemical Ne,rs,
besides attending to extensive professional practice
US an analytical chemist In view OF these facts it is
perhaps improper to ask how much OF his time
does Professor Chandler devote 10 his duties Presi-
dent OF the Health Boardy
The other Health Commissioner OF the city OF
New York is DR.. L. J. Janeway, who IS a physician
having an extensive practice, besides attending 10
winch no is professor oil pathological anatomy, dis
eases Of the nervous system and demonstrators Ut
ting physician 10 Bellevue Hospital. besides holding
several other medical positions in mis- city. DR.. jane
way dcvoies what time he can spare IRON the duties
involved III holding these positions to the Health De-
parmept chairman OF the Sanitary COMMITTEE, the
important positIon as far as The administration
OF the health laws 10 concerned, IN the Board. The
two other members OF the Board-the President OF
the Police Board and the Health Oicer OF the P0rtit
DO airly presumed, have enough to do to attend
10 their own departments, and that they do nohing
more than attend tho stated meetings OF tho Health
Board.
From the above it viii be seen that tho Commission.
OF Health, paid by this city large salary to devote
their time and labor for tho protection OF the health OF
the community, cannot do so, even II they
SO willing, us other duties engage their attention
With the rest OF the medical officers of the depart
ment II Is much tho same way-al have Their private
interests ana business look after-and It is only
such time can be conveniently spared that Is de-
the interests OF the people. With this glance
nj the personnel OF the Board examination OF the
will not prove undressing. According to
INC sst published report OF inc Board OF Health end
trates financial management the total expenditures
are gwen $2l5 227. VI this amount S12o $40 went
In salaries. IN the same statement Is found the
item OF ST, 200 for stationery and printing for
months, while for the same period only $500 was
the total expenditure and all other
expenses connected with THIS work. including the pay
Of laborers, support Of horses. &C. With these ex-
tracts IRON the Health Boards official report the
reader will be left to Judge OF the financial manage
ment OF the department.
From the foregoing facts It will DO seen that tho
gentlemen charged with the duty OF supervising
affairs OF The Health Department have large amount
OF and important business to attend TO, aud that
their official duties hardly receive that attention
that tor thor proper discharge and for
which the people pay so libcraily.
II rs to considerable extent due to this inefciency
OF tho Board Of Health that this city bad anu
dangerous CONDITION.. The diseases that affect the
Tor they depend that within The power
OF Board Of Health TO remove by just and proper
administrator Of the health laws and sanitary CODE
There is probably other Board OF Health IN this
country or III Europe clothed with more ample powers
for the protection OF public health aud the prevention
Of disease III, then, the face of such ample pro-
visions, the health Of tho community Is endangered
and the city allowed TO remain bad sanitary con-
ditlon the iauit lies with the officials who, through
neglect incompetency, allow such state OF affairs
TO come TO pass
FILTHY STREETS
No greater evidence OF the truth of the above
marks be adduced than the neglect and utter indit
ference during the past few months to the filthy
disgusting condition OF the streets and thorough
fares this CITY, No amount o! scientific knowledge
and language the part the health officials will
the people that putrd and decaying gar
bagc is healthy and exerts a beneficial elect tho
human system, and although the street Cleaning
Department IS directly Responsible LOT ms out.
rage public decency, still The sanitary Official
took no steps 10 remedy the evil, although
the poisonous and deadly gases generated
by the iccaying heaps OF in IN the streets Is well
known 10 productive OF the and most danger
Gus types OF disease, particularly OF contagious dis
eases. HI
Even IN the better sections the city the filthy
diion the almost unbearabie, while IN the
poor quarters where closely packed tenement houses
nnc the sidewalks and shut out almost the light and
air, the elect OF the dccomposing heaps oil refuse
vegetable matter ana lh must be fatal 10 tue heath
OF unfortunate people who have to suer the elects
OF this Wholesale poisoning.
ovERCRowDING OF TESEMENTs.
Ii has been repeatedly stated the columns OF tho
HERALD during the past two years, nearly seventy
i've per OF all the diseases are due 10 tue elects OF
impure and ovcrcrowdng OF the tcncments OF the
poor $3.50 . -, -,
against overcrowding OF the tcnemcnts and dwell
N 81 the poor, every knows that all the laws
on THIS unJct totally disrcglrdod by The properly
owners ns ciiy with The apparent Sanction OF the
Boaid oil Health.
mere IS probably other city In the world that
pnssesscs the me advantages oi location aud sur
round,.rs as New York " til Two mighty rivers wash
Inp the OF the Guy N IT. entirc ens h. and every
advantage that nature could possibly bcstow Ia sam
Iarv 'oint OF view Yet with all these advantages 1t
is to-day tho most unhealthy cities III tue world,
wan il lar. cr death rate than London Liverpool most
the capitals oi Europe, and even the large cities Of
India.
Malaral disease, developed by insufficient anc
badly constructed system oil street sewerage and de-
fectye house drainage and swamp lands filled with the
| worst forms OF nh TO lester aud spread disease
under the burning rays OF the hot summer sun, an :
punlIv dcst roys thousands oil lives While such evils
as these exist, and allowed 10 pass unremcded by
q Health Department that yearly costs the Guy Of New
| York over one quarter OF a million OF dollars, IL Is
useless 10 expect any Improvement the condition OF
| the pubic health or a decrease III the present high
death rate.
i THOUSAND DOLLARS A DAY
10 appropriated for Keeping the streets OF this city