New-York tribune., 1878-04-29

enjoy n respite from the amells that the air is
bic motion. When the wind blows from either way,
however, we bound to catch It, There is scarcely
any member OF my family who has not been mace Ill
frequently by these vile smells Sometimes have gone
to bed when the air was apparently unaffected have
awoke In few hours to nd the Dir full OF gas or other
bad odors.
when at work at night have habit of frequently
changing the windows-lowering raising another
am fanatic about fresh air-must have much OF II
Pressed with any changes in the air than are those SV who
come into their rooms and remain during tho evening
from foul air in courtrooms There one gets
sufficient animalculHr incrusatOu for any mans share,
OF those who frequent tho Court OF oyer and Terminer
when represents the best phases OF our polite society
when man goes through such an ordeal as this, think
tnohing more than fair that he should be excused from
arepeton Of IL when he goes home. ~
don't care to pass judgment on the responsibility
OF anyone for the existence OF these smells II does seem
10 me- however that vigorous measures would soon re-
odors And yet few cities have so superb location as
this, such natural advantages for securing constant
neyefaing supply OF pure air untaintod by any oheu-
sN sWe odor We pay enough 10 secure @ inns
@ Dut somehow we never get it. l have great
To the bottom of thing when he once begins His re-
searches have doubt have been most thorough and
Is the height of folly TO talk about bOne-bong establish
ments no giving of any offensive smells 1t like ask
Ihe smells are about us nearly every day They are an
offence In our nostrs No one capable OF distn gushing
peculiar bOne-bOiling smell | have been In a few OF
these rendering establishments and certainly saw the
materials there for frs,class smells My examination
not thorough enough to warrant me in declaring
ta they really produced the sckenins odors from which
we suffer"
DIR. STEPHEN SMITHS OPINIONS.
Dr. Stephen Smith, formerly President OF the Board Of
Health gives the following views In regard TO the duties
of that board and the agitation about foul odOrs in New
York:
The position OF the Board Of Health OF this city has
uniformly been that every person is entitled to whole
some air, that whatever renders the air unwhOle-
gOm IA nd ia thoreby madn Illegal.
From time to time the board has put on record
its Judgment based the official reports of experts
that every form OF trade or business which cmits often
sye gases into the open air Is nuisance dangerous TO
life and health when conducted in the buup portions
Of the city. Thus has wisely condemned and proceeded
against great variety OF trades. .uch lime and she'll
burning, manufactures OF fertilizers gas establishments
ana the large number OF processes or utilizing animal
matter such as Tat melting and bone boiling.
" In dealing with the offensive trades OF city long
without sanitary government. many practical diff
hcues have to be encountered These trades represent
carried on for years, In eligible localities, without re.
srant, and perhaps without complaint on the part OF
the surrounding population. An attempt to remove
them leads to the most determined Opposition
BY various methods they thwar the orders OF the board,
or modify their own processes and 50 proong Their 9pe
ratons. That the Board OF Health does not proceed to
cXermiGae, with ruthless hand, every offensive trade.
powers With that caution which alone renders the exist
Of such authority safe IN any community The
early policy Of the Board Of Health was 10 anie IN
tue Of minor nuisanccs TO keep
up steady pressure and compel the persons responS
bic for them 10 modify prOve remove the conditions
on which the nuisance depended Ihis latter process Is
slow sometimes very tedious aud often brings severe
censure upon the board by those impatient of delay but
II II emineuty wise and Just.
"SOme kinds % business suchas the manufacture OF
fertilizers be removed beyond the city limits;
others must have their processes modified; while
large number growing Of the general business OF
saught'Ing, ~ hidc-curng. fat melting, bone boiling
aud grinding, only br made cndurahle by
the concentration Of slaughtcring in wcll-.Ocated
anl woll-naugcd RbIttOrs. where all animal
matters are utilized by suitable machinery 20
for little Improvement, until the hfty sixty slaughter
houses scattered large territories on tc cast ana
west sides o the city, concentrated AT two or three
points on the river Out. No city Offers greater lacl
tie, well culL,cd aba;toir system, in when every
kind ~ business connected with tins trade
shall be norus!, ely performed And u has been shown
by thu Board ~ Health that sgch concentration Is IN the
interrsts uf the trade Itself well OF the public
health Wnrn this great reform l. accomplished, "a u
surely will DE at distant dny iourfths ~ The sources
OF foul air from business cstab shmcuts Will disappear