The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-01-22
NEW YORK CTTY'y HEALTH.
How the Death Rate has been Decreased and
the Sanitary Condition Improved.

DR.. William l.. Chandler delivered an ad-
dress before the Municipal Reform Association
last evening. on the subjects OF street cleaning
and the sanitary care OF Now YORK city. lie
devoted much attention to the apparent advhh-
tagcs TO be derived from n general introduction
OF the block systom Of street cleaning now anu
for some time past successfully pracllscu NY
tho residents In Fifty fourth street and Madison
avenue near thereto. To carry IL out on the cs-
timate that one man could 10y steady WORK keep
constantly clean the strccts on TWO long ana TWO
short blocks, or say one-duarter OF miio nc
figured that force Of 1000 street cleaners
good abe-bodcd mon. procurapio LOT u per
dion each-would be sufficient to Keep clean
the $50 miles Of streets in the city Then hity
garbage carts would be required at 1880 per
diem for each cart. horse. and man; 100 ash
md street dirt carts at f2 per diem for each
outfit and the man to run II; superintendent.
t6 900 per annum three deputy suporintcnd-
ents 5000 each; ten forcmen. $1,000 each;
surgeon. 81 800: four clerks. 81 900 each pay
master 81, ,5O0-say in all s536.000 for doing
well what we now pay $3.50 900 for not having
done Snow and ice he deemed should be re;
moved by the street railroad companies ana
omnibus lines
Divcrting from the matter OF street cleaning
70 an exhibit of the work done by the Health
Department DR.. Chandler quoted u vast array
of statistics to show that great improve
mcnt has been effected in the health Of the city
under the present system. by careful house in.
specton and the effective quiet prevention OF
disease Notwithstanding the efficiency OF the
department has been greatly impaired Of late
years by lack of means. In Il singl" year the
inspectors condemned nearly 5OOOOO pounds oi
unwho olesome meats offered in our markets and
shops but for lack uf inspectors that work
is now reduced TO almvst nothing. and
the poisonous meat is sold. In 1870 over
ffruit offered ior sale. was seized and destroyed
and such effective measures taken then that
dealers have been shy OF ohcrlnG or handli ins
tion- of premises were made. and ms q consc-
auonce 80 900 cases found in which the enforce
mcnt Of tn" sanitary laws was nc'essary Tor
preservation of the public health. Tho cost OF a
| durnd from s2i0 525 in 1865. s279.6ss in 1871
and s2T7 Gal in 1872. down to 100000 in 1873.
Notwithstanding the city has increased lpu pSr
cent IN size and 90 yer cent in popuiation IN
| .nses frr vaccination, $4,000: for disiniec-
! ton. tlO pnn: for hospital for contagious ts;
eases s2juoO which /, dld nut nave IN roo2i ~
has forty physicians now l9r, on~ tnen' mas
| much ns the expenditure OF fiVNDV Tor me re-
movnl OF night soil anu tlSuVO lor h'cplhg
records of vital statistics should not proprrlN b'
! charged to this department. any more thhn the
| supply OF CrotOu water should. he thought Us
| real expenses might iuirly be put now III sI5'-
Df. Chanilcr depicted the frightful over
crowiing oitrncmenls ana ,Sic 'ialy III llrlii ~
/ they were. iip fo lNS6 result ~ th"ir condition
| boing that ia one such hou-e 20 per cent. OF IL
| wret'hcd 500 inhabitants were siN WITH small
| has Ln.n much improved hut still ~ Int, as
! 1876, it WIS found that % per cent. ol tho
| death vat' was IN ten nrn,.' 10 per cont IN
public institutions. ana only 81 per etht IN iri e.
| Vaic houses. The SAM result from oNrr'roWi-
! ing wer. even shown ~ wards. since ihsi year
! the death rates IN the First nnd lw.hty- -i"ur,I
/ War'ls were respectively 81 and H. per
! cont those wards representing the TWO ~
tremos Il proportion Of population To- area. H.
smoke very warmly on the subjects II plumbing
and drainage. ,Werring lhnt one nm, 9i NE
lll Nr 4 Df ftr
| ant plumbers. for the entry OF the d"nfly sewer
ggs. III this connection ne toldgraphicail the
rcct.d q popular failg'y that sever gas 70 p 5e
poisonous must smell bad. II has very iltle
odor. he said, and one should be- thankful ior
| tn sewers To- blend with IT AMI make 80 bad a
smell rs to call attention 10 1t before II makes
itself known by Us spreading oi vphus lever
The work Ol dlsinfcction by the agents Of this
department has been \ very serious part OF
their duties. Last summer they, disiniecte'l
81 500 privirs and many thousand other dan.
gcrous places. In the matter oi prevention OF
coniasi1n, discusses the department has far
CONSIDERATION. apart from sentiment. an cpl
Il d,ni' in u city is n thing e. hc greatly dreadrd
Isl 2 co,i hat city. as il was computed
there at the time. tl6ODOOO directly and
s5S9ooo9 "drfc'6 de6s i from '8erS small TsGt pSs
there at that time. Thanks 70 the enl.ien, meas
ures adopted here ia 1874 and 1875. and the
manner in which, tn prar,ice Of yaccination on
| has been continued since, New York has had
! only "A deaths from smallpox in 1871, and in
the latter six months II that year not one single
case The general Improvement in the health
| of the city Is best shown hy the decrease OF in
fant mortality and the statistics present the
gratifying lat that the death rate among chit
| dren under years of age has steadily de-
| cned from SO per cont OF the death rate ~
1867 to iG.91 in 1871 With perfection of tnt
| Application Of our present system, such as could
be effected 10y very small Increase Of the force
DR.. Chandler holicyei that our present dentf
raio of 2i.3 IA the thousand could be cut down
to 20.
MIR u. b. Eaton offered the following resolu,
u1n:
Hhsf,I The recnrd Of the before ~,
NaNnr ui thi. cN relative 20 tie ruoNm OF the loIrt
tomm,.louor- shows that the Mayor ha. been in ih'
habit soliciting his >uhorlna'e- ~ make appointment
fu Personal reasons. and appears g. have used hls ON
influence yatt. tor his iaNuritc>. ami
Hh,fos mas he feared that such an example on Tho
mart the met Magistrate n tho rity will not hc with
out effect upou cts officials of lower grade therefore
H,sief That the Iudrilry COMMITTEE hc rcIut -lei q
consider and report whether such practice hr consist
.nt with legal official duty oi he Mayor. and VIII
tho. rights ant interests OF ihr people which tcN ma,
isriy clam have protr ted under cN.'inc laws
also whether there il need thHt the laws should be
amended that 1t shall le lawful for ne 'hiei Mi-i,
iraic the city his Huthpri! innuenr lot 'acl
purposes
The resolution was passed
MGLIDE'S STRANGE DEATH