The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-01
THE LECTURE SEASON.
MR.. JANIS c. BAYLEs ON THE CAUSES OF
DISEASE IN CITY HOUSES

MR.. JAMES C. BAYLEs ON THE CAUSES OF
DISEASE IN CITY HOUSES.
Mr.. James c. Bayles, editor OF the Iron Age. de-
Iivered an interesting lecture the causes OF IN.
healthfulness IN city houses before the New YORK
Academy Of Useful Arts in Cooper Institute last
evening. The gentleman spoke in substance as ioI-
lows:-Few subjects now resolving so much atten-
ton as those which relate to health, and sanitary
science may be said have become In some de-
gree popular study Sickness and death are largely
under human control. People wonder why We have
NO plaques and spotted fevers such visited the Old
World in past centuries. We not yet Tree from
cholera and yellow aud typhoid levers and other pre-
ventahie diseases, and the next generation may see
that our disregard OF natures laws affect death
rate as surely the nlth OF London caused tho great
plaques OF that city
Much has been done In this country and moro In
England, but until society Is deeply impressed with
the truths on which sanitary science Is founded We
cannot look for great ana important results Our
houses are the comfortable OF any in the world;
but, while convenience ana comfort desirable.
they are not the only qualities be sought house
building Our stoves and furnaces very econom-
teal and than tho open fireplace used
In England but our furnaces are often too small,
that In cold weather obliged to drive them to
extent that the air passing through them 10
vitated and rendered unit for Dreaming
Next comes tho question oil ventilation. Hcre the
difference between theory and practice in house
building-between what know should be done aud
what we do attempt to do--is certainly very
marked. That the average architect Is practically
ignorant OF the mechanical by which adequate
ventilation be secured In cold climates without
unnecessary waste OF luel is moro to be dered
that he often fails in his essays in tho do
main Of high art.
The most serious ana fatal OF the causes Of un-
city houses is the detective drainage
No TACT rests upon a broader and moro substantial
basis truth Than that the gaseous carnations IRON
decomposcd sewage, commonly called sewer gas.
are fruitful source OF disease. Dr.. Mapother, of
Dublin eminent authority, states that tnere
annually In England lao 900 cases OF typhoid lever
which 20 900 terminate fatally, which are clearly
traceabe detective drainage and sewer poison
ing, yet typhoid fever is only one OF long list
OF prevalent zymotc diseases.
DEATHS FROM ZYMoTIC DISEASES
England ana Scotland gave IN the nvc years ending
January 1870 deaths from motto diseases amount
ing to 1913 OF the total mortality, as shown in
returns made by order oil Parliament In 1871 The
variation OF tho zymotc ratio in the sum
or OF mortality ranges from ten to thir
ty-seven per cent OF the total deaths. From such
imperfect statistics have been gathered IN this
country 1t IS safe to conclude that zymoc diseases
cause, directly indirectly about onc-af the deaths
occurring in great cities In the vital statistics
OF New York Tor the past eleven years zvmotic dis
cases. as now classified are charged with about thirty
two per cent OF tho deaths from all causes.
The figures follows tor New York