New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-21
STATE SANITARY LEGISLATION.
IN. Editor OF TAe TrtOMne.

n
SIR: An investigation of the systems of
state sanitary law throughout the United states shows
eqleet of this subject the part Of Legislatures
which cannot be too strongly insisted upon, and which
state OF affairs such is prevailing In the Mssis-
sppi valley forces mperatyely attention. Such
an examination OF the law made in the years 1876
and 1877 for the purpose OF dgesng and arranging the
s,atues OF the several States and presenting in due
form and order the results OF sanitary lesHiauon
throughout the country.
For convenience OF arrangement and to enable us to
ascertain and TX each States position In the sanitary
scale at any given me the States were taken alphabet
cay and each the several acts, or their essen
nal parts were given In the order Of their passage
Thai examination revealed "A state Of inaction
in the matter OF sanitary legislation abso-
Iutelv iuconceiyable. and in many instances
amounting 10 an entire paralysis. With single iDsig-
n eant exception legislation whatever exists In the
states OF Missouri and Arkansas, and next to none IN
Indiana Iowa. and Kentucky; five States with an az
seon Tor them against the disease and infection which
breed IN the Mississippi basin and are at TINS momsn!
OF stream through
Memphis the North. Repeated and perssteht enors
have ose made year sates ~ Obtain from their Ie
slgtures some Of protection against epidemic
and local disease with no result The alier Is one OF
rnv neeessty and II provision is not made equal TO
ia needs states may expect succession OF ep
denies until the valley Is lett deVas'ateo uacA Vi
NE city of st. Louis, with half million Of inhabit
principal physicians, In part police board, Win
anthority 10 abtte nusances, and IN part dispenser
~ rafrunage. What the board has 10 do tt does
Snasmodicaiy. and without much method, certainly
vithouI any persistenCy; It's patronage Killed lt,
and its appointments are mainly political" Tue
rest Of the State Is absolutely unprOYlded Tor.
In the face OF an emergency like this they are entirely
poyrress The State OF Indiana IS IN even worse
blight There Is health law IN her statnieDOOk
relating TO any other subject than the importation and
care of diseased cattle. No board OF health, no proyis
lou staying epidimies, no registration OF stastles
The showing Is disgrace TO American ciylli-
cation Nor arc tho Western States to be singled
out as solely delinquent In this particular Neither
NeW.York Pennsy wanna has State Board OF Health
ProysOns for the establishing OF these and for the
registration OF vital statistics by State bureau, the
two most imperative sanitary needs OF state, nave
been embodied in carefuydrawn bills, have been pre-
scented TO the Legislature aud In each case rejected BON
the CarOlnas and Florida In the same condition. and
have made efforts only foeoiy ones TO
better IT, The condition Of many parts OF New-Engand
IA no better The health laws of Maine New Hampshire
and Rhode Isand tor all purposes OF present useIu
ness might have framed century ago. they read
ike the productions Cotton Maher, OK the literature
OF the witch trials aud widespread Infection would
be about as useful Of aulets 10 stay the prog
| ress Of disease. 60, . -
such state OF things In nexcusa0e. II there Is any
one subject of paramount Importance, Is the pfeNeh
ton of disease by sanitary enactment III there Is any one
pOut GU which Il admitted that the State can give hep
| ife and health OF its eitizrns. Tho problem
OF state Interference and control In all matters relating
thereto Is OF the questions OF tho hour ler
tiou that must be met and answered. or II VIII answer
| itsef IA IN rs now doing in the Western States
gastoa sent o. 1878. HENRY q. PIClCERING.