The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-10-21
NEW ORLEANS AND IT'S AUXIL-
larry SANITARY ASSOCIATION.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
To pessimists. who delight in other peoples mis-
cries, it may cause mGupdis quart dheure to be
told that the city of New Orleans for the present
year, at least escaped epidemic of yellow fever.
This may be an affair Of small moment to the world
large but to the often unfortunate citizens of that
town it is an affair of little importance. Many
readers Of your paper will acknowledge vital inter
est in this happy escape. While they may not re-
side city ITSELF they bound to it by social
or commercial tie, the severance Of which implies
much discomfort and unhappiness. Until the et-
forts put in force this summer for tho first time
have undergone more searching tests in order to de-
termine their absolute inrallibilty, it may not be
aiss call attention to the fact that for the perse-
vering and energetic enforcement Of these efforts
the Auxiliary Sanitary Association of New Orleans
must receive the credit This association organized
and financially sustained by the principal merchants
of tue town, has demonstrated the benefit to be
derived from an economical and honest disburse-
ment of funds directed by intelligence and energy.
Through the efforts or this association the city
been thoroughly cleanscd, the private and public
privy vaults twice or thrice disin ected. garbage
scows built and their cargoes deposited in the
Mississippi miles below the city. 1t formerly
the custom to deposit this garbage in the vacant
lots on the outskirts of the town, to tester and
putrefy under the influence of the summer SUM-
The gutters-frutful sources of infection--were
flushed daily with water from the river. Apart from
this, vgilant supervision of the general health OF
the city was maintained. To those who are familiar
with the careless habits of residents of a hot
simplest sanitary rules. the work accomplished by
the Auxiliary Sanitary Association is somewhat
remarkable; moreover. by tact. resolution aud
energy, 1t has arousedj an indocnt and "idisser-
fare" population to moderate appreciation OF the
efficacy OF cleanliness and common sense sanitary
reforms. The association fortunate in its choice
Of officers and directors. Its executive committee
composed OF men chosen for their special quail
fcatons. The remarkable executive abilities of it's
vice president, Mr.. Edward Fenner, and his firm
and tirecss efforts toward the accomplishment of
the end in view, well the intelligent scientific
direction of Dr. White. have contributed largely
toward the result attained The peculiar situation
OF New Orleans in antagonlsm TO underground
system OF drainage has necessiated the adoption of
privy vaults above ground. 1t is now the opinion
Of those most competent to judge that yellow fever
simply "hlth" disease From this point of view
1t requires particular study to recognize the ma
teria afforded for the spread of yellow fever through
this surface vault system. Bombay. subject to
heat more severe and continuous than that of
New Orleans, has by the adoption OF
system OF tho daily transportation OF all focal
matter beyond the city limits, where IL is
consumed in furnaces, become, from pest hole of
disease. city whose death rate is at minimum,
and where epidemics engcndered by filth are now
unknown. This same system Is In the course OF
adoption in certain foreign cities. notably in Great
Britain. Tho Sanitary Association of New Orleans
IL to the success of its future to make persis
tent effort toward the accomplis hment OF such
system for that city, The successful results of such
an experiment would go far toward the elucidation
of TIE 'hth" theory in regard to yellow fever.
OCTODER DO 1879. HAtN