The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-20
THE AUXILIARY SANITARY ASSOCIA
TION,
Its work ana u steiations to society.

As soon as the Auxiliary Sanitary Associa-
ton organized 1t was clearly evident that,
however neutral and purely auxiliary might
be the spirit Of the great majority of worthy
citizens found In 1t, there was managing
element who were largely actuated by hostll-
Ity to both the city authorities and the Board
OF Health. OF course every good Citizen al
though believing this, would be slow to admit
1t, as both pride and interest are involved. But
the Times edtorially flaunts the disagreeable
(may not say disreputable0 fact before the
world, and the door is thus not only thrown
widely open for comment, but it Is the duty Of
men to comment.
It is hard to imagine reconciliation OF the
two adjectives, auxiliary and hostile, yet we
are bound to try to do 1t IL we think any good
can come of 1t. ] do not think good can come,
therefore do not attempt the reconciliation.
We must view the situation from common
sense point of view, and when we do that the
prospect Ia gloomy.
we have, first the legally organized City
Council to look after sanitary matters Incl
cidentalIy: second, the legally organized
State Board of Healt9 to do the same thing
primarily; and these two organizations are
required by law to cooperate, and they do So
The Council Is composed Of the elected servants
OF thepeople; the Board of Health Is composed
of the appointees of the Governor of the State
and the City Council under the law The gen.
tlemen composing the latter, lay and profess
sional, are no better than the best Of their
felow-citizens but they are as good, and
they cannot be successfully impeached, In
motive, zeal or ability. Their officers are men
Of whom any civilized community may be
aye, should be-proud. Their president Is OF
us in birth, education and continued resi-
dence and has lent himself with unusual zeal
10 the amelioration or obliteration of our SAN
itary troubles. Their secretary has not only
lived long among us, and endeared himself to
the community, but his professional brethren
know that he Is man. by nature and study,
singularly adapted to the peculiar functions
of his position.
80 far, % good" But Is there anything in
detail aimed at. in strict relation to sanitary
matters, by the Auxiliary Association that is
not also aimed at by the City Council and
Board of Health / undertake to say not one
thing. AS / have said in previous article,
the Auxiliary Association has clearly defined
Its sanitary points, viz: 1. Filling Locust
Grove Cemeteries 2. Flushing the cutters
8. Making householders clean their own gut
tiers; 4. Cleaning streets: 5. Cleaning privies !;
8. Preventing certain intermural interments.
Now, the Board of Health have concluded
that the expense in filling the cemeteries is
money thrown away. / think / have demon
strated this, and little time and calm
thought will make many a member Of the
Auxiliary Association thnk so too. They
tlN..f hat
when Dr. Holt took his notes, and when the
condition Of the cemeteries was acorst 1S773,
that we had no yellow fever, and ordinary
candor will make them coucede something to
the sagacity Of the Board OF Health.
As to flushing the cutters, there has never
been a day since the President of the Board of
Health has been in office that he has not rung
this point on the authorities OF the city and
State, and begged for the means to adopt the
measure. The Association can't steal this
thunder from the Board, and II they are really
Auxiliary their functions would be to fur
nish to the board the sinews of war.
That the board have in like manner worked
for the cleansing OF cutters in general can
not be disputed, though have not found that
they advocate the impoicy and gross injus-
tce Of imposing this task on householders.
Common sense will indicate that it is easier
to control a limited number of skilled labor
ers assigned to this business than an army of
householders whose duty 1t is not, and whose
servants will object. And 1t liz an outrage to
tax a people for this purpose and then oblige
them to do the work. l do not know but
suppose that while the board are for cleaning
the cutters, they can very properly and re-
putably object to the plan of the association.
AS to the matter Of cleaning privies do
know that 1t has been a hobby Qf | may be
allowed to say sol OF the board, and to the
president we are indebted for the introduce
ton Il mean the just and proper introduce
tom OF improved methods of this work. He
did not lend his official strength to the main
tenance of q previously established monopoly
OF this business but he pidety established
the business while he broke DOM the mon
opog.
i AZ to the matter Of intermur interments
l have every reason to believe that the board
has given the subject due consideration; but
prohibition Of this practice Is accompanied
by such overwhelming doubts OF its efficacy
That the board has very properly restrained
Itself from an exhaustive race after the
shadow, while negecting that which looks
ton.
1t is notable fact that the Auxiliary Assoc
citation does not touch the subject OF quaran- |
tine, and can only account Tor this on the |
ground that IL Is point on which the Board
OF Health lays great stress. Certain it Is that
the 1nnes L. down on quarantine and the
board; the Times has openly declared the
hostility OF the association to the board and
the latter has not denied it, More, the Ger
man paper here has even been ungracious
and prejudiced enough to editorialiy declare
the president of the Board of Health a mono
maniac on the subject Of quarantine, and the
editor OF that paper ~ prominent actor In
the Auxiliary O. Association.
And yet how inconsistent is the associa-
ton To shut up tnsensate Northern clamor
about the cemeteries it is profligate in strew-
ing sand over them, and yet it moves not
muscle, nor offers dollar, in aid of that,
which the whole country, as well as the mass
OF this people demands-viz: a thorough test
of quarantine
But come down to what in the phrasaology
Of the day is called 'hard pam Is the
Auxiliary Association candid and practical !?
say emphatically no.
Is the Board Of Health honest, intelligent
and Jealous? Not man in the community
can deny it. Have not shown that their
efforts have been and are directed in the same
channels as are those Of the Auxiliary Assoc
citation, and that they are extended to include
the great subject Of quarantine? Yes. Then,
pray tell me what earthly use can the asso-
citation have for paid officers? II they desire
to assist the board. there are both president