The New York herald., 1879-07-10
TENEMENT HOUSE LIFE.
Work of the Sanitary Inspectors
Among the. Children.
TO CHECK SMALLPOX.
Result of a Tour in a Down.
town District.

One OF the good results of the tenement house vfs-
itations by the sanitary inspectors Of the Board OF
Health is an immense reduction in the annual num-
Der of smallpox cases. When system OF visiting
was in vogue hundreds Of such prevailed ut
time in the city One of the duties each sanitary
inspector is to find out and report to the Health
Bureau the names and residences of children who
have not been vaccinated and the total corps OF
inspectors every tenement dwelling in the city
few of the little left exposed to attack OF
smallpox. year only about half dozen cases Of
actual smallpox were reported. while in former
years the mortality from this virulent disease
made high figure. Fifty inspectors might be
thought large force for the city considering that
the tenement house area is in great measure. lim-
tied to certain sections, but 1t was deemed wise to
conne the work of visitation the part OF each in
spector to small and easily available number Of
houses. that all might be well and fully attended
to. In districts there long streets of pri-
vae mansions and in others OF wholesale stores and
while territorially the district in such quarter is
much larger and costs walking than where ten
ements abound. the work of inspection is proper
tionately lighter.
HEALTH THE SELDOM BETTER.
So far this the health Of the city has been
years. and this. in great measure, may be attrib
uted to the intervals Of cool weather since the be-
ginning Of summer. The report of the Health Blu
from all ting districts of the city show that the
usual cases of summer sickness among children are
at minimum.
DR.. Harry G. Chase. Of No. 1876 Liberty street. has
charge of district No. 2. extending from Broadway
to the East River, and from Beekman street to the
Battery. The tenements in this district scat
tered here and there. and 1t takes q good deal Of
tramping around to reach them. DR.. Chase was for
a long time connected with the New York Dispen-
sary and has considerable experience of the dis
eases Of children In company with a HERALD re-
porter he made o tour of his district yesterday.
Talking on the way about the nature Of and RENE
dies for sickness. he said great heat affects
old and very young people in about the
same way, producing languor and diff
Guilty of respiration. neither class having the
requisite powers of resistance to its influence.
He thought feeding infants with bottle was the
cause OF a great deal OF sickness among them.
the milk used was in most instances bad, and even
when good was much more difficult Of digestion
than the mothers own milk. Bathing the children
morning and night and giving them as much fresh
air possible out OF the sun were admirable pre-
yentives OF sickness. He deprecated the custom
among many people Of giving their little ones beer
to drink under the mistaken impression that 1t
strengthens them, and OF giving them brandy when
sick. with the notion that it has stimulating effect.
He believed 1t was quite possible to improve the
city, and thus help to reduce the mortality espe-
cIaiy among children. Fresh air to them is Of more
Importance than food or drink
Ascending the staircase at No. 26 Stone street the
Doctor inquired on the first landing, in cheery
voice. if everybody was WELL
"We're all we'll, thank ye. an the same to you,"
answered Irish woman, with child OF six months
rocking in her lap. An older about three years
of age barefooted and in little short dirty shirt
locked up wonderingy at the Doctor, he inquired
II the children had been vaccinated.
THAT one." said the woman. laughing. as If it
n,v.ti,, 10
floor. ''didnt wait to be vaccinated. and went and
got the smallpox himself and we had to send him to
nation but this little girl here hasn't been vaccf
The Doctor accordingly took out his notebook and
asked for the name and address to report to the
Health Department
"Ah. now see you want this for the papers. an
bedad I'll not allow any dacent mothers child to be
'em down in black an white for all the neighbors to
see"
and the wonan's husband, who was sitting beside
her. thereupon gave her sharp nudge with his
einow, o s'yins, ~, ths ,a,na ,rhicS wss .ccara
ingly given with cheerful apology.
HORRORS OF DOUBLE TENEMENT HOUSES.
The next house visited No. ~ Bridge street, was
different style of place. 1t was double tenement.
put up many years ago. Passing from the front to
the rear building, over q small, ill-paved and badly
smelling open court dark anu dirty entrance pre-
scented ITSELF inside OF which something in the form
of a woman was observed with head b bbins up and
unkcmpt and hungry looking boys stood and stared
in the courtyard, and it with some difficulty the
Doctor and groped their in the darkness
TO the foot Of the stairway. The dank, noisome
smell from mouldering rags, decayed wood and
bones and damp soil was suggestive OF charnel
house The stairs creaked and rocked in the ascent,
and the balustrade. supported at long intervals by
tottering post threatened to topple over into the
darkness below. Now notice." said the Doctor.
what a contrast the children that live in this dis
NAL atmosphere down stairs present to those well
find on the upper story Going up to the hfth
several healthy. cheertul-looking children were
noticed at open room front. These. indeed.
were In bright contrast TO the pale and sad-eyed
little ones the darkened floors below.
''Is everybody well herey' inquired the Doctor.
"All we'll, sir" replied huxom woman. straight
ening herself up from q washtub, over which she
had been bending. "All well except this little girl
here" pointing to q small creature with a handful
Of iace aud body.
..what makes you let her cat that green apple?'
said the Doctor in slight tone of aspcrty as ho
directed the mothers attention to the piece OF
maign fruit clutched in babys tiny dig,s."
.'Well. indeed now never did notice that she had
that horrid apple in her hand. Doctor answered the
woman with well feigned astonishment. ''lt was
some little boy, sir. that have given 1t to her.
but sho had cholera lnfantun. Doctor. before that
After the prescription IN the case had been written
the woman turned and said d:-.Doctor. could any
thing be done for a little girl here that has never
talked walked since she was born six years ago?'
A PuENoMENALLY AFFLICTED CHILD.
Doctor and reporter ielt curious to see this phe-
nomenon and penet rating little further into the
room. which was given up chiefly to two huge wash
tubs little girl stretched out ut full length
upon the floor with small worstod shawl under her
head. She was laughing in great gec but not an
articulate sound escaped her lips. Her bare legs.
which were the natural length. appeared to curve
across each other, the feet were perfect and yet
she could not stand, nor had stood up un-
supported since her birth. There rigidity
whatever about the limbs which were as apparently
full of vitality as the rest of her body The mother
explained that she accustomed to pass from the
lit of great glee in which she then was to n ht of
savage anger, and occasionally she had COMMISSIONS
in which the body grew stf aud inanimate rs
corpse. The Doctor could do nothing Tor her. but
gave the anxious mother the address OF one who
might be able to relieve the unfortunate child.
mo rear buildings to tenement houses should be
allowed in this city,, said the Doctor ''uness they
are clear twenty feet away from the front buildings
with that much space open both Sides"
HEBREW BABIES AFLoAT.
The long wharf that out into the East River
from Fifth street was crowded yesterday morning
with children of all ages, tho mite that not