Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-03-14

TIE Rutland Hr0id, comparing some OF
the vital statistics of New YORK city and OF
Burlington, the other day stated that "while
the death rate for diphtheria in New York, IN
the year 1873, was but one in the thousand,
the death rate in Burlington was about one
IN FIVE hundred, )" and added Tho difference
in favor of New York is probably the result
of a more perfect enforcement of the laws CT
health BY the sanitary inspectors than is
possible under the laws of Vermont" 1t
nay possibly have occurred to some OF the
Hrald's readers that the figures Of single
epidemic disease can hardly furnish the
most accurate basis Of generalization as re-
CARDS the enforcement or non-enf0rcement
of the laws of health in any place. Diph-
liberia is 3 contagious disease. starting
probably-though as to that the doctors are
not agreed from some neg lect OF the laws
of cleanliness and health; but liable to pre-
vail by contagion in the cleanest and other
wise healthiest OF localities. The thirty-one
deaths in Burlington last year from diphtheria
were the consequences of the epidemic
which prevailed here in 1877 and continued
to some extent in 1873. The Herald COM
pares the figures of q year when diph-
liberia was epidemic here with those
of year when it prevailed but
mildly in New York city. Had the Herald
gone back several years to time when
diphtheria was severely epidemic in New
York and not epidemic at all in Burlington,
the result would have been even more
strongly the other way. The town of High
gate, in Franklin county, had o deaths
from diphtheria last year, In population Of
1900 That is death 10 every 100 Of the
population but it would be hardly fair to
infer that Highgate is ten times as filthy
place as New York city.
The statements which the New York
papers are publishing in regard to the sani-
tary condition Of that city do not, on the
whole, warrant the inference that it is su-
perior to that Of Burlington. The death rate
tor New York city last year was 25-2o in
the thousand. In some Of the wards of that
city it was so per thousand. In this city it
was logs in the thousand. The New York
correspondent of the Springfield Republican
wrote as follows, the other day:
While on this topic | may mention that a
special effort is making to get up crusade
against the tenement houses of the city. |
There are acres of them, and they are reek- |
ing with filth, disease, vices and other |
denominations. Now that the elevated rail- |
road carries passengers to Harlem bridge, a |
distance of seven miles, for five cents, there |
is no good reason for people living in cellars |
in which rat would perish and where
decent New England pig would go into the
doldrums and commit hari kari. These |
tCnement-house districts consume most of |
the milk extracted from diseased and diapi
dated cows, and buy the rotting vegetables |
ami refuse meats which cannot be got rid Of |
elsewhere. And the atmosphere of the |
whole city is contaminated by the poisOns
these houses emit, while their diseases ard
vices injure everybody.
Prof d. B. St. John Roosa, the eminent
physician of New York, in a public address
ten days ago said
There are more than 1900 medical stu
dents now in the city, and the reason they
are here is that they find disease doing its
ghasily work here on the largest scale.
From the moment the medical student
reaches New York he becomes familiar with
the tenement-house odor. Disease is ruin
ing the lives OF the community and piliDg
up the taxes under which they grOan. The
doctors are helpless against the prevailing
lack OF ventilation and sunlight. Great men
and pure women have been born in the
drcariest Of hamlets, but they had plenty of
pure air, and were not poisoned by vile
doors No great mar or pure ~Oman can
enanate from tenement-house surroundings
1t is a matter of public record that in one
block in the Eleventh Ward Of New York
there are 50 tenement-houses, occupied by
$50 families. representing 1856 individuals
an acreage of $50 persons to the acre.
Facts and figures like these do not indicate
IA more perfect enforcement Of the laws of
health than is possible under the laws Of
Vermont" The laws of Vermont for the
protection Of the public health can be
much improved. They are supplemented.
however, in this city, by municipal ordi-
nances which largely supply the defects and
omissions OF State laws; and with health
officer. as intelligent and efficient as Dr. At
water. it will probably be some time before
Burlington will be in condition which can
warrant any fair-minded person in drawing
a comparison unfavorable to this city, be
tween New York and Burlington, as regards
sanitary conditions.