Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-09-01
A
Hygienic Condition OF and Prog
ress Of Sanitary Work in
Memphl..

The health Of our city since the disap-
pearance of yellow fever last fall has
never been surpassed at any period of its
history. And never has a community
acted with more concert of action and
singleness Of purpose to remove those
causes which were thought to have con-
tributed to its previous i'll health. As an
evidence Of our improved hygienic con-
dition, we give the mortality as shown by
the records Of the health office, reports of
which have been published regularly once
a week in the papers. The total number
of deaths from January LIST to date is 6l0
PSI white and $40 colored, which is a
small death rate per one thousand of our
population, especially for the whites. By
an analysis Of this record it appears hat
at least fifty per cent Of this mortality is
due to preventable diseases, such as con-
sumption, pneumonia, marasmus, and
diseases Of infancy and early childhood.
The high death rate among the negro
population is due to those causes which
are attributable to their mode of living
and general disregard of the plainest
rules of individual hygiene. By the last
census the negro population is about one
hall, though the mortality among them is
one-third larger than among the whites
consumption alone adding largely to their
death rate.
With the exception of a few cases of
scarlet fever and measles last winter and
spring among children, not one case Of
an infectious or contagious disease has
occurred, and the city is now exccp-
tionally free from everything of this
character. The work Of sanitation, which
was commenced a year ago last spring,
just after our change Of government, has
steadily progressed and has developed re-
suits which have far exceeded the most
sanguine anticipations of any of our citi-
zens. Twenty-Five miles Of sewers, with
their accompanying subsoil drainage
pipes have been laid and are giving entire
satisfaction. All apprehensions about the
success of this system of sewerage has
ceased and their entire capability for re-
moving all sewage and draining the soil
Of impurities, is established. The whole
survey will be completed this fall or, at
hrthest by January next. By an ordi-
nance OF the legislative council, which is
being rigidly enforced, house connections
are being rapidly made; $500 closet connec-
tions being completed and in satisfactory
working order. This will be continued
until every house in the city will have
proper sewer connection. The work Of
taking up and destroying the wooden
Nicolson pavement-which was orig
inally l0A miles, and replacing
it with some character of stone,
has progressed steadily and satisfactorily,
both as to extent and character OF work
done; seven miles of this now being
completed and in use. Aside from the
greatly increased facilities afforded by
this improvement to the commercial in
terest Of the city, it has entered largely
into the sanitary reform by being more
easily kept clean and affording a perfect
surface drainage.
The operations of an efficient garbage
service remove daily all accumulations OF
an offensive or Objectionable character,
either from private promises or public
thoroughfares, and nothing is allowed to
remain in the city which is thought
can contribute to its i'll health. A corps
Of sanitary police, under the immediate
direction Of the board Of health, with
whom the regular police force cooperate,
exercise constant surveillance over tho
whole city. During the past year, as
shown by the records of the health Office,
one hundred and eighty-eight unsanitary
houses have been destroyed and rs many
repaired and put in proper sanitary con-
dition. This feature of our sanitary work
is in progress and will DO continued as
long as necessity exists for il, and in
future like Objectionable houses will net
be allowed erected.
Our officials and the citizens of Mem
phis generally are fully impressed with
the necessity for and great good results
from sanitary work and tho duty they
owe TO themselves and to the commune
ties and country they have dealings with
to make this work of sanitation thorough
and complete.
Memphis to-day is not only abreast
with some Of the most advanced cities in
the country in all essentials pertaining
{ to public hygiene, but is in advance Of
many, and on the proper road to a higher
standard. The two per cent. tax levied
} by our last legislature called together in