New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-19
THE NATION1L HEALTH.

The National BOdfu OF Hfdith mas just
sent in ITS annual report to Congress. 1t mainly
consists of recommendations and suggestions,
ms To The propriety of continuing our efforts
TO search out the cause of disease
and TO prevent it. 1t asks that the
Board be permitted to carry on scientific
investigations upon certain medical problems,
the origin and treatment OF cholera, malaria,
typhoid, diphtheria. etc, and that some meas
ures he taken to quarantine cities or villages
reported as infected with contagious disease.
II recommends that additional quarantinea
be established at certain ports where in
fccted ships are likely 10 enter, and
II mildly suggests that il the citizens of towns
in which yellow fever prevailed during the
mast Summer will only be kind enough TO
vcrtilate their houses during the Winter, and
Si,.,lcct their clothing and bedding, We may
hope for IN immunity from the plague during
the coming season
Now. all this is very we'll as far as it goes
II is rs far as that efficient and intelligent
BODY. the National Board, is allowed to 60.
But il is not far enough to be of any substan-
tal benefit. The people Of the United States,
among all their other undertakings, fcebly began
last veal the work Of keeping themselves alive.
They appointed this Board to look into the
matter and courteOusly suggest what had bet
Ter be done. We do not suggest sanitary pre-
cautions to foreigners. When n ship puts
into one of our ports with yellow fever on
board, she Is peremptOrly qnarlntlned, the YES
sci sent back and her cargo destroyed. But
orr own people, as in Memphis, for example,
may make of their towns a breeding place OF
disease disaster and death, and there can
be nothing done legally to prevent them.
Now this whole let-alone policy in regard to
sanitation of communities is mistake. A
man has no more right to keep drain in his
PREMISES which will scatter typhoid among his
neichbors. or to send an infected child among
other children or infected goods TO his GUS
TONERS, than he has to fire Winchester rifle
among Them We do not demonstrate politely
with n man who fires a murdcrous weapon
We punish him. And the class who Obstinately
adhere to their foul drains, unventilated
houses, and unmcntionable denominations, are
the men whom the TigOr of the law only
will educate. We need not only a National
Board of Health, which shall have the power
TO speak with authority, but, supplementing
them, official sanitary inspectors in every
State and district, and pr0hlbitory laws
upon which they may base their action.
We all know how carelessly the mild municipal
laws of health in even our largest cities are
enforced, usually because the municipal health
officer is elected like all others, and must con-
ciliate his constituents. He cannot be too hard
on the reeking pig-stye Or drain of ward
politician.
In Great Britain after long delay the means
of defence have been grappled by the Govern
ment with more Intelligence and purpose than
here. II is curious to observe how this prob
lem of fighting off Death gradually forced
itself upon the attention of the Eng
lsh. One would suppose it would be the
first subject which an enlightened peo-
nile would consider. But it was totally ne
elected until 1888, and then the more senti-
mental bearings of the matter only were
| noticed, especially those which bore hardly
| ON children. Acts were passed fOrbiddine
the immoderatc working Of children in
factories and mines then little chin
ney-sweeps were rescued from their sooty