Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-17
LOCAL NEWS.
Modern Sanitary Science.

Sheffield Scientific SchOOl-CIOsing Lecture in the Mechanics' Course by Professor BreWer-Health and Dis ease-Santtary Help to Natural PrOs- PerIty-Its Power and Benefit for Good.
 Professor Brewer delivered last evening the closing lecture in the very interesting and able
 course to mechanics given by the Sheffield Scientific School. His subject was Modern Sanitary Science" Despite a wet evening, North Sheffield Hall was well filled. The lecture was specially interesting and power- ful showing of wise sanitary regulations <and
 measures for tho preservation of health and prevention of disease, and resultant from such effort was vast promotion of municipal, State and national prosperity. The speaker in opening alluded to the vague notions pre- vailing among the ancients and in the middle ages as to the cause of pestilences, and their appeals to their deities for help, while sanita- " science was unthought of. The lack of pure air, wholesome food and water were stimulating to the spread of pestilence, malaria and disease in some one or other of it's hydra
 headed forms. The great plague which swept off million upon million in Oriental nations
 
 ravages of the plague in London. Less than two years ago, it was added, the Board of Health of this city were obliged to take measures to pre- vent the importation of this same plague from the Black Sea in the rags brought from that quarter. Typhoid and typhus levers were contagious. So also was diphtheria. The re- cent ravages of the plague in Russia were re- ferred to, and reference was made to the rava- ges in former days of the smallpox. Leprosy, its fearful nature and ravages in Eastern and also in European countries, was next referred to. This disease might be visitor in this land but for our sanitary modes of living. Leprosy fourished to day in Norway, and there was leprosy hospital either in Nova Scotia or New
 Brunswick. Scurvy formerly carried of multi tudes of the Jack tars of Britain and France Sanitary reforms had accomplished great things in preventing disease in modern times. To- day the scarlet fever numbered many more victims than the smallpox. The speaker now alluded to the basis of the work of sanitation, the data from which instructive facts were deduced, and the divisions and classification of deaths, also the comparison of death rates between healthy and unhealthy districts. In New Haven there were 6,798 deaths in the past six years, of which 265 per cent. were from zymotic diseases, 22 from constitutional diseases, 364 from local diseases, and a small fraction from deaths by accident or violence. In the last ten years New Ravens deaths numbered II ,679. The speaker alluded to zymotic diseases as the class which wise sani- tary effort is able to prevent, just as railroad oa0 anfu ova nfoh1 A nr7r1t1 1,1fu of the public was to protect and insure life as far as possible. Professor Brewer, by a con- parison of the number of deaths in given years in New Haven, commencing as far back as the beginning of the present century, showed gradual decrease of the death rate. New Haven was once visited by yellow fever, about 1796, and itput back the city ten years at least. He compared the death rate Of the Seventh ward in this city with that of the cleanest ward, the First, that bounded by the original thirteen squares. In the latter in '78 the rate was only ten per cent in the other it ranged in different years from 22 to as high as 26. New Haven was greatly indebted to it's healthfulness for it's prosperity. It was 8 great bluuder to think that money spent for health was g sacrifice or loss. Disease is ex- pensive and pestilence costs untold millions. Memphis was alluded to. At last it was be- ginning to have sewers. Until now it was rotten with cesspools, some of them forty or more feet deep. The State of Tennessee was helping pay for these sewers. The money spent in New Haven to guard against small pox was the cheapest kind of an investment The smallpox cost Philadelphia $2o, 900, 900. With fine peroration the speaker closed