New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-12
prgJIC BrlLTH Association.

The National Sanitary Association IS now
holding iis annual session in New Orleans, and
exciting good deal OF attention in that city,
whore its teachings are very nearly as much
needed Is they were in Memphis. New Orleans
is probably The worst drained city in TIE
Union, OWING to its situation the whole South is
4 far missionary field log sanitary eflorr. Most
Northern communities know perfectly well what
brings typhoid and diphlheIa upon item, but adj
here TO their foul open cutters and centHry-oid
abominatOns, from sluggish, obstinate content
with things as their fathers hal them, or RON
uuwllincncss to spend money in prevention.
Bat in the majority of pretty, dirty southern
towns and villages there appears - be- an aDHO
Lutte Ignorance 0i any sanitary laws. Nothing
but the wholesale slaughter Of her population
for two seasons drove Memphis Ia drain her
rotting soil. aud Che yellow fever fol halt cen
Jury has not induced N"W-0Ileans to make one
step toward cleanliness. The burying- grounds
which forty years ago were sunk below the
level Of toe river are suulIen there sill, poison
ing HE water supply. Il IS to be hoped tnat
this convention of slltarilns may stir up the
community to some kind OF action.
Several important papers have been read on
on sewage, c,c Col-nel Waring read one adj
yocatng the separation of storm water drains
from sewage dIains, a plan which would not
work well in some Of our Hat cities with badly
tlappcd sewers such rs III iiadcpli1 whore the
organic matter lies deca}iHg IN the drains neal
the culverts until a good rru,lng rain comes TO
wash IT ont. The most important subject
discussed. however, WAS the Report OF the
Association on plan for the PREVENT II 81 the
spread Of contagious diseases. This Report
earnestly urged State Board OF Health to rec
ommcnd to State Legs aurr5 tho enactment
If "a law making i. a criminal offence Tor my
person knowingly 10 communicate ally conta-
ginus disease. This means just nothing AZ all.
The par,On told The sexton and The sexton
toilcd he be,l-tut the mon was no less d nad
all the while. Nobody except Governor Black
buin) WIS ever accused OF knowingly COM
munica;lng contagious disease. Ii would be
next T. impossible TO prove that anybody ever
did so communicate them. But il the mean
time. bv sheer carclc,sness OF winch the law
takes DO need, contagious diseases are moving
down hundreds Of thousands of our people
What we need are Boards of Health vested with
power, and on whom it shall be- Obligatory, 10
isolate the scarlet fever, typhoid, smallpox,
or diphlhcric pa lent, whichever his rank or CON
dition in life; to dI,mtect thoroughly the
house, clothing, et'., Of such patlenr; ana 10
enforce upOn the own rrs Of Infected property
its proper drainage. At present it is only tie
vely poor who suilc, fl IN sanitary cXamiGa
tionS.
Another thing which We need IN every city
is hospital in which wcll-tO-do patients at
tackled with contagious diseases can secure by
the payment of a reasonable sum comfortable
room, skilful attendance and nursing In Lon
don this is practicable, adults can go to the
hospital and save their houses and families the
Iisk and discomfort Of contagiOn but here, for
IA man of refined or even decent habits i'll with
typhoid fever, for example, to enter the hos
pitfalls for contagious diseases would be to in
sure his speedy ending. Here is Il point worthy
the attention of Our Public Health Association.