Daily Republican., 1881-05-04
UNHEALTHY CITY STREETS.
CITY DOCTORS DENOUNCE OUR
DIRTY THOROUGHFARES.
The Present Increased Mortality
Due TO Improper Sanitation
Prospects Of Epidemic
ifPrOper PrccaW.
items are not
Taken.

The force of street cleaners have not
been increased. Mr. McMenamin de-
clares the streets were never III better
condition and the Democratic majority
in Council are satisfied. But notwith-
standing Mr.. MCMenamin' positive de
claratons and intemperate denunCia-
tions of the REPUBLICAN complaints
arise on all sides, Of the streets i'll some
parts of town. and new evidence is
being offered every day ofthe filthy and
pest fostering condition Of many of our
public thorouTht5lrcS The REPUBLICAN,
started TO expose he incompetent work
| ing of the street Department over two
weeks ago aud Mr.. McMenamin said it
was untrue that the streets were
dirty. An effort was made in Council
| by the Republican members to have the
city put in good sanitary condition
but tn" Democrats voted SOildly against
the resolution to thar effect introduced
Ivy Mr.. Adams. Dr. BiockSom intro
ducrd II similar resolution into the
Board Of Health last Monday night but
il was not even entertained. There thus
appears to be but little hope OF relief
from either the street Department,
the Civ Council orthc Board of Health.
OPINIONS of PHYSICIANS.
With a view to,ascertauing just the "t-
feet Of the foul condition Of the streets
in every part Of the city upon public
health the kErUEIICAN yesterday
made inquire, of mruy OF city ply
sicians, and to-day publishes what they
think Of the sitl,atiUu. II will be noti-
cud that in hetnain they d"nouncc the
prcSrut condition vi the streets III very
emphatic terms and the majority Of
them appear Of the opinion that u very
bad influence is being eAertrd upon the
citv's health by those filthy places.
The questions were all put in connection
with the present increased dcath-rate
and the connection the streets have with
til" great increase of sickness should
stir even the Street Commissioner to cN-
tend II little Of his authority without
being governed I'LL the time by the
Eighth ward gentleman who spends so
much time in deu0uncing newspaper
reports of dirty streets.
DR.. Wales stated that the fact that
the Strcr.s We're i'll - filthy condition
could not be successfully denied when
the people could not help seeing the
state Of affairs. 1t WAS untrue that the
streets were clean. Up to this time the
dirt in the streets had but little to
do with the Increased sickness, but If
they were to remain in this condition
until warm weather came the result
Eld be OF u very disastrous nature.
"hs soon rs we have moisture and
warmth, said the doctor, Gin conn"c-
ton with the filthy streets we will
have much sickness from them 70
avoid this the streets should be cleaned
ut once.
Dr. Shortlidgc said to the reporter,
~ have no doubt but that the present
unhealthy condition Of Wilmington is
largely due TO the dirty streets. Any
one can see that the declaration made
in Council that the streets are clean is
untrue. There has been shocking ne
glrct, and the street force has not only
been too small, but those composing it
have not been able bodied men. Tn
less the streets are cleaned at once, be-
fore the Summer months, lit is quite like
~ that the death rate will largely i'll
crease over what il is now The
doctor then went on to urge that the
people take more precautions i'll their
HOUSES. He said the alarming spread
Of smallpox was largely due TO the
careleSSneSs of the authorities
DR.. SnitChCr was very emphatic.
"Our city," said he, has a site natural
ly healthy, but | notice in all parts of
town unpleasant and noXi0uS odorS
arising, evidently from the streets and
cutters. We are at present having an
unusually large quantity Of sickness,
and the diseases generally have a ten
drncy toward typhoid. This is due IN
my opinion to local causes, and the
chief one is the filth in the streets and
alleys. Ii the present state of affairs
goes on until the hot summer sun gets
Il chance at the streets we Will be i'll Il
state Of health which will certainly be
very llninviting.
DR.. Blocksom, who vanly attempted
in the Board Of Health on Monday night
to have the Street Commissioner inStrlIC-
ted to clean the streets III South Will
mlngton, said that the streets should DO
cleaned completely. The present state
Of ill-h health was due largely to the pre-
sent condition OF the streets. Bad sew
cra.c hud 4 good bit to do with it but it
was due more to the dirty streets. There
was great neglect and in"tncicncy in the
Street department. 1t was his opinion
hat pOIltic., was 1T the bottom OF 1t, and
he hoped some thing would be done at
once.
DR.. Brown was also very clear in the
opinion that the streets had caused much
ill-health. 81 never knew the streets
to be in IA more tilthy condition." said
the doctor, "and thisis particularly the
case with small streets. 1t is my Opln-
ion that there has been more sickness
during the past six weeks than ever be-
fore i'll Wilmington, and much OF thlSlS
due to the condition of the streets, al
though there are other causes, one of
which is bad care in smallpox cases.
Dr. Maull saidin the principal streets
he noticed but little dirt and they ap-
peared to be in good condition vt this
time. Many of the small streets were
in "a shocking condition, had not been
cleaned lately and possibly were never
cleaned. He called more particular at
tention to the condition of the cutters,
and said that the spaces under the gut
ter plates were not cleaned out often
enough for good sanitation.
Dr. Bush had but little fault to find
with the streets, but there was plenty Of
room in the street department for inn
provement. The force of street clean
crS was composed OF broken down men
who could not do good work and who
were employed for their votes.
DR.. GreenIeaf remarked that the
streets were in an extremely filthy con-
dition both in and out Of town. This
exerted bad influence upon the health
of the city and if the streets are allowed
90 remain in this condition till hot
weather comes typhoid fever, etc, will
be fostered. He favored II complete
cleaning of streets and cellars.
DR.. Bullock expressed the opinion
that the city is now in nearly as health
thy condition rs it generally is this
t,na of the wear. There may be, said