New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-06
THE STREET PROBLEMS.
CAUSES OF DISEASE IN THE CITY.

CAUSES OF DlSEhbk HE VII
PAYMENTS WHICH ARE STILL TnTHY-DANGER
PROM TIE soUATTER BLOCK.
1.-THE physicians Of the city one man in favor
of the Senate or Citizens bill for STRENGTHENING"
said Dr. J. C. Peters yesterday 1.-THE Council Of
the Academy of Medicine. the Pathological and
Neurological Societies have passed resolutions urg-
ing the passage of this BILL and last night the Medco-
legal Society declared that the streets are still
dirty and that the Assembly should give the Mayor
the power TO appoint responsible head OF the
Street, Cleaning Department who can be removed
for misconduct Opposition came from only one
man. who was a lawyer. In my recent EXAMINATIONS
/ found that the upper part Of Ihrd-aVe'
is exceedingly filthy, and although part was swept
last Friday or Saturday the dirt has not been re-
moved. Forty-ninth-st near the School OF Mlses -
in bad condition. Madison and f1fth-ayes are NOT
clean. and Sixth-ave is in wretched state; great
outrage is being perpetrated on the site OF tne sq
ter block between SiXty-sevcnth and Sixty-elghth-
sts. and Third and LeXingtOn-aves. The shaniies,
after the matter was referred to the Mayor anu ocI
city officials, at last torn down. There were
ninety-six Democratic voters IN the blOck. Inc
boards that could be Of use were carted away ana
some others burned But the collections OF the COW
stables and other sources OF the worst hit WIN al
the other refuse were left exactly as they WERE anu
carts have been bringing down comparatNeiy cletn
dirt from the upper part OF Madlson-aXe. anu Simply
covering this filth instead OF cleaning ~ out
And the other day / saw the carts cleaning SNty'
seventh-st, which is very dirty, and this filth was
ing ground. They talk of using this block as 9
little park for cOnvalescents nom the homes ana
hospitals near by II would De terribly unhealthy
ground for invalds If houses are built there, God
help those who live in them. Foul gases will come
up into the cellars and fill tho houses every night
Left uncleaned rs this block is, the ground Will be
unhealthy for fifty years.
eff the last two weeks had been hot and swelte
ing the amount Of sickness IN the city would nave
| been frightful. But | do not apprehend a great
pestilence 50 much as the constantly
| increasing death-rate that comes from
| constitutions gradually and generally under,
mined by dangerous sanitary conditions ana
| thus rendered liable TO succumb 20 any form oI
disease. Thus civic malaria, more persistent ana
complex than marsh malaria is likely 70 change any
slight affection throat, into dangerous us
ease as diphtheria. The snow came dc "nlasi Dyge-
Der on probably the drtiest city in the world mere
| were more cases Of cholera infantum last year
owing to the dirty streets than ever before lyphus
fever prevailing almost entirely among the poorest
classes may be relieved by the better ventilation
that comes with summer but the general tendency
TO disease Of every kind will be increased unless lhe
! prompt steps are taken which the ply sclaLs are
striving TO obtain from the legislators at Albany