Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-03
THE NEW ORLEANS AUXILIARY SAN
ITARY ASSOCIATION.

the first martyr.
THE NEW ORLEANS AUXILIARY SAN
ITARY ASSOCIATION.
The following paper was read at the even
ing session Of Thursday by Edward Fenner,
Esq. Of New Orleans:
Mr. President and Members of the association:
The formation OF an organization similar in
its aims and purposes to the New Orleans Aux
Hilary Sanitary Association has only been pos
sible in the last quarter Of the nineteenth cen
fury.
No voluntary organization, with similar far
reaching and comprehensive aspirations, has
ever before been undertaken.
For its creation end support it needed pre-
ciSely the conditions which existed in the city
of New Orleans, notably in the spring of 1889.
The yellow fever epidemic of 1873, although
not more widely spread, nor from the malig
nancy Of its type more destructive Of human
life than many that have preceded it, created.
as stated in the proc ceilings of the Sanitary
Council of the Mississippi Valley, IAN uneasi-
ness and alarm among the people OF the entire
valley lest the approaching summer may wit
ness another visitation of yellow fever" etc,
which resulted in the organization for their
protection of that, to New Orleans, menacing
body.
Apart from an earnest desire to prevent
recurrence Of the sorrow and misery inflicted
on numberlesS households by the dire vista
ton, the people, as never before. were con-
WINGED that unless the most energetic measures
were taken to remedy the evils of past munich
pal neglect, the vast and increasing commerce
conducted within the city limits was threatened
with ruin.
Successful business requires for its prosecu-
ton popular repose. whether it be in the form
of freedom from civil or national turmoils and
wars, or from panics engendered by the sudden
outbreak Cf a malignant and mysterious dis
ease. III the face of the first danger, the mer-
chant or financier, to avert its evils puts forth
every effort, and unhesitatingly resigns a por-
ton of his wealth that the remainder may be
preserved.
Why should he be supine and listless at the
approach OF foe, though intangible, much
more to be feared in its destructive power than
mob or the army of an invader?
While these may work a temporary devasta-
ton, their traces are evanescent, and commerce
quickly resumes its accustomed channels.
When menacing plague is ever hanging over
city, like the sword suspended above the head
of DamocleS confidence vanishes: capital
timid and sensitive. is withdrawn, and business
laDguishes and dies.
Experience has taught the merchant that it
is as important to his success to avert disease
and preserve the public health as it is to main
tain tranquility and order
Thoroughly alive to this fact and enthusiast
tic in the belief that by proper effort New Or
leans may be made as healthy as any city on
the continent, its merchants and their en-
| lightened fellow citizens of all professions are
united in the determination to effect this pur-
pose.
What is the nature Of the organization they
have perfected to this end. its history, method
Of WORKING, ETC., will form the subject of my
brief paper.
As stated in an Address from the Auxiliary
Sanitary Association to other cities and
towns, - published in June, 1879. The causes
which inaugurated this movement were the
manifest existence of every crying nuisance
in our midst, and the recognized inability of
our civil authorities and Board of Health for
want of means and lack OF power to their
abatement; the widespread conviction of
the absolute necessity for improved sanitation
and hygieDic reform
These subjects. discussed at first socially by
a number Of our thoughtful and intelligent
merchants soon assumed publicity in the form
of a call to the ciiiz ems of New Orleans which
saw light in the public prints March 81, 1879
From the above it will be perceived that it
was he first intention of the founders of the
New Orleans Auxiliary Sanitary Association to
attempt the work of reformation through the
fundamentally of G lmmittee Of Citizens"
Owing to the rapidity with which this call was
signed by several thousands of citizens of all
classes, the little nucleus of merchants around
whom the people so spontaneously gathered
with implicit confidence that whatever
measures were by them adopted would prove
beneficial, determined TO er. ct upon this sub
stantial foundation of public faith an edifce
that will endure until all known avoidable
causes of disease and death, and every insani-
tary hiudrance to human progress and COM
mercial prosperity shall be abated or removed.
This determination was announced to the
Hsl. 1855 :
Permanent organization was effected by the
adoption OF the name, New Orleans Aux
iary Sanitary Association" AID the election
of a President, nine Vice Presidents Ire usurer,
Secretary and Corresponding Secretary
On the 18th of April, 1873, a charter was OBJ
tanned from the State of Louisiana. Article of
| the charter provides that THE purposes and
objects Of this corporation are hereby declared
and specified to be the execution of such meas
ures as are or may be necessary for the pre-
servation of life and the public health, and to
prevent the introduction or spread of diseases,
| and to these ends, to aid and assist the public
author ties in carrying into effect all proper
ordinances or laws relative to public health,
| and to adopt systematic measures for the col
| lection and proper distribution of money or
property derived from voluntary subscription
or otherwise; in such manner as will best
| tend to preserve life and property and pro-
mote the prosperity and health Of the city Of
| New Orleans"
At the first meeting of the members of the
association an executive committee were Sc
lected, whose duties were defined in the by
| laws.
From what has been stated it will be ap-
parent to the members of this body that the
| Sanitary Association, ali of whom were non
professional men, had undertaken a task sur.
| rounded with innumerable difficulties, and far
exceeding their ability. unaided by professional
skill of high order. to conduct with credit to
the association and lasting benefit to the city.
committee of citizens" might no. go far
| wrong in their unaided efforts to abate certain
well known insanitary evils. by the erection of
| works designed to flush the cutters OF the city
| with the fresh water of the Mississippi liver.
| In contriving and building the improved gar
bage boats, so fully described in the paper
| read by Hugh Miller Thompson, ID. D.. at your
seventh annual meeting, the Improvement of
! the draining canals and works Of like char
acter. But the Sanitary Association had as
sumed to perform the hygienic work Of Board
! of Health.
| 1t depended upon a well grounded public
confidence, for the support of movement so
novel in its aims. The need OF large contribu-
tons toward objects of paramount interest
| and importance was fOreseen.
1t was felt that the judcious use of money
in collecting and diffusing sanitary information
| would develop and vitalize an overwhelming
sentiment fayoring sanitary reform. which,
from the lack of positive and active leadership,
lay dormant with the people.
These considerations, and this assumption OF
grave RESPONSIBILITIES Influenced the Executive
Committee to fill the chair of Sanitary Director
by one thoroughly versed in the science Of pre-
ventive medicine and familiar with the medical
Jurisprudence OF the STATE of Louisiana.
Without a dissenting voice, your honored
President, DR.. G. B. White, whose able manage
ment of our State Board Of Health from 1859
to 1876, had given him an unquestioned Feputa-
ton as a sanitarian, was elected Sanitary Di-
rector.
The opportunity for improvement enjoyed by
the lay members, from the intelligeL ce and long
experience of their Sanitary Director. and his
Jealous cooperation with the Executive Com
mittee, has steadily increased its working
power.
1t is worthy of record that within the three
years OF active effort to improve the sanitary
condition Of the city. during which period an
immense amount Of practical and theoretical
work has been undertaken and successfully
accomplished, the most perfect concord has
existed, not only in the deliberations Of the
committee. but in the distribution OF labor i'm
posed upon and cheerfully performed, by men
engaged in other time-absorbing pursuits.
Much OF this unity of purpose may be attri-
buted to tn fact that by resolution early intro
ducei, no discussions foreign to the purpose
for which the association was created is per-
mitsed. And further unlike political bodies,
whose members are elected or appointed, not
because of their special fitness for the duties
they are called to perform, but by reason Of
their political influence or power.