The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-08-14
Causes Of Death
IN THE CITY DISCUSSED BY An EMINENT PHYsI.


CIAN.
Editors Dispatch: Some Of my friends
have complained about my calling attention
10 the fact that this city is not as healthy IS
il should be. They do not deny the fact,
but object TO its being made public. | be-
licYe when you have fostering sore that
IL Is bad practice TO hide 1t; it is better to
expose, inspect, cautCrize, and heal it. So
with all Of the condition, which make the
death rare too great in Richmond. IL they
are exposed, Inspected, and treated, this
citv will be one OF the heatbicSt IN the
world The city authorities, from all that
| can see. will need heavy and broken doses
OF alopOthic physlC 10 make them alive 10
their obligations, bot II you will give
them the doses through your columns,
IL will supply The medicine by sn
occasional article. No man can with truth
say that | have Y motive in doing this
except for ,he good Of the city.
Attention bas been called 10 the danger
Gus character OF the water from springs and
well, in the corporation, and the people adj
vised not to drink from them; but The only
| way 10 stop the people from using The water
is 10 shut up the wells and springs. have
been told that the city has no authority to
do this. Whether tdiN j. 50 or not. know
/ She has the legal right to close the springs
and wells on her own property. One 81 these,
called the City Spring, and situated at the
end Of Seventh street, is pr0lflc source OF
disease. She has the rignt TO tell as good
man a. John Il. Davis that the we'll ~ his
ssable-yard, to which 50 many people resort
! for it, supposed medical virtues, is fruit
ful source OF danger. She can tell hotel
keeper, who, | know, often supplies his
guests with spring or Well water, that he Is
giving them disease, and thus make him
take better care of the stranger within
her gates." II she has not tue legal right
10 close an The wei 5 and springs In the
town she can get il, have no doubt; and
when she does this. and thus cOmpeis the
people to drink the water from the river,
whic1, no matter bow scarce and muddy,
i, at least helllhy-she viii add to her
own revenues by the increased water-taX
She will receive. Fortunately we are
promised soon an abundant supply OF
| river water, The y'ry mud Of which disin-
fect- and deodOTiZe- it Of any accidental
| huFtful qualities.
Another serious cause Of disease Is the
custom, for several ycIrs, Of digging up
some Of the streets Of the city during the
summer months. and exposing the yegeta-
! be and animal matter, with which the sur
f9ce.sOH is -Oakcd % the July and August
sun. The foul Yapors which spring from
/ this cause produce 81 nat doctors call ZymO-
tie diseases. and swell our mortality lists.
I. there not time enough between October
and June 10 do this Kind Of work?
Fortunately The tISk 0f "leyell.Bg" this
city i "A difficult. long, and costly one, FOR
when we accomplish o., if we ever DO, asd
destroy the naturally good surface drain
age. keeping up 10 The mean Tine the pre-
| sent badly-Duht and imperfect sewerage,
| the place will be uulnhabiiab.c. Ia truth,
| i'm many place, the sewerage i wTetched.
often the sewers are insufficient; others
are badly constructed, leaking, tIilnS the
soil around them with their contents, when
hv eravi'y settle sometimes from height
! into The open cellar Of some poor
wretch VINO lives upon lower Level:
Some people are kept with doors asd
windows closed these sin ng nishis 10
avoid The foul Odor which the Opeo.mOuth-
ed and ultrapped sewer belchtS forth,
filing the air win ~ pe>ulent stench.
TINS, too. when a barrel OF water would
6ll the tap and stop the escape OF gas;
thiS win = great river flowing a. our feet,
i'm this ace Of progress and civilization.
Yet how indignant we get when some
writer thul tliN y N'iih lf"f w. " ''''. NHN
speaks Il us as being 20 far behind the
times
Another reason for the heavy dealh.rate
i, the absence Of public charities for the
sick poor Of The city. feel sure | am
within bound, when say that there is no
city Of ,b4 same : ze IN the civilized world
which sTends a. little in public charities as
the ci Y Of R.chmand. don't believe there
Is another city as big in the world without
public hospital. Private charitles-all
honoI 70 them-there are IN numbers; but
when labOring.min IS disabled by accident
or ,icf ness, and poverty pinches him and
hi. children, he depends upon the ehlriiy
OF some kind doctor and bis good neigh
bors. n he appells 10 tue city be Is sent 10
the " poor house." II he gets out Of there
alive be feel, Whether rightly or not, de-
graded IN his Own and his nelghbOrs' esii-
NATION. and il no longer useful citizen.
Many Of the sick poor, espt ci1lly the col0Ied
ones, suffer and die for want OF welI-ar-
ranged public dislenssries and public char
tiles.
shut up the open wells aud springs; Fix
the sewers give Us plenty OF river water
stop digging up the streets 10 midsummer
and leyelhDg down 'he city; drain the stag
nant ponds; and Richmond will soon be
Justly re- arded a. one OF the healIhlest
cities In tho worlJ. Meg.
HoTorP's CELEBRATED fIRsr-PsEhiVh