New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-30
A PIBLIC HEALTH P4RTy.

The mortality tate in New York is high in
comparison with that i'll other large cities IN
tlis country. Recent statistics show II to he
about 5 per 1000 i'll excess of the average III
cities IN the Northern States containing over
100, 600 Inhabitants. 1t has increased from
2419 per LOCO III 1879 to 26.0j in 1So0--an
alarming figure. And vet Ncw-YOrk is the most
favolably situated Of all for the bG ST sanitary
conditions, having facilities for perfect drainage
into deep salt water and the advantage of puro
sea breezcs in the hot months. A large part
of the excess of our death late over that of
other large centres of population may be fairly
attributed to causes within the control Of intel
ligent, conscientious and energetic municipal
government. That is to say, the powers and
resources of municipal authority, il properly
exerted. would reduce the mortality late at
least five per thousand, and thus save the lives
of 5000 persons annually. The saving i'll doe
tors bills to the Survivors and in the value of
time lost by illness would doubtless amount to
many millions of dollars.
This enormous aud needless sacrifice of life
and mOnev ought, one might suppose, to arouse
q public sentiment which would work out in
political action and find way OF securing
remedial measures. 1t does not however, and
probably will not i'll our day. The mass OF our
voters will doubtless 90 on cOntendng over tho
question OF whether one SGT OF politicians or an
other shall distribute the Offices and maladmin-
lister tho affairs of the city. The average citizen
will annually get excited about the election of
Tom, Dick or Harry TO this or that Office, or the
supremacy of one Hall" OF another, but will
not imagine that the death of bis child from
scarlet fever, or the typhus which has racked
his own body and consumed Ills savings of
months, have any connection with city politics.
OF course it is Il UtOpian idea but let us sup
nose that matters were Otherwise-that large
element of the voting population were aroused
TO a sense of the impCI tance and the practical
biity of preventing this annual slaughter OF six
thousand human beings and this great waste
of energy and money. Suppose these intelli-
gent citizens, taking the ground that the pur-
pose of city government is not to manage
National affairs but to promote the health COM
fort and safety Of the people living within its
jurisdiction, should organize a Public Health
party. Such party once formed might pledge
itself, if put in power to bring down the rate OF
mortality per cent year for the next four
FIVE years. Suppose it succeeded in convincing
O majority of the voters that it is more I'M
pOItalJ I'D i've lOnS anu Keep Wcil tIdu 10 put
obscure or ignorant citizens i'll the Board of
Aldermen or to beat Tamnany or anti Tam
many, and thus got possession of the city gov
eminent What could it dOP Would it be able
to redeem its pledge? Unquestionably, if the
officials it put in place had the brains and
honesty to carry out it's purposes. A govern
ment representing such Iarty would clean tho
streets and keep them clean. 1t would inspect
all new buildings before they were occupied,
and ace that the drainage and ventilation were