Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-13
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
Interesting Letter from DR.. Mattocks-
Platt Walkers New Paper.
At the Chamber of Commerce yesterday the
following Interesting letter was read.

Interesting Letter from DIR. Matt0cks-
Platt Walkers New Paper.
At the Chamber of Commerce yesterday the
following Interesting letter was read.
FARIBAULT, Dec. 9, 1881.
F. A. FogR, Secretary, etc Dear Sir: In reply
to yours OF the 7th, would say that 80 far as the
mortality Of st. Paul Is concerned the records of the
office are complete, up to the time Of my leaving
office, and doubt are not now.
The comparative mortality can be had by applying
to the secretayof the national board of health, at
Washington, or maybe DR.. Hand has the data
Let me say to you, however, that, with the excep-
ton Of the year $780, statistics entirely vaueless
for they are all predicated upon estimated popula-
tions-miRht as well estimate mortality. Ard again,
many cities simply require or rather ask the phys
icians to report deaths, when we have always re-
quired the certificate before burial was permitted
thus making our records almost exact and again total
death rates tell little nothing. It is the Zymotic
or preventable diseases. Deaths by accident speak
well for the thrift Of city. However, am glad to
see that the chamber Of commerce is alive to the i'm
porance Of municipal health, and hope they will act
wisely, or not at all.
Permit me to make suggestion or which are the
result of my long experience in this department.
First-The health board must be entirely dissasso-
cated from politics. Its efficiency depends largely
been forced upon tho health officer by outside par
tes to whom he must look for his position. Let me-
however, state in this connection that this does not
necessarily reflect upon the present inspectors They
are good men think.
Second The board of health should be composed,
if there be board, Of men who take some little in
terest in health matters I think, however, one
commissioner of health is better than board. The
health department should, like the executive, law
and engineering departments be represented by q
single man. Suppose the mayor, city engineer, OF
city attorney had to wag tail of six senior alderman
how long would 1t take them to turn around do you
suppose?
Third-The moral effct of kind or encouraging
word from the chamber Of commerce to the health
fSNorv hvaa Ahak so
used to think it would. The experiment, hohevsr,
was never tried on me, or, SO far asI know, upon
any OF my predecessors or SUCCESSORS in office.
Pardon me these suggestions, but the health de-
partment Of st. Paul was always as dear to me as
was the schccl department to my father. Yours
very truly, BREWER MATrooKs,
Secretary Fogg submitted partial report
On health statistics and the matter went over
one week.
The following was adopted.
WHEREAS, Mr.. Platt B. Walker proposes to
establish in st. Louis a weekly jour nal devoted
to the improvement and commerce of the
Mississippi river.
ResoIued, That the st. Paul Chamber oil
Commerce hereby expresses it's approval ol
the undertaking, and its confidence in Mr.
Walkers ability to carry it TO successful
issue, and recommends his hearty support by
the citizens of this city.
The proposition to rent the chamber fol
real estate auction sales and for clerk rooms
was voted down. Judge Flandrau's resigna
tion was read and referred to the committee
on nomination. Adjourned