The daily gazette., 1882-02-11
TINE nEALTH DEPAHrmLnr.
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF TIE PREar.
DENT, On. L. r. BUSH.

at the meeting OF City Council, LAS
evening, the annual reports of thu
President and Secretary Of the Board
OF Health were presented and ordered
to be printed. Below is synopsis oi
the report Of the President, DR.. l.. p
Bush I:
The present board entered upon itl
duties May 10, 1881, uader circum.
stances peculiarly difficult. The SO.
verify Of the preceding winter had
interfered with the workings Of the
former board, both as respects the re
moval Of garbage and the cleansing Of
cesspools and alleys and what es-
pecially added to their labors was the
prevalence Of smallpox, which had
spread throughout the city to 9 degree
before unknown. Here the Doctor
details the results that led to the 70.
jeotion OF bevine points and quills and
the Substitution Of crusts for vaccine
purposes.
The report then refers at length 10
imperfect plumbing as being frightiul
source Of much sickness and argues in
the strongest manner the appointment
Of o capable and reliable building com
missioner, whose duty It shall be to In
spect the plans of all buildings TO be
erected or altered both rs regards the
constructions aud materials, and espec-
lally the plumbing arrangements, and
70 make II obligatory upon him 10 care
fully satisfy himself in regard TO these
poiDts, and 90 10 certify TO the builders.
The sewerages Of our city Is not only
defective but is scandalous. No we'll
devised and general plan has ever been
adopted by the city authorities. 1t il n
matter OF great importance.
Unless some proper system of sewer
age ls adopted q terrible penalty Of dis
ease and death awaits the people Of this
city. When this may come Is uncertain,
bnt the fact ls Inevitable.
The large sewer along Shipley run 10
only half constructed, having been made
In sections, and at different times. II
ls In many parts disgusting and dis
reputable nuisance, and the board has
urged and again urges upon your hon.
orable body an earnest and prompt at
teDti0n t0 Its Improvement.
The whote subject calls for and is
worthy Of the most comprehensive and
careful investigation ct the bands Of
your honorable body.
The board has been satisfied that
some means preventing smallpox be-
ing introduced into our public schools
should be taken, bat neither the School
Board nor the City Council, nor the
Board Of Health has felt authorized TO
move In the matter. The board there
fore respectfully suggests that the hon
orable Council memorable the Legis-
lAture ct It's next session to pass q law
making It obligatory upon every child
entering the schools for the first time TO
produce satisfactory evidence either Of
vaccination or Of having had smallpox.
This will 60 very far to bring about the
general use Of this indispensable means
OF protection from this fearful disease.
Besides the protests Of the board
against bovine points and quilts meas
ures were suggested and promptly ems
aoted BY your honorable body with a
view to prevent the diffusion of the
disease by infected families through
confining the inmates within their
houses and supplying the wants OF
the sick and isolated by an sppointee
Of the board, and many other precau-
tionary measures. These measures
the board believe had q great effect in
arresting the spread Of the disease
among US, and although 1t occasionally
struggles up into life here and there Il
has not, and there is no good ground
10 believe 1t will again, for the present
at least, trouble us materially.
Concerning the analysis OF the
Brandywlne water made by Professor
Leeds and j. II. ]. Bush, and the sub.
sequent Investigations made by the
Board, the report sGys:
The board now has the satisfaction
of believing that these nuisances hav-
ing been removed. and heavy rains
having washed out the bed and shores
OF the Brandywine, there 10 less that
is offensive passing into the stream
from above the city limits than hai
been the case for many years.
But there is another source of impu
rity from the northern slope of the
city, which is more to be deprecated
than anything which now comes from
above tho city. This source Of an
noYance must increase as the city in
creases, and must give rise to more
Objectionable condition of the water
We drink than anything which haC
ever originated farther up the stream
Either large sewer along the soutl
side of the river to the western limit
of the city, or the removal Of tho citI
pumps up the stream entirely.beyonC
q point likely TO be reached by tn,
growing population is necessary II
give our people the blessing of purI
water.
The board takes the liberty OF kim
yonr early attention to the revised or
| diuauces OF the Board Of Health whicl
hays been placed before your honorabl
body tor your concurrence. The healtl
| ordinances OF the city enacted at Varl
Gus times and scattered through tn
book Of ordinances ma ie 1t difficLlt I,
know Just what the duties and power
| of the board were. A committee wa
| therefore appointed consisting of Drs
| Draper aud Bush and Mr.. Otto to rsvis
and oondeDse the heath lIws. MucI
care aud deIib r.tion vas q ven to tn
/ whole matter and especially to SOM
i new ordinances which the boa d though
necessary to the efficient working of it
operat on. The board has no deslre t.
incr o itH powers except for the bet
ter prosecution and accomplishment o
the important purposes for which
wa, ordained, the protection 0fths healtl
and life of onr zens.
In 1877 the City Council d.rsctsd tn
printing of a .por on vital statilt'c cs
Including the i've years previous to tha
date. There Is her swith presented
somewhat detailed analysis OF death
since 1875. with such deductions IS tim
would perm to be gathered from Il
imp sIfsct It Is { ue, but aluab1e a. ia
as they 20. as thev con ain material fO
reference, an | as they o more likely {