Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-31
FUGACIOUS NEWS
or Interest TO Citizens Picked Up at the
Meeting OF the Legislative COun-
ell Yesterday.

DIR. Thornton Speaks ON Health, an
President MADDEN Outlines the
Policy on Streets.
The Legislative Council met yesterda
| with President MADDEN in the chair and tn
following members present: Messrs. james
Gavin, Kney, Wallace, Lee and Graves.
VACCINATION AGAIN.
The president of the Board of Healtl
made the following report, which was re
ceiYed and filed:
| OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH
MEMPHIS, January 20, Iss2
To the Honorable Legislative Council of the Tax
ing-District of Shelby county:
| GENTLEMEN-In compliance with section
2 of the health ordinance / respectfully
| submit this report of the operations of the
Board of Health for the year ending Deem
Der 81, 1881 | deem some repetition of sub
jects discussed in the two preceding reports
necessary, but will be as brief as possible,
| merely calling your attention to sugges-
tions therein made which have not vet been
acted on from force of unavoidable circum-
stances, as the necessity for action on these
subjects is as great now as then. Though
much has been accomplished in the work OF
local sanitation throughout the whole city
during the past two years, and the COM
| munity is more appreciative of i'm
| proved sanitary conditions and respond
more readily to the requirements of the
| health ordinance, there is much yet to
! be done and a higher standard of
daily routine work to be reached and indef-
nItely maintained to accomplish the ends in
view. The cost of the department for the
l Ill =
IS herewith appended showing In detail the
expense of each sub-department, pay-roils,
garbage service, dispensary, incidentals, ETC.,
compiled by the secretary from monthly
bills rendered and on file in the office OF the
secretary OF the Legislative Council. The
mortality and dispensary tables are compila-
tions of the secretary from monthly statements
made to the Legislative Council. In this
connection l take occasion to mention the
demise of DR.. Arthur B. Aiken, secretary of
this board, who died June 9th of low grade
of malarial fever, young gentleman of
high promise in his profession, who acquit-
ted himself satisfactorily in every respe ct
from the date of his appointment to his
death.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
The general health of the city during the
year has not been marked by the prevalence
OF any one disease to the extent of an cpl
have been so considered, during the latter
part of winter and early spring, which dis
ease prevailed very generally throughout the
State, but was attended with comparatively
little fatality. Two cases of smallpox oc-
curred-one in March, on Avery street, and
one in December, the latter being put off
a steamboat. Both cases were moved to the
county smallpox hospital the day reported
at the health Office, and proper measures
taken to prevent the spread of the infection.
Twice during the year-in March and No
yember-at the instance of this board, you
authorized a free vaccination of those par
ties in the city who would come within the
scope of such a service. Three vaccinators
were employed at a cost, including vaccine
matter, of 1855 so, and the names, ages, places
of residence, etc, of one thousand one hun
bred and eighty persons, mostly children,
are recorded at the health Office as vac
cinated.
THE DEATH RATE
of the city, which has always been high, has
Of late attracted especial attention, as more
study is now given 10 vital statistics and
closer comparisons drawn between different
cities and sections OF the country. The care
full confederation and proper understanding
of this subject, with the view to removing
the causes operating to produce this state OF ,
facts il, in my opinion, a paramount duty.
depends the well-being and future develop
ment of the city. Every death occurring in
the city is recorded at the health office, and
enters into its death rate, which is calculated
upon the government census OF 1880, which,
in the general opinion, was too low at the
time it was taken and is too low now. In
calculating death rate per one thousand of
population have, therefore, made Two state
ments; one with such deaths OF non-residents
which occurred at the hospital eliminated
upon a population of forty thousand lsee
Sholes's Directory for 1880, which gives
population of 46, 800 of the city and imme.
diate suburbs which is assumed to be
nearer correct than the government census,
and one calculated from all recorded deaths
upon the government census OF 1880. 1t is
upon this latter calculation that unfavorable
have been drawn and the city
adjudge1 one of the most unhealthy in the
and whose death rate has been 80
frequently quoted during the past year to its
prejudice. / have no wish TO mislead you
with a delusiye sophistry, or to withhold |
from you and the country at large any facts |
with this department, nor make |
any suggestions which | do not deem con- |
ducive to the best interests OF the city, and |
am DESTROYS of being as exact possible |
not not only in the interest of fair dealing |
but with the view TO have corrected what | |
TO be the sanitary dehcie ncies of the |
city, and especially those conditions which |
are thought to contribute directly to this NOR
tality rate. / satisfied that the pres
emit death rate can be greatly lowered by |
a further improvement in our sanitary
condition. l viii therefore repeat the recon-
OF my first annual report, and
especially urge that those made by the Ma
.ional Board of Health, as set forth in the
'eport Of its sanitary survey OF the city in
he winter of 1879 and spring of 1880, be
icted on TO completion. Many of these re-
have been perfected, but
'thers only partially so. The speedy COM
,letion of the whole sewer system with the
ub-soil drains is especially important and
he improvement Of Bayou Gayoso, not only
IS regards the bayou itself but the ground
within fifty feet OF it equally So As the
leath rate is somewhat affected by deaths in
he city hospital being included in the
weekly mortality reports. introduce, in this
onnection, the following table, taken from
ate report made by DIR. Laurence, hospital
TO the Legislative Council. This
eport is likewise interesting, as showing to
What extent the hospital is resorted to by
esidents of other States. notwithstanding the
are taken by the Board of Health,
which is charged with the duty
f granting permits to applicants for admis-
ion, to carry out its instructions not to adj
ait any of this class which could be dis
'oSeu OF OtneTWlse Inan DY Violation OF
he law of humanity.
Residence OF patients received and died in
ity hospital for the year ending December
Il, 1881: g-District-Received, 1858;
lied, st. Tennessee, outside of city-Re-
eived, 23l; died, IS. Mississippi-Re-
eived, Us; died, 81 Arkansas-Received,
n; died, 81. Other States-Received, All;
lied, 81. Total-Received, l45l, of which
lumber 1913 were admitted on permits from
he Board of Health died, POI.
Out of the 145l patients received only 263
Tere citizens of Memphis, and OF the 210
eaths only Sc were citizens of Memphis, and
hould alone have been credited to its death
ate. Sections 24S, 249 and $50, Hinkels
Digest Taxing District Ordinances requiring
urial permits, embraces these as other 1
eaths occurring in the city. l think it
would be equitable to have some rule def
itely defining what should be regarded I
S citizenship under these circumstances.
The hospital being within the cor
'orate limits, the deaths occurring
here cannot now be excluded from the city
mortality report. To continue to report
hese deaths as belonging to the city is man
testify an injustice; 10 exclude them as long
s the hospital is within the corporate limits