The Baltimore County union., 1883-11-24
SANITATION IN TowsoNTowN AND
VICINITY.
Report OF DR.. J. Piper--A Paper that
Should Receive the Closest
Attention OF Everyone.
Tovsosrous. November 2Oth. ls'

TowsoSrowS. Nov vcnber goth, 1855.
| To TnE Hon. BoAnb oP CouNTY COMMISSIONERS
GeHtisHes--i have the honor 10 submit the fol-
lowing report: Comparing the health report for
! ToSsOn,oWn aud vicinity with that Of this period
las, year, We have much upon which TO cOngraiu-
! late ourselves.
On Nov. Let. lss2. thirty seven cases of typhoid
fever were reported--six proving fatal. Seven.
teen oi these occurred 10 the country and twenty
| In the town. For the same period. six cases of
diphtheria. three Of which we're fatal aud all
! curing In the country. Several years previous
| ussnl severe criieuc oi scarlet fever prevailed,
spmr feScuiy eases occurring in town aud country
! and tselt g proving fatal. This summer and tall
We have hal but nine of phoii fever, ;ht
I Of these in the ioNn and one in the country, and
all ending IN recovery seven eases of diphthcFia
'uf ~ the town and three ia the county, two
/ proving fatal one ease uf scarlet fever in the
] town. which, recovered. aud ia clses of measles
/ aud ~ deaths Other diseases were at their min.
imuni. aad bat Que death reported, and that IRON
! old age. IL u q noteworthy fact that these
ol typhoid fever were in hausss anl section of
the inSn new {" the disease. and there was not
one ease where II prevailed last year. The infer
encc 20 be drawn from this l. that the removal of
the human excrcta wherein lie the fever germs
and by means Of which IL spreads) prevented its
recurrence IN the old localities. On careful invos.
tigaiiOn IL i my decided opinion that these cases.
! this year originated from parties attacked fTe.
/ queniiug thc colorci camp meeting. which
l uuueu IN Session mere Tor thfcc weeks anu was
largely attended. The same ground has been
used for this purpose for many years. Such
scmblages, ON the borders Uf our village, without
the slightest regard to sanitation, are 60 be con
dcinned. and trust tina, the statement published
/ IN the papers nj the time, that no more camp.
meetings we're To be held here. l. true. In san
i,ary point Of view they are nuisances and should
only be allowed under certain stringent sanitary
regulations.
! | must reiteTato ahat have stated before that
while We enjoy grca, natural advantages aud in
general have excellent health here, ought while
We are young % take proper measures 60 pFolong
and rerpetuatc thesc blessings, and no. when We
arr ovcrgrown fail into the dcplotabc condition
| so graphically described by Dr. Chancellor in hi
very able AMI exhaustive report of the epidemic
Of diphtheTia that prevailed in Frederick city in
the fall of 1851. With the bcs, interest. 81 this
community ai heart. with M intention of iniuring
| person or property. but with earnest desire 20
do all the good 10 people who have uniformly
treated mc well and whose interests are Identical
with mine. I shall again refer in this report 20
matters which concern u all. Aud in this cobnec
tion will say that report. entirely yolun-
| tary that the sanitary Law does not provide for
them, but that We though, II proper iha, your
Honorable Board should be kept informed IN all
| matters appertaining % sanitation. aul with the
additional object or trying 60 awake an interest in
this important subject by publicly referring 20 the
causes of disease. in our miist aud their prevtn-
]
our humble abilitio' the apaihc;ic and non think
ing into an intelligent appreciation of the subject;
| What was. therefore. my astnnishment and disap-
! pointmcnt 20 learn that the publication Of my
/ report Of Nov. isi. iSS2 that my suggestions met
/ not only with no response. but that was ahso
lutely condemned by some very intelligch; eiti-
! zcns Of this town, who openly proclaimed | had
| done and was doing great injury 90 property in.
tcres,s here. and used this disappruvai 81 my
eoarscto prejudice my reapp"inimen'. Hal these
| good citizens called u town meeting aud in y'ab
/ lie ir1y instituted measures o. abitc the giatiug
/ and dangerous nusances referred TO. they would
/ not have been 50 much like the ostrich. who. be
cause It's heads hidden, fsncies one clso in the
wide world outside can see IT, dareer and who u
absurdly unconscious Of IL itself Or like another
class. who. rs long as they live. will persist in
making mountains nf mnc-hlls, aud who, having z
never read the sanitary law. or II they have have
failed 10 comprehend its limited power and want
Of Jurisdiction, have found fault with the inspcc.
tors for every mud puddle and unsavory smell
that greeted their fastidiOus senses the streets
and public highways-who have mistaken a de-
posi-. Of soap.su1s Tor something worse-have in
! sisted upon the instant removal Of an innucuous
brush heap and have tried 20 stop the taking
| away Of nuisance because its nosotne yapors for
the time affected the air they snusrd.
When nuisanccs exist. over which the law gives
US control, We cordially invite attention and pledge
our secresy 10 all infurmers hut the people ought
10 60 upon pirate property and abaic nuisance.
detrimental 60 health thereon. and also 10 enquire
into the causes of epidemics. We have in reality
In several instances gone beyond i,s provisions in
trying to abatc nuisanecs. and the present Board,
the most liberal and enlightened ,ha; /; has been
my good fortune 20 have dealings with. has in its
discretionary power stretched Il 10 the uitnos, and
the citizens Of this and other towns ought To know
| of iis liberal construction Of the Law and how
much the said ctiSens are in ts debt for iaveT-
I received and benefits conferred. These same
Commissioners have boautiiicd our streets and
sidewalks on several streets. by grading the same
at great expense have furnished ~ with lamps
| have given tho inspectors garbage carts de-
mand have cleaned up the alleys have In sew
eral instances constructed drains. and have al.
ways manifested liberal spirit in giving Us the
| utmost the law allows. and s0me;hing more. II
now rests with the citizens to DO more To per-
feet system of drainage; TO pave the sidewalks
| 50 that dry walking in winter may be afforded to
| the invalid as well a. 10 the robust 90 improve
| the alleys by proper grading and paving: 10 in
sit upon total bani.hment Of hog-pe and IL
! we must have horse and COW stables to have them
located in tho least Objectionable places; TO 80
construct and locate the privY vaults in their re-
la,ion 10 our wells that the latter may not be az
fcctcd and that they may give the least oacnso 20
sight anil smcliand be least detrimental 90 health
| o. have the wells sunk deeper 80 10 avoid sur
! face drainage and thereby secure pure water for
drinking and cooking purposes 10 have removed
.anN 'ege's.'oh anu s,aghan' po',s !" nave COZ
'eS'ea . IN .a'e pace ,nc 'e.use oI Ntcnens anu
o'her wastes win view 20 'as't removal AZ sho',
intervals oy regular -ys'em o. Carriage eat's' anu
10 see that our outhouses are kept clean, our eel
lars purified and the drains kept open and rcgu.
'at! ais'h'ec''u'
To effect these objects the citizens must make
up their minds 10 move actively in the matter
Fret, by pcitionins the Legislature for act Of
Incorporation. making property qualification
for the voter, or to obtain the passage Of an act
investing the County Commissioners with power
TO select suitable individuals. irrespective Of par
~. to govern the town. Either method would
secure compe,eit, intelligen, AMI public spirited