Daily Republican., 1883-10-16
TUESDAY, OCTOBER I6, lss3.
aslsrtsus Diseases.

With the exceptions Of the months OF
July and August, the New York Board
ef Health has been able to keep down
6alOw the usual standard the death rate
nf the city. In the months mentioned
tho fatality amongst children was un-
usually large but the fatality was not
attributed to malarial causes as in the
case of adults. Extra efforts were
made by the Board to prevent the
spread especially Of typhoid fever,
which is now as much to be dreaded
amongst us as consumption. In the
search for knowledge and information
in relation to typhoid, the Board dis
covered facts never known before and
which will no doubt prove of great ben
e2t in checking diseases in the future.
They assert that there is no reason to
apprehend an epidemic OF the disease
although a great many cases have been
brought to their notice. During four
weeks three hundred and seven cases
we're reported, but these instead of be-
ing confined to any particular locality
we're spread all over the city, the bulk
OF them, however, predominating in the
tenement house district where the sew.
orage and other sanitary arrangements
were not so good as in the houses occu-
pied by the wealthier class of people.
1t was EOticed AS something remark
able that while typhoid cases apparently
increased in New York other zymotic
diseases, such rs smallpox, measles,
scarlet-tever and diphtheria, which
have similar origin, were not as pre-
valent this year as heretofore and the
physicians are considerably puzzled to
account for it. Ordinarily they say
typhoid fever occurs quite as often in
isolated and healthy country towns
and villages as in the larger cities, and
some OF the cases which come under
the notice of the Board of Health of
New York, are attributed to the fact
that persons who have been spending
q part of the summer in the country
have come back to the city impregnated
with the germs of typhoid.
This is a new discovery and raises the
question of whether drainage by sewer.
ing is entitled to so much credit in keep
ing down malarious fevers. As an evil
dence that country towns are not ex
empt from the disease the Board reports
that typhoid fever is prevalent in Am
herst, Massachusetts, which, though
cOntai ming a college Is by, no means
large town AMI occupi healthy loCa-
tiOn. Besides tbs cases amongst the
iDhabitants there were 80 many amongst
the students that there was and is still
some talk of closing the collega. As
usual it was found that the drainage of
the town was III 4 bad condition, that
is the surface drainage had been ne
elected. Cleanliness is required to
keep off diseases and no matter how
healthy location it may be it can soon
be made uuhealthy by carelessness
and neglect in permitting he collection
and decay Of vegetable matter. AS
general rule the decay Of vegetable mat
ter is the cause Of the most of the mala
rious diseases that affect rs. The decay
OF few rotten potatoes or heads Of cab
bage in cellar will very suddenly in
feet the whole house with malarlous
Odor which usually results in typhoid
or some other disease of kindred char.
acier. After all that is said upon the
subject, the whole question resolves it.
se,f into question Of cleanliness that
is, not only cleanliness of person, bur
cleanliness of TIL premises, the village,
The town or the city. If that one rulc
of Cleanliness is enforced, typhoid aud
all other zymotic diseases vii. md il
their greatest foe.