Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-29
TIE SANITARY NEEDS.
The Ordinance Proposed by the Board Of
Health Discussed Before the Board of
Trustees.

Health DISCUSSED BEFORE tle board OF
Trustees.
An ordinance was drawn up some weeks
since. at the request of the Board Of Health
of this city, requiring that all cesspools con-
structed hereafter shall be of brick, cemented,
and also shall be emptied and cleaned out at
least once a year. 1t was read before the
Board OF Trustees several weeks since, and
that body was asked to pass the ordinance.
At that time the document referred to WAS
printed in full in these columns Trustee
Nielsen has apparently been opposed to the
ordinance from the first. Yesterday it was
again brought up by Mayor Brown. Drs.
Cluness and Lame, on behalf OF the Bosrd OF
Health. appeared before the Trustees. and 10
lengthy scientific and exhaustive arguments
urged it's immediate passage. Trustee Mel
sen said the people were not yet educated up
to that point when they would realize or see
the necessity Of complying with the require
ments of The ordinance. That 1t would be
constantly and repeatedly violated the Po-
lice Court would be flooded with business,
more than it could take care Of, and that
iuries would not convict.
Dr.. Cluuess thought the Trustee was mis-
taken. If the ordinance was passed, it could
and would bs enforced. The people of Sac
ramento were intelligent, lsw-abidiug, and at
this time fully aroused to the necessity of Just
such sanitary regulations the Beard was now
asked to enact. He would have the ordinance
passed, and then would not allow it to be
violated under any combination of circum-
stances. During the ak months just passed
he had given this subject more thought
and had learned more ia that time regardingit
than ne had during the entire twenty years
that he had been q member of the Board of
Health. This sanitary measure is . neces-
sityS it must be passed; the good resulting
from It is beyond computation.
Dr. Lame said the ordinance was plain
common sense proposition, and it should not
require any argument on the part of the
Board of Health to convince the Trustees
that IL y7as a matter Of vital Importance, a
thing demanded By the health OF the city,
and in a measure q guard against epidemics
He said common sense ought to teach any
one that it csrtsinly is wrong TO allow poi
sonous matter to escape into the soil.
Elwood Bruner, who was present, said hs |
was very much interested 10 this matter, and |
thought every other citizen in the city who |
had any regard for the health Of the connu-
nifty should be anxious to see the proposed or
dinancs passed. He thought it would be |
short-siphted indeed for the Board to take the |
uninsorme6upon this subj ct, when the entire !
Board Of Health, scientific gentlemen, who |
have made this subject life study, advocated |
its passage SO earnestly.
Mayor Brown proposed reading the ordin- !
ance second time, and putting it on its ioal |
passage.
Trustee Nielsen objected, saying he did not
wish to do anything hastily, and moved to |
postpone action until 10 a. N. to-day. Car |
risd.
IMPORTANCE OF To-DAY's MEETING.
The matter to be considered by the Board |
of Trustees therefore to-day is of the utmost |
importance TO every person living within the !
CITY. As seen by our dispatches yesterday, |
vessel is nog in San Francisco Bay without |
bills Of health, and upon whose deck twenty |
tIo persons have died with Asiatie cholera |
during her present voyage. With tais state |
OF fscts, it is hardly possible that upon a |
second thought any Trustee will dare 60 face |
his constituents with opposition 60 any |
measure which is calculated TO improve the |
present unWholes0me and threatening cOndi- |
ton of our city. 1t would be better 60 sacri- |
fee half the property Ia the city, and secure |
ourselves against the plague, than TO have it !
come aud find such ample food TO live upon. |
II that happens, ten years will not restore US |
to our commercial and social standing-in |
fact it would well nigh be the death Of the |
city.
Citizsus might we'll attend the meeting of |
the Board at 10 a. II. to. day, and note the !
debates and give voice, If need be, to their |
opinions. They viii certainly be listened 80. |
It il not a serious thing that is asked, nor |
costly one. To require old vaults to be !
cleaned instead Of abandoned, to require !
cement walls to pits. 20 require hue TO upper |
air, is not much. Whoever prefers poisonous |
vapoTs to this expense should be known and |
held up to execration.
It is openly talked on the street that one.
at least, Of the Trustees, is opposing the plans
of the Board of Health because he fears i. |
may not be popular to vote fer them, and that |
the vote will rise up IN judgment against aim
on election day. Such a reflection does IN
Justice to the Trustee referred to. It cannot
be assumed that any sworn official would de-
born and set in bis way, but that ne will con-
tinue 60 oppose his Own crude ideas of public
sanitation to the official Judgment Of such
men as Drs. Ciuuess, Hatch, Lame, Mont
comerv and Tyrrell-men who have made
public sanitation the study of years,
and some of whom have given it
more study than is usual with |
not to be presumed. These
doctors, all standing high in their professions,
are srraigoed on one side, and doubling
Trustee on the other. Certainly the LATTER
will see il to be mis- duty TO yield to the off
cial majority, specially instructed with the
duty Of examining and judging L. will, as 3
elsewhere suggests, take all OF
Z year TO complete The sanitation Of tie city, |
and then 1t viii be done bug Ill, compared 60 |
what should be accomplished. we must,
therefore, begin now.