The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1883-06-05
LOCAL NEWS.
THE DOCTORS TALK.
They Are Divided as to Whether or Not
the Fertilizlng Works are
Nuisance.
The Establishment of a Board of Health
Recommended and Other Good
Suggestions Made.

The Medical association met last evening In
Commissioners Court, DIR. Chew presiding.
There were present Drs. +. Herff, Adolph Herif,
Amos Graves, G. Il. Cupples, G. Graham Watts,
Jules Braunnagel, Berry, Terrell, X. Menger
and Il. e. Il. King.
The Secretary having read a communication
from the Mayor, enclosing a report from the
City Physician respecting the location of the
fertilizing works upon public health, and ask
ing their advice DIR. Graham Watts presented
the following
REPORTS FROM THE COMMITTEE
appointed to investigate the matter:
In answer TO a communication addressed to
the Western Texas Medical association from
the Mayors Office of the city of San Antonio,
we, your committee appointed to Investigate
the matter, beg to report that on Thursday,
the Dist ult we made personal inspection of
the Fertilizing companys works. which is car
ried on on so limited an extent that we cannot
regard IL, per Sc as inimical to the health of the
city, nor can we, owing to its elevated posi-
ton, regard 1t as nuisance, for the following
reasons:
First-It cannot he proven that the parts of
the city that would directly suffer from the
emanation, are more sickly now than they
were before the erection of this establishment.
Seoond-lt Is, as yet, an open question
whether the morbihc substances causing the
zymatic diseases are conveyed through the air
as a medium.
Notwithstanding the above facts we
cannot positively say that 1t is not II source CT
danger and that such an institution should
not in any event be allowed within the city
limits.
While the above answers the simple question
propounded by the city authorities, we feel
warranted in going farther and stating that the
great danger les in the present mode of re-
moving the excrements from the vaults to the
fertilizlng companys factory, as the expert
enco or all cities has conClusively proven great
danger results from the privy vaults system.
We would suggest that this be abolished and
the dry earth" closet be substituted. The
closet box or barrel,supplied by the Fertilizing
company be thoroughly disnfected both before
and after removal.
In conclusion we respectfully suggest to the
Council that while the members collectively
and individually are ready at all times to give
advice ON sanitary questions, 10 is manifestly
necessary that n Board of Health should be az
pointed by the municipal authorities with full
power for the direction and ordering of such
sanitary measures as they may deem advisa-
BILE in the interest of the public health, and
that no further reason for such action need be
adduced than the present mortality I'm the city.
Drs. King and Tyner wanted TO amend the
report suggesting Board of Health, but their
motion was lost.
Respecting the fertisling works, DIR. f. Herff
believes that the works were bullion erroneous
principles and should be removed, Dr. Menger
did not think the work injurious to health, and
while he was City Physician no complaint was
made against them. DIR. Barnitz moved that
the report be adopted. DIR. Tyner agreed with
DR.. Herff, but did not think the association
should positively recommend removal of the
works. The report indicated that i would be
better to remove the works, and il the City
Council thought so, they would remove them.
DIR. Watts did not regard the
WORKS AS NUISANCE.
The main question was the manner in which
| the matter was removed. Some discussion
| then ensued upon mishaps and mismanaRe-
ment OF the Fertilizing company. Ultimately
the report was adopted and the City Council
were recommended to have all the .privy
| vaults cleaned, to do away with the vault sys-
| TEN, and to adopt the dry closet system. The
association then decided to continue discussion
| on sanitary matters at future meetings and
| then adjourned.