Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-08-13
a GROSS oALuMSr REFUrBD.
Secretary Frazer Refutes the Men
dacKty of q Disappointed Expert.

Secretary Frazer Refutes the Mem
dacity of "a Disappointed Expert.
Editor Gazette: have just received
the July Sanitdrian, published by
A. N. Bell, M. D., of New York City.
Under the head of Editors Table, page
80 of the pamphlet, find the following:
Wilmington, Delaware Reports OF the
| president and secretary of the Board OF
| Health for 1884 Population, So, 900; deaths,
| 1,1g0. More than half, as registered, were
| caused by zymotic diseases; and this Is all
! ,he more significant when taken in connec-
| ton with resolutions adopted by the Board
OF Health against a pending ordinance Tor
| sewering the city, because the manner
/ of doing 1t mot the SYSTEM was not
| in accord with the views Of the board.
| The ratio of deaths per 1000 OF
| population on the basis of the enumera-
i ton given was 20.6, leaving the impression
| that the population Is over-estimated, or all
| the deaths are not reported, as so large
/ proportion OF deaths from zymotic Diseases.
/ In any community, is suggestive Of larger
mortality in the aggregate. Wilmington
has had water supply many years without
i sewerage, and the soil is exceedingly filthy,
| giving rise to and promoting the great pre-,
| ponderance of ~ motto diseases stated, and
i maintaining a condition of receptiyity for
/ infectious diseases of every kind, scarcely
equaled by any other city in the country.
The above is what DIR. Bell has to say
| about the report of the Board of Health
for 1884. II will be remembered that this
same DIR. Bell came to Wilmington in the
spring of 1884 with man the two repre-
senting the National Sewerage and Sewer
age Utilization Company, corporation OF
| the state of New York. These gentlemen
were permitted to present their system to
our City Council, special meeting beng
called for that purpose. 0ur Board of
Health were present. AT that time the
system represented by these gentlemen
was not in use by any city in this
country or any other country it existed
in the imagination of the engineer and
Dr. Bell MS being something wonderful.
They were given n patient hearing. Their
system was investigated by committee
of City Council. Atlantic City was
visited where they stated they had intro
dueed their system, but it was
not completed. The committee found
that the people of Atlantic City did
not represent this paper system to be
such as they would adopt, but these New
Workers desired to try an experiment Of
that place. They expected to experiment
in Wilmington, but they were not per
mitted to SO. After full inyes
tigation of this new system il
! was found to be only imaginary
and the Board of Health of Wilmington
i adopted resolution May 9th, 1SS4-ant
sent il to our City Council-urgint
, Council not to pass an ordinance thel
pending giving away certain privilege
e and franchises for laying sewer pipe
beneath the surface of the streets, lane
q and alleys of the city, and to chnrl til
citizens using the sewers, certain IKE
rates or prices therefor. This is til
u reason why DIR. Bell makes the false It
a port in regard to the health of Whining
i ton. He states that more than half of til
deaths were caused by zymotic diseases
= DIR. Bell has my report before him and |
'e knows that he does not state I'll
rs truth in regard to zymotic disease in tn
:, city in 1884. | will state that of the ], is
deaths but BAL We're caused by zymot
u diseases and say DIR. Bell does not te
lie the truth Again he states that our pop
G. lation is over estimated, chow does
:. know y and that all the deaths are II
reported, or there would not be SO large
it proportion of deaths from zymotic di
Sc eases. The soil of Wilmington is excee
70. ingly filthy, and that we have 10 sewer
and TINT we are in such condition of |
10 captivity for infections diseases of eve
IS. kind scarcely equaled by any other ci
de in the country. This is bold langua
i'll but it is untruthful to an unusual degrt
His language is intended to iniure t
W city of Wilmington abroad, for he stat
he that our sanitary condition is of the We
to | worst character. II is well that q
people rejected. this Utilization Compa
of New York for ms will be seen the
pert, the man with a national reputati
in matters of sanitation, is not to be
,rs lied upon. Wilmington Inns lower tica
ii Ia rate than any other city according to
ZEN population in the north, south, east
he west-much lower than New York O
with all its sewers and utilization co
re. panies, and trumpeting Bells. Our C
me now is unusually clear and healthy j;
l l'ai have good water, clean streets, and
u"' lower death rate than any city in
mr. state of New York, DIR. Bell to the CT
ho- trary notwithstanding, L. b. FRAZER