Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-20
DRAINAGE IN THE SUBURBS.

What Physicians Say About the Health
of the City and the Necessity for Bet
ter Drainage.
savannahians have had reason 10 con-
graduate themselves this year upon the
average good health of the city. Especial
" is this true of the summer and fall.
The death rate was low, exceedingly low,
among the whites
DR.. Mcfarland, the local health officer,
said few days ago that the mOrtuary re-
ports OF the past lew weeks show that the
city has been unusually healthy. The
usual local feyers. Intermittent and mala-
rial, struck comparatively few victims
September, which is malaria's own month,
came and went, and the quinine market
scarcely felt perceptible boom. The i'm
proved sanitary condition was accredited
10 improved drainage and a cleaner city.
Within the past fortnight, however ma
laria has been busy claiming victims in
the southern section Of the city. The
great danger heretofore was imagined to
be from the river, and the northern part
OF Savannah was cOn-idered the least de-
siraDle for residence. Physicians
admit, however, that they are now making
more visits to the suburbs and treat more
cases Of malaria and more feYers beyond
the park and Anderson street than they
have ia previous years, when the average
health OF the city was about the same as
it is now.
The reason Of this Is explained by the
immense amount OF water which has
fallen within the past few weeks and
which has not drained Of. From Laurel
Grove cemetery east to the White BLUM
road the ground was for days virtually a
vast lake Of water, although very shallow.
A prominent physician said yesterday
that few days ago he was called 10 at
tend a patient VINO lived back OF Con-
cordia park. AS he drove out the
wheels of his carriage were hardly
out of water from the time be
left the tOil-gate until he reached the sick
mans house. The road was covered with
water two or three inches deep, which
was running across from the west side
towards the Savannah, Florida and West
ern railroad The water in the mans
yard was ankle deep, and it was three
inches deep under mis- house. The case
was quite serious one Of fever.
Nearly every physician has two or three
cases OF some malarial fever south OF the
city. The whole country between the
southern limits and Cuyler swamp is full
OF small basins which, at every heavy rain.
1iil up. The water not being able 70 run
OF remains in the pools until it is evapo-
rated. Not only is the health Of the peO-
pie living ia the suburbs adjacent TO these
ponds endangered, but that Of the whole
city Is also.
Luckily the rains came late, when the
cool weather lad about begun. As a
physician observed yesterday. had such
large amount OF water fallen in June.
the result could hardly have been any
thing but serious, The not summer suns
would have sucked up the poison into the
air, and the south winds would have
scattered IL broadcast over the city.
No epidemic nor no very serious spread
OF local tevere is feared by the physicians
this year, for 10 Is now too late aud winter
is too near. There Is danger, however.
from these malaria breeding ponds In the
future. The remedy Is drainage. The city
authorities have been extending the sys-
tenn Inside the limits, and the county au-
thorites have done a great work beyond
the city limits. The chain-gang Is kept
busy every working day ditching and
draining.
II has been suggested that before an
other summer the cOnyicts be set al work
draining the land south Of Savannah and
between tue cemetery and the savannah,
Florida ana Western railway tracks.
This road aud the Charleston and Savan-
nah road are both drained, and the water
is conducted by long ditcbes into Cuyler
Swamp canal. A gentleman yesterday
proposed that the water be led from this
tract OF land by cross bitches 10 the rail
road bitches, whence 10 could iiOw of cas-
lily and quickly. This was Of course sup
posing the volume would not be so large
ms 70 raise an objection from the engineers
OF the railroad comnautea