The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-24
THE CITT'S HEALTH.
Indianapolis One Of the Most Salubrious Cities
in the World, According to Figures.

or about thirty week. It is low estimate to
place the population Of the city at IS, 000 which
would be an increase Of less than 1000 a year
since the census of 80. But assuming that pop
ulation, the death rate is In so or Is in 900.
This is q record Of general healthiness unsur-
passed by any city in the United States or the
world and eGualed by very few rural districts.
where many of the most dangerous and prolific
sources of disease in cities never appear. The
average Of deaths in the cities of England was
reported in 1871 at % in 1,0OO and in the rural
districts at 1885, Two years ago the death rate
of London was officially stated to be % in 1000.
an Improvement in twelve years, due to more
effective sanitary measures. The lowest rate in
the rural districts was reported at Is in 1000,
and that found in less than one-fourth of them.
Many ranged near 20, and most above is.
The death rate of Paris in 1882 was % in 1000
That of Vienna. % in 1000. Philadelphia, boast
ing itself the eathiest city il the United States,
showed death rate Of 20 in 1000 year or two
ago. indianapolis beats them all. in an assumed
population that is certaialy below the real num-
her, If we allow the number to be, as it proba-
bly, is, go 900, then our death rate is but little
more than 16 in ], 900, proportion far beyond
sanitary competition of any city of the same size
of which we have any report.
This condition of unusual health has succeeded
one of unusual prevalence of malarial and period
ical sickness. III the second year of the settle
ment here, every soul, or body was down more
or less with the "fever'n ager, except three and
for whole generation the ''chillsn came back to
their victims as regularly as the seasons. Many
Of the older inhabitants expected spell Of the
shakes" along about "dog days" or watermelon
time" and thought no more of it than the topper
of his next days headache At that time the
river bottom was densely wooded, crowded with
weeds and underbrush. and cut up by bayous,
that became nOisome ponds when the river
went down to low water mark. There were
swamps all about, and some even in the city.
The east end Of the postofice site was swampy
spot that grew swamp flags as late as I843.
South Pennsylvania street, from Maryland to
the creek, for half square west to the Meridian
street slope, and east to Virginia avenue and be-
yond, was swampy, and school boys amused
themselves stirring up bubbles of infiammable
gas from the swamp mud aud setting them on
fire. There were several large ponds, too. in the
town, and some like the graveyard pond" close
by. No wonder the air was full of malaria.
tt noted by Mr.. Nowland and the late His
tory of.the City," that the treatment Of malarial
fever and ague with quinine, or its early substi-
tute. "bark and wine"-the 'bark" from which
the sulphate Of quinine is made-and which has
proved as nearly a complete specific as the
pharmacopeia contains. was introduced here in
the general malarial prostration of 1921, by DR..
Isaac Coe who. some years later was the first to
practice homeopathy here. He was one of FIVE
young and efficient doctors who came in 1921,
seemingly by sort of providential arrange
ment, just in time for the calamity of that year.
These we're DR.. Coe DR.. Sam G. Mitchell, DR..
Kenneth Scudder. Dr. Jonathan Cool-in a few
years ruined by dissipation-and, best known of
all, DR.. Livingston Dunlap founder of our City
Hospital. The i'll repute Of the new settlement,
then selected for the State capital repealed or
discouraged immigration for long time. and the
town had outgrown its local disease long before
it had outgrown its bad name. 1t was the favor
tie haunt of the chills in all outside report for
good while after it had become as healthy as
Madison, and White river valley was everyway
q more desirable region than the Wabash valley.
With the completion of the first railway. in lS47,
and the progress of the railway system, the ma
larial disturbance abated, and has now cisap-
peared as completely as the famous RED
Death" of romance except as it appears once in
while here, as it does everywhere, andswill as
long as there are unwholesome exhalations off
the surface for the air to carry into everybody's
lungs
The improvement of the country about the
city, the Improvement of the streets from coun-
try lanes full of hog-wallows and puddles, to
paved or graveled roadways, with cutters; the re-
moval Of filth and sewage matter from places
where its off givings would do mischief; the bet
ter construction and care of residences and bust
ness houses; dryer cellars. higher floors, better
ventilation. more equable heating, more regular
habits, begotten of better and older established
community. will explain the change. at first
view wonderful, from the universal preva-
lence OF malarial diseases to their general dis
appearance as an epidemic, and the attainment
of q sanitary condition unequaled by the cities
of the world that boast highest Of their improve
ments and favorable health conditions Our city
certainly began its course in the ''goas-you-
please" match for the prize of the lowest death
rate under about as unfavorable conditions as
any city in the Union ever did, but the official
reports show that she has bravely passed them
all and may fairly claim the wreath of the