Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-05-27
HEALTH OF THE CITY
Ef-PREsTDkNT HuSH's LAST IN
kUaL RrpURT. G


~ ora at 'nt. u"p "a .. .'s a
some Recommends j. ,"H>
The i"iluwihS y tue ~ i1.G.,i iir ~ RI y
ihhhn by inr PtrsHr.u. = i..sI. a.. h. IL
, lhe ilnnl iu-rilng ui hs ,rAi i-h3a ~ 4
Health
This meeting ruhcudrs the S.,,r i,r
which the present Honrd t liraliil wins ,i- q
pointed. II If the Nth Year VI thu lf. All =
system, composed VI nv, members. ,nst,at.i y
OF the large body which lrec,eird y
How well the duty entrusted 10 esis,ai.i &
thus constituted, has been ltrIOrn ti,i ist4
been shown in the annual rslori- oI ours
efficient secretary, Edmund u. faz,'f, E>,li
The question may be- asked, whence raStii..,
the necessity Of Il board Of health; Is i,T
the health OF every person OF sufficient in-
portance to himself that lie Will bs induced
to care for 1t, both for his own sake, Us Well
as for that of his family Unfortunately NOT.
No country in tue world has yet reached
such a degree Of civilization as 10 rsii,irr
health supervision unnecessary OH the tart
of the public. Ihr eyslrn has, tia eiofr
been beneilcently adowed ~ gfrrfdnvnt@
and cities but 1t " jit,i 1T tti Il liz,
municipalities III whicn .nese lOanl- ,sNs~' (.
had a full sense uf the itnrorthn,r rit.ir
obligations rs connected with tn. tr,u
As has BEEN inlitmdte,.. IN ,iiil,.sFgii8iis
board involve tie over 'gtt - aN5sA,sl;s,..
| connected with tns h..ita pi Ia ...m
munity. This long r. H. ~i.i nj ,;t,1s
| Teloits eytiy nUnth ai'.tY s.s tsi4
| cellars dHliueI, aH't -. ,..-,,. ls.l.d =.
| up, pilyrs uinrtlpd. ~u',a ia 81. srs5
| matters, AL consplriug 4" y, 4 81, IL
| health of the i'eup'e,lliu ~ b,ct,m .tt,iil-
| of disease aid death, has rt,h- u,itr. l. 4. Il
/ chief work OF the board. IL si',,igs t,s t- q
| impression, loo coniinOn, thai lli''rr i,i.t
/ may be left until they San lu i't,tef a.,
endured, Their influence upon The i,., q, f
| and comfort of tfose who aio Suiis ~ a.
their baneful power Is hot ui,der-tsn,i Or
believed and, hence, their removal l. pot
poned from day to day; Or erl.isH
neglected. The great principle, tndd N
society, man cannot llys Tor IiIns,i i.oiis
but must consider also the inter "a
others, is one of The lasi things whictYnir
selfish and fond OF independence, de-.i, "a
learn.
To assist in this special work, conril
furnishes two executive Officers wi, val
liable and faithful us have l,een their e,.r,
vices, have not been ahe, at ,Ill neasun- OF
the year, to carry out the supervisors ~.
quired In this city, now containing pv
so, 900 Inhabitants, and spreading over r-..ht
square miles OF territory. Tho nunl'"r r
these officers should he increased to four
When the new system was conlmencad an
epidemic, as it might hu called. OF sinaii
pox was rife In the city; its citlz"ns we're
falling under this loathsuna disease Ia "a
siderable numbers, AMI lis business ui.r-
ests were suffering from the reports whh,h
were spread abroad, eSaggerHting thu real
state of the pestilenee The board llnni,.A-s -
u1hltlg ttuOplbu u bbTltS Oh measures, fflAu
which, none more efficient have been lnsri-
tuted anywhere. Every now case WAS
promptly reported, the houses were quar-
antlned and waited upon by Hn officer Of
the board, patients unuhltteep be cared Tor
at home were sent to the hvSpltal, the sick
were required to remain at home until their
recovery was certified by the attending
physician, the residents OF the nelghbnr-
hoods of the affected were ivaceinated or
re.vaceinated, the dead were promptly and
niture disinfected. These measures were
eilectual for the purpose, and the pestilenre
was arrested. The occasion was ons OF
which the importance WIS appreciated by
all, not excepting the city Council WIN
offered every assistance required by ihe
board
At the suggestion of the board, the Coun.
ell Increased the number of city vaccine
physicians to four. The board also asked
that these physicians In required n reJot
monthly or quarterly to it; so that n more
Intelligent supervision of their work might
be made; bu. forgetting the experience of
the smallpox epidemic tho Council te-
fused the request, for reasons hest known
to itself, certainly not In the interest of the
people.
careful supervision has been exereis. Il
over the Brandywine water; and many
sources of impurfty have been abnted Not
wthstanding all the SURVEYS and sngges-
tions which have been made with view OF
getting clear of the How from l,attlesnnke
and Crooked runs, nothing has y beru
effected. 1t is acknowl~d by ali TO b- u
puzzling subject; and na msthoJ has vet
been suggested which will answ at alt
times. 1t would be easy TO dir at their
water away from the south long race, II the
discharge were uniform. but what would
suffice In time Of low water, would be en-
tirely insufficient In time OF q fr,,shet, when
the former, especially, pours II torrent into
the Brandywine from the djaeent hills.
The subject of city drainage and plumb
ing has been repeatedly pressed upon the
attention of Council, and II has looked at
the matter; but nothing has been done. AS
preliminary to the former graded system
was proposed to which all persons laying
drainage pipes should conform, and
although it could be done by the engineer
OF the surveying department without ex-
pense, no attention has been accnIdel ltoit;
so far at least, as the 'bontl is informed,
Twoyears ago, 1t was proposed to place lhe
plumbing OF the city under the supervision
of the building commissioner ant COM
petent plumber; but not the slightest at
tentioh was paid to this very important
measure, in which all are Interested, and 81
which every one woulo acknowledge ths
value, unless 1t be some incompetent
plumber.
Two years ago, the board suggested that
public baths should be established, with the
reasons for the proposition. The plan OF the
board was modified by member OF Council;
and II there had been any real interest In
the matter, In Council. we would now have
two bathing places, Rrtqily TO the comfort
and health OF our people,
The board has urged upon Council the
Importance Of purchasing or lsaslng lot
of ground, outside of the city, where might
be dumped tho refuse from streets and
cutters, instead OF using these foul materials
for the purpose of making the beds OF
streets, or filling up lots In tho city; hut
Council has not heen ahh yet TO 500 that
there is anything IN the suggestion.
These greut failures Of Council to apprs-
ciate the responsibility which res's upon
the representatives of SO large Il city, for
the comfort and happiness, the health aud
life of the people, are lamrnttble. or worse
II 1t we're possible. by Hny languagr thlt
could ba employed, to WAKE up t..r Hnhpr-
ties of this city to take inb, earnest c"u-
sideration their duties il ri'giLri la ihn
suggestions of the BHrI "f Health above
mentioned, instead uf ,n,ahrssly ih,nMing
them aside, ~ II coming tr'm M irtn"Hnt
or Incompetent source. the, would hnv"
gained thr respect OI nll ihinLin2 nriniwr4
of HI" community.
II Is il chronic di-nrtli', ~ Cnunct
always ~ treat lightly 'i.. ,..I"at's 81 ~,
Bourl ~ llnlth Is to'itHlfG ~ uAie'"
II has h"rt the c;lsr lur year 'nl l. I,,'I
peculiar 10 any party, any 'its..; hut
nevertheless, ! am satisfied flat ilui"
boards will NOT fail Ia rr't-srri thr great
value To the people ot the various mrasur%
which have been proposed rrnm tim" in
time, and the NECESSITY IA he substantial
wealth and happiness Of this and every
community, for the lis's OF Hll ni'Whs witch
mnk" fpr heath, an ihn n'ur,v1l d" all
causes which invitr -'"ku" i"d y" i
|. l. irsW
President of TIE Is ard Of ~ aiil
asu..-