Telegram-herald., 1889-07-08
TheObSerVer
TIE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Nee - U-k@2lthy a. a -. s~4sr.Ily Bss-
sap pS1ss.-

sagSe.sa-
New Orleans ls arrone0usly supposed
= - the most unhealthy cify "a tbe
tllted st4tes- Bat, iueziag from " what
- saE and heard. Lhls Is na.st4kel
idea. Il i true that 80 tunes, as = the
case IN many other l.rge eitles, violent
epidemics break out, tut tie average
general healtA u TIE clty Is sad - h.
excellent, aud tie average mortality
for several years has been = per thou
sand per snHum not very hlgA,
re should Judge, compared With our
Osn healthy cry, Grand Rapids. The
sanitary condition, taking above hg-
ures, s much better than that
or many Cities more favor
ably located. The drainage sysIem
Of The city Is not what il should be, for
the level Or the city being lower than
the ii Slsslppi On the north and west,
L - Impossible % have underground
sewers, and the open-surface drainage
Is IA use. As New Orleans i i large
port, and as vessels arrive from all
parts OF the globe, there Is necessarily
an immense floating population that
often imports with 10 neN diseases, be-
sides which, the mlldne>s OF thc ell
mate attracts many lucuTable inFallds,
couse Quentiy tie clty Is regarded and
% some extent without cause, as =
siekly port. The coming of sick people
from every part OF the globe, many OF
whom die here, SMELLS the percentage OF
mortality, which, however, should not
be charged To New Orleans.
Situated as 10 IL, near the sea, Il en-
Joys the benefit ot the constant soft
and salty breezes passing up the Gulf
or Mexico. The climate Is nlild and
temperate, SO that smallpox, scarlet
fever, dlphtheria, and other malignant
fevers which rage IN Northern and
Western cities, seldom prevail, and il
Is said never To reachau epidemic form.
Yellow fever epidemics take place at
rare intervals, and IL has OF late years
been considered not native of this
country, and II does not appear every
year, and when IL does appear a few
scattered cases break out IN the end of
July, and disappear. Ii the fever
| takes an epidemic form 1t lasts
until the cold weather of October sets ia.
The citizens say ''yellow fever may now
be considered as stamped out, and will
! not appear again unless Il Is imported.
The health OF the city Is yigilantly
| guarded 10y "a State Board of Health,
under whose management three cth-
| cient quarantine stations are main
| tanned at "a distance from the city, with
great care and expense. AL vessels
and cargOes arriving are Inspected at
| these stations, ana are thoroughly
| tumigatcd and dislnfected with chemi-
| Gals. III the vessels are found to be un-
| clean they are detained at the Quaran-
tine station and thoroughly isolated.
| Heavy tines and penalties are imposed
| for violations OF quarantine laws,
| aud the most summary proceed
| ngs taken to lnforce them
| without the intervention of courts of
law. Besides these precautions, the
! Board of Health have sanitary inspec-
| tors stationed IN each district OF the
city. with u large corps of sanitary Off
| GERS, aided by Il citizens association, to
| watch over the health of each district,
10 vaceinate persons, disiniect houses,
| and abate uuisances. The Board OF
| Health Is also the registry Office for
births, deaths and marriages OF the par
| ish OF New Orleans.