The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-19
THE CITY'S GOOD HEALTH
DIR. J. @. LBHARDY's REPORT TO
TIE SANITARY ASSOCIATION.

"A Creme tory accommodate for the
5caysngsr Depsrtment-Others SAM
tary Questions Discussed.
The regular quarterly meeting of the
Citizsns' Sanitary Association was held at
the Office OF Secretary Murphy on Drayton
street last night. The attendance was not
large and the business OF the meeting was
disposed Of in a short while.
Second Vice President Col John Screven
presided.
DIR. J. c. LeHardy read his report as
medical director VI the association, which
was received and adopted. The report is a
very important one:
''The health Of the city has been very
good this year, and the meteorological indi-
cations are that 1890 will pass without an
epidemic. Much of this gratifying condi-
| ton is due to improved sanitation; for this
you are entitled to no small share of credit,
! as IL is mainly through the exertions of
your ASSOCIATION that these improvements,
SO beneficial to every citizen. were brought.
about. Your committee on public
tealth, by holding It's meetings reg
hear and act upon the reports of your
inspector and of their own members upon
subjects appertaining to sanitary matters,
have been enabled to accomplish in a great
measure the ends for which your body was
| created.
"They have kept the city authorities and
the public fully apprised OF all sources OF
danger to the public health, which have
come to their notice through your inspection
| or otherwise. The weekly published reports
| OF the condition of the market and articles
sold therein have resulted in great improve
ment, as will be testified by those who
habitually attend market.
-. A.
| city authorities have been induced to i'm
prove the sanitary condition of the market
house aud its surroundings, and by expos
| ing the bad practice of dealers, having
some punished by fines and the stock Of
others destroyed. the same officer has sue
ceeded in improving the quality and whole
someness of the daily food supply Of our
people. Through the correspondence of the
committee on public health with the city
authorities, the Central railroad, the Sa-
vannah Florida and Western Railroad and
other owners of low lying lands on the east
ern and western sides of the city, and
through their repeated public ex-
posture of the unsanitary condi-
ton OF these lands, the great improvements
In the drainage and general keep Of the
same has been brought about.
THE QUARANTINE QUESTION.
"As regards quarantine. a matter Of vital
committee have felt themselves compelled
to draw public attention to the many abuses
TO be found in the system now in use in this
port to the long and unnecessary detention /;
to the vexatious and contradictory orders
given to ship masters by the health authort-
ties, and to the high charges for fumgation,
etc., which have resulted in driving away
the summer trade naturally belo1 ging
here.
| I'VE are now promised by the city au-
thorities such changes as will put our quar-
antine system on a par with those of New
York and Of New Orleans, and it is to be
hoped that In the near future these prom
ises will be realized; that the ancient policy
of shutting out trade will be superseded by
one more in accord with the present state Of
civilization and scence that commerci Il
nations all over the world will be invited
to send their ships to us under the pledge
that If clean and in healthy
condition they will be allowed free
pratique at any season, and that if
otherwise, their detention will be as short as
is compatible with public safety: that the
charges for any sanitary measures neces-
sary will be as low as possible, merely
sufficient to cover exg enses 1t should not
be the policy of any city to derive a revenue
from its quarantine service. since that
service is instituted for the safety of the
inhabitants and the benefit Of its commerce,
|
endeavors to correct defects existing iu
some of the branches of the city govern
ment your health committee seems TO
have disturbed the equanlmity of a few
city officials to such an extent that
they and their friends have done
their best to bring public odium upon your
committee and upon the sanitary associa-
ton. But this is what was to be expected
it is the usual reward of those who bring
the shortcomings of public management tC
light.
The fact that good results have attended
the work of this com mittee encourages them
to believe that they have the hearty support
of the whole association and of every right
thinking citizen, and they have accordingly
determined to carry out the old policy with
renewed vigor.
| THE SCAVENGER DEPARTMENT.
"Thescavenger department, although per
haps better organized than formerly, is not
a bit improved in a sanitary point of view.
House refuse is still allowed to remain upor
premises until it becomes putresceut, aud Is
then carried through the streets in oper
wagons to some place of deposit daugerous J
near to the CITY.
"If the fermentation and putrefaction OF
animal and vegetable mat er can be pro-
ductive of disease then this garbage is al
danger Jus to the public health as it evel
was. For this reason it is that l consider il
my duty TO call your attention to this dan
gerous nuisance, aud to urge every member
to use his influence to bring about the de
struction of both garbage and night soil by
fire before they have time to purify and t.
become source of danger to our people.
"A crematory in use for more than yeal
at Brunswick and Jacksonville, according
to advice just received by me from tbs
health officers Of those cities, gives pe"fec
satisfaction. destroying and reducing Ell
tirely to ashes night soil, dead amin lis and
garbage, including melon rinds and con
demned watermelons, at cost in Jackson
vile Of IS cents per cubic yard.
1.-TWO such crematores in Savannah
placed in central position, one on the east
ern and the other on the western side of tn,
city, would enable the authorities to rid u
of two abominable misunderstanding gar
bage and prIvy vaults.
"The distance for hauling both garbage
and night soil being reduced to minimum
it seems as IL the expense of running these
departments could be diminished.
QUESTION OF EXPENSE.
1.-THE cost of the scavenger department fo
1890 was SIS, SIS 90 to remove about %, 0Ot
loads of garbage, while that of the odorles
excavating department shows an expendi
ture of Sl2, IT'S 81 to clean l, 356privy vaults
or more than SO for each vault
| 70 hat okr,-f