The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-22
TIE SANITARY ASSOCIATION.
It's Purposes and What It is Seeking
to ACCOMPLISH.

1 10 accomplish
The executive council Of the Citizens
Sanitary Association held its monthly meet
| ing last night. There was quite full at
tendance. After the reading of the usual
reports the subject Of increasing the MEM
bership of the association was discussed, and
/ resolution was passed directing the publ
cation of the address TO the citizens pre-
pared some time ago by a committee ap-
pointed for that purpose. The document,
which is published below. should be read
by every one interested in the health Of the
city, and should be the means Of adding
many names to the roll of the association.
| To the Citizens of SAVANNAH.
In 1881 number Of our prominent and public
| citizens, feeling the grave need of untiring
Watchfulness 10 matters OF the public health,
associated themselves together IN a corporation
for the following purposes:
ITO diminish the mortality and improve the
healthfulness of the city of Savannah by pro-
curing for its members the benefits OF proper
sanitation for their own premises; to prevent
the Introduction or spread of disease; to aid the
public authorities in carrying into effect all
proper ordinances or laws relative to public
health, and to adopt systematic measures for
| the collection and proper distribution of money
or property derived from voluntary subscrip-
ton or otherwise, in such manner as will best
tend to preserve life and property and promote
the prosperity and health of the city of Sa-
vannah and the adjacent COUNTRY"
The advancement of the public health. which
Is the sole objective point of all these specified
purposes, was. and has ever been, not only
within the jurisdiction of the corporate authori
ties bat an imperative public duty of the high
est Importance, to be performed diligently and
unseihshly by them. II that duty had been
tuily performed, there would have been no oc-
casion for the association of private citizens
concerning these matters. But the public esti-
mate OF the success OF the authorities in deal
ing with them is best illustrated by the substan-
nnNAr anf
several hundreds of our best citizens at once
arrayed themselves, including several members
OF the present city council. This estimate
however, must not be understood
conveying any. censure upon the author
tiles 1t only gave voice to the
conviction everywhere -, prevailing, and
ordinary official service is superficial, and that
in any matter of vital and pressing importance
TO the community the efforts of citizens must
supplement official inertia if any grave result is
to be achieved This was the well grounded
sentiment that gave birth 20 the Citizens SAM
tary Association; and that which was so true in
us inception is true now. II this city. or any
other CITY, is deeply vitality interested in any
movement or danger, IL is an accepted tenet Of
American municipal government that its people
must look to themselves for success, and not to
the persons who for one cause or another are
elected to fill out the routine of official life.
The history of the sanitary association is an
apt illustration of this social principle Recog-
nizing the fact that public health is our gravest
cover and root out every secret or tmehonored
nuisance and cause Of bad health. Its opera
tons are conducted under the direct guidance
of a number of our most prominent physicians
and best informed sanitarians for the purpose
or aiding the authorities in executing the laws
relating to public health 1t has established a
system upon which the people can rely Of daily
inspection Of perishable food, of slaughter
houses and butcher pens, and of canal drain.
ages, Sc wer5, sinks. and other matters pertain
ing to better sanitation of Savannah aud its
vicinity. 1t has pointed out unfiaggingly to the
proper authorities every local cause of disease
that has been noticed and has besn instrument
tai in the removal of many.
1t is safe to say That no decided nuisance det-
rimental to health can be maintained in or
around the city, open to observation, without
the certainty of report through its inspection,
Whether it has realized its fullest measure of
usefulness, with its means, must be left to the
judgment of the public But whatever has
been done is small f0stallmeut of what there
is yet to do. Improved as is the sanitary con-
dtion, there is no portion of the field that does
not present material for work, problems for
solution, illusions and superstitions to be dis
PEELED and aggressive abuses to be watched aud
suppressed as they arise.
We can never rest in partial safety until we
get well drained county, clean and we'll
severed city, and plenty of good water. This
task must inevitably be that of the unofficial
citizen, and to it the association devotes its
labor.
In this undertaking its expenses are necessar.
lily considerable. In addition to close inspection
by its own members it employs competent
inspector whom it has equipped for work in
aud around the city, and it would do more in
the same direction il it had the means. It does
not propose &c wait for defense until the enemy
is at hand. But deriving it present income en-
tirely from its list of membership it is still
limited in its power. The larger that list is the
larger are its measures and the greater will be
the good. The association has now but small
balance In the treasury, and the assistance OF
the people of the city in their own behalf is i'm
peratively needed. We cannot afford to have
any mistake or doubt about these matters In
any summer, and especially in the coming sum-
mer, the preservation of this community from
severe disease may depend upon its sanitary
condition, and that sanitary condition depends
not 50 much on official activity as on your own
energies. and these energies and your member
ship hearty support we invoke in behalf of the
whole community.