Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-28
THE HEALTH OF NEW HAVEN

THE HEALTH OF NEW HAVEN. An Able Paper Read Before the Chamber of Commerce by Dr. Q. T. Osborne-Tke Site of the Proposed Park on Hallock Avenue DisaP- proved-A Plea for More Sunday | Cars to the Shore and the Giving to | the Board of Health More Power by Plumbing Act-The Eastern Head- quarters of the Worlds Columbian Exposition. The regular monthly meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held last even ing in the rooms of the chamber. The meeting was presided over by President Nathan Easterbrook, jr., who was elected to that office at the last annual meeting. Wilbur B. Thompson, secretary of the W. G. Shepard company, was elected to mem bership in the chamber, after which the following communication was read:
 EASTERN ArQuARTERs,
 WORLDS COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.
 DELMoRE ELwELL, Secretary:
 Dear sir beg to inform you that eastern headquarters of the Worlds Columbian exposi- tion have just been opened in the Stewart build ing, corner of Broadway and Chamber street,
 During the coming two years, or until the opening of the exposition at Chicago, this office will be at the service of the merchant, manufac- turer, producer, press and public of the eastern states. We will at all times be pleased to supply any desired information. Very respectfully,
 ALEX D. ANDERSON,
 Special Commissioner.
 After the routine business had been con- cluded paper was read by Dr. Oliver T. Osborne on the subject ''The Health of New Haven" After comparing the health of this city with that of other cities by means of the ratio of the death rate in the various cities, and proving thereby that the health of this city is as good or better than in most other cities of it's size in the country, the speaker continued in brief as follows: We thus see by honest counts and fair comparisons that this city is not the been headlined. The low death rate of some of the western cities is due to the fact that there are fewer aged persons in these cities. A large part of the present population of these western cities is composed of the younger element of east ern United States or of Europe, who have gone to these cities, the old and de- crepit remaining at home and increasing our death rate. But to return to New Ha- ven, which is growing at the rate of about 2,500 per year. How shall we guard against increased death rate, or, rather, how shall we provide for future decrease in the death rate? We as citizens as whole can do nothing. We must rest our power in some man or body of men, and that body of men is already in existence I mean the board of health. We must give the board of health power and money to do what it decides should be l done, otherwise the whole thing is farce | There are two ways of lowering the death | rate: One is to cure as many as possible of those who are sick and the other is to prevent people from becoming sick. The best medical skill should unques- | method of lowering the death rate is the prevention of disease. Our city fathers devote much attention to disposing of the city's refuse and this question becomes a larger one every year. As result of their deliberation the sewerage system of the city is in general a good one. The l water supply is sufficient and of good qual- ity. The streets are kept clean of filth but unfortunate not of dust, which is the most efficient propaga-or of disease, and like the poor, is always with us. The board of public works should keep the streets clean and should have funds suf ficient to properly water them. An i'm portant provision for the health of the city is it's parks. Of all health promoters fresh air is the chief. The parks should be well chosen as to locality I cannot favor the proposed park at the foot o1 Hamilton street, no matter how well the immediate flats may be covered with water or how swift current be turned along the borders of the park, the air that waits in over the surface of water impreg mated with sewerage and from more dis tant, but not far remote bare mud flats can never be health producing. The en vironments also partake too much of harc | hrso Jar 1y,oo o1xar %0 Ia, i,c of it's daily cares. A fine park with de lightful breezes can be laid out on Hallocb avenue at the foot of Cedar street, where the range of vision is almost unlimited and the sea air is of the purist. I sincere ly hope that this year the opposition te the Sunday cars to West Haven will be O. ) no avail. Change of scene and fresh ali is as absolutely necessary for the poore classes, who have to make use of the cars : l as for the rich who are able to drive to th shore in their carriages.
 The doctor then spoke at considerable length of the necessity of the board O. health seeing that every home is connected with sewer on all streets where sewers exist, that no foul odors are allowed in the yard to be nuisance and perhaps a car rier of disease, next give the board plumbing act and give them power te compel proper traps and air pipes to be placed in houses.
 Dr. Osborne then spoke of the proper precautions to be taken in the matter o1 contagious diseases. Every physician, said he, must be compelled to report cases of the kind to the board of health, and then the board be held responsible. IT closing the doctor said: In other words let it be understood that the board ot health is entirely competent and capable o1 preventing the spread of disease and pro noting the health of New Haven.