Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-16
RICHMOND'S HEALTH.
TALKS WITH PHYSICIANS ANo 9TH
Frs REGARDING AN ABATrOiR.
Butchers in Arms Over the
Matter.

been one Of the principal subjects discuss
ed during the last six months or moro in
considering problems touching the city's
welfare. First came up the appointment
OF physicians for the poor. then the sub
lect OF hospital, then various other ques-
tons OF sanitary interest. and more re-
Gently the much-scorned aud scoifed-at
crematory, and last but not least, the
building of ap abattoir. One would think
that under this storm of efforts even the
reaper Death" would die, but Dickens,
alas but too truly describes otrn Aors as
the fashion that came in with our first
fathers. and will last unchanged until our
race has run its course"
stiii, while death is an inevitable fate 10
suffering humanity, who are but too
willing TO cling TO lite. all these Inyestica-
lions and considerations can only tend 10
bring good, and while the ultimate end
cannot be averted, 1t can, at least. be
STAYED of.
| BROAD SUBJECT.
Sanitation is in itself broad subject for
discussion, and when one considers its i'm
portance there is little wonder that so
many different theories and disputes arise.
lake. Tor example. the last scheme looking
to Richmond's healthfulness-the abattoir.
The opening gun in this direction was
hred Thursday evening by the Committee
on Health and Sanitation Of the Chamber
OF Commerce. who presented q lengthy
and well-prepared report advocating the
erection aud establishment of such On
| institution.
The report in several sections refers TO
| among other InsalubriOus practices the
killing Of bruised, MANNED, or sick cattle.
the driving OF these animals through the
| streets which causes filth to accumulate
| theron h fQr nd f,a mn
inspection of meats sold by butchers.
Zach of these points taken separately is in
itself matter of great importance, while
the fundamental idea OF the committee
namely, the prevention of the evil and I'M
healthy odors arising from slaughter
houses-Is question well worthy OK con-
sheraton.
But. as has been said before, there arc
two sides to every question, and while
even the butchers will grant that decom-
posed organic matter such az is alleged to
accumulate IN the vicinity of the slaughter
pens is deleterious TO health, as IL also
diseased meat, they on the other hand
| maintain that their establishments where
| the animals are killed are kept as they
should be. and are therefore not unhealthy.
| Moreover, those who already have
slaughter-pens would be put to consider
able loss If they had to give up these and
have their animals killed at one establish
| ment.
With the idea of giving fair hearing to
| all views concerning the abattoir, q repre-
sentative of the DISPATCH yesterday
| braved the morning sun and made his way
through atmospheres fragrant with bacon
and perfumed with drugs in order to get
different expressions OF opinion from
| meat-men and doctors.
HE WANTS AN INSPECTOR FOR PLUMBING FIRST.
,X..In 4 4 h. o..f4
| Board of Health, which body, as every one
knows, is ever vigilant concerning the
sanitary welfare OF the city. The genial
President, however, begged to be excused
| from any expression on the subject. as
| newspaper-mcn always single him out for
| interviews and he is naturally reticent. He
said that for the present his mind was set
on an inspector for mbing, and as there
were always so many things of this nature
on the tdpis he would refrain from talk
ing.
Another member of the medical fraterni-
ty who happened to be sitting i'll the
| Office at the time said that any one had
only to ride in the vicinity of the present
slaughter-pens, snif with his olefactory
organ the perfumed Zephyrs emanating
| from decomposed organic matter. and be
| convinced that an abattoir was necessary
absolutely necessary. He is not the only
| person by the way, who, " following their
| noses" soon become convinced OF this
fact.
| TBICHINK IN DISEASED PORK.
| Coroner Taylor was sought in the re-
cesses of his laboratory and detected by
| the reporter amidst CHASTITY glare of light,
| which came from q crucible being heated.
| He, too. refused, or rather declined in his
| pleasant manner, to discuss the subject for
1 publication, and the scribe then sought his
| 0t fg.1ch which r. deadly
crobes sometimes discovered in diseased
pork. Triohin9. hydrophobla, spirit-rap-
ping, and woman's rights don't seem to
| flourish much down South here" said the
| Doctor. although cases of this kind are
often discovered in other parts-"
| He told the reporter that the exact ORR
| gin Of this deadly form of organic matter
as it first appeared In swine could not be
ascertained. The disease most frequently
manifests itself in persons after eat
ing imperfectly- cooked ham and other
kinds of pork, and the worm, de-
spite the fact that it may be hoiled or
| apparently well cooked, asserts its vigor
with terrible force. The trichine once in
| the human system work their way into the
muscles, and if the colony is sufficiently
| large, the sufferer dies after undergoing
| the most terrible agony. OF course, the
animal can only be perceived under
| microscope. 1t appears to be worm.
THY MUST BE KIN TO sALAMASDERs.
Doctor Taylor was asked how he thought
! the little animals managed TO survive
when the meat which contained them was
| cooked. He said this was hard to tell
| that their vitality was wonderful. Lower
| orders OF organic matter, just as in the
| case of vegetables, could stand wonder
full amount OF heat. just as the polar bear,
| on the ontrary, could undergo the most
bitter cold, so tropical animals could some
| times stand the most intense heat.
The inspection of meat in order to de-
| tect microbes of this sort would OF course
| be q difficult task, as the trtchin0 are
microscopic. Though none have as yet
made their appearance IN the social circles
of Richmond, it would be well to keep on
the qla uiUe for them for they are indeed
horrible.
THEY ARE "BEAUTIEs."
DIR. K. s. Smith, when the reporter called
upon him. gave some interesting intorlna-
tion about bichin0 and described the little
worms as being beauties. "-as comely in
appearance AS soft-shell crab. He said
that DIR. Froehling had a lovely specimen
on cats tongue, which he priced very
highly.
When the scribe tried to get some infor-
nation from DIR. Smith concerning his
views of the abattoir the young physician,
hadn't given the subject any thought. as
he was now investigating compound
which would cure men OF their love OF
whiskev. When this was found, he added,
his fortune would be made.
There is an old classic phrase which says,
Just as many minds as there are, Just so
many different opinions" And so 1T Is.
A well-known physician here, who GER
tainly goes to the " bottom of things" IN
his investigations, was asked what he
thought about the abattoir and the present
slaughter-pens. He laughed end said that
In theory all this talk about impure air,
stencbes, etc., did very well, but unfortu-
nately human life could stand great deal
more of it than people thought.
BAD AIR IN ONE CASE AND DOCTOR IN THE
OTHER.
For instance, a child who was the patient
of one of his friends became sick with
bad sore on its mouth. The little. one
lived in the neighborhood Of the slaughter
pens and Its doctor inferred that the sore
was caused by the impure air in that Vi
cinity. When the physician mentioned
this subject TO the doctor interviewed yes
terday, the latter told him that because the
child lived in that neighborhood there was
e. t,,fa IA