Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-23
A DAILY GARBAGE SERVICE.
Health Ofhcer Hammett Recommends One
Prom Nav I TO October 81.

A DAILY GARBAGE SERVICE.
Health Omcer Hammett Recommends One
Prom Nav I to October 81.
Health Officer Hsmmett believes in daily
garbage service. Today he submitted TO the
Commissioners the reports of the physicians to
the poor on this subject well the reports
of the sanitary inspectors. who have been in
vestigating garbage complaints for some days
past
In his letter the health officer SAYS
shave the honor TO inclose herewith uumer-
Gus petitions and letters bearing the signatures
Of a large number of citizens and taxpayers
residing in every part OF the city, pray
ing for a daily garbage service dur
ing the warm weather. in the interest Of
cleanliness and the public health. I also in
made at NV request. and the reports of
Sanitary Officers Odell and Fitzgerald, who
were detailed to investigate garbage com
plants for two days These petitions and nv
personal observations. and the many appeals
made to nv department during last summer in
duce me to believe that daily removal Of gar
bage is greatly desired by the Washington
public, and health officer I recommend and
advise that an effort be made to obtain
appropriation sufficient to give this city q
daily garbage service from Nav 20 October 81
In the interest Of sanitation and the citys vel
fare, provided u sufficient number Of inspectors
be appointed TO enforce the garbage regula-
tons, which is the only means Of making the
service entirely satisfactory and thereby pro-
mote the sanitary condition of the CITY,.
The brief statements Of opinion of the
physicians TO the POOR are given as follows:
OPINIONS OF PHYSICIANS TO THE POOR.
L. A. Johnson. NJ. D.-"I do not think IL
necessary to have daily collection of garbage
from private dwellings"
CIV. Pettys, NJ D.-H there was q tight re-
ceptacle at every house and convenient TO be
gotten at and promptly removed by the con-
tractor, q service of twice a week would be suf-
fcient even at hotels and restaurants. 1
think IL would be wise for the depart
ment to contract for and furnish closed recep-
tacles to every house and compel the occupants
| or others to pay for them at "A reasonable price.
The service would be at minimum and expenses
reduced.
w. D. Hughes. NJ. D.-A daily garbage service
should be had at least in the summer months.
Many houses have very small wards, and many
none at all In the hot weather garbage kept
In the house is a constant menace to occupants
and neighbors.
S. L. Harmon, M.D.-From a sanitary stand
point daily service is necessary. 1t would go
far to prevent diseases derived from accumula-
ton of decaying vegetable and animal matter
during the warm season. Many houses have no
conveniences and are inhabited by several
families. L have seen garbage kept in sleeping
apartments of such houses. where it is not
cessible to the collector and there can be no
doubt as to many diseases arising from such a
state of affairs To insure a perfect service
inspectors should be appointed TO see that the
collectors discharge their duties.
j. c. Meredith, VI. D.-The present garbage
service is good enough for winter months, bnt
it would be better to have a daily service dur
ing the winter and early fall.
E. L. Tompkins. NJ d. think q daily gar
bage service would be Of great advantage as
soon as the weather begins to grow warm. The
houses of the poor that / have visited are not
| as unclean as had expected to find them. but
| that is due largely to cold weather. In the
| spring, soon foul odors begin TO arise, the
diseases attributable to filth will become preTa-
lent unless the garbage is collected daily.
NJ. A. Curtis, NJ D.-A daily garbage service
| is not needed in winter. In summer a daily
garbage service would naturally improve the
health of the District. The trouble is not so
much with the collectors with the people, as
| in several cases brought specially to my notice,
it was worse than chinese puzzle to find the
garbage.
J. +. Price, Md consider it essential that
| all garbage be removed before decomposition
takes place and unless this can be done without
a daily service, by all means let us have il. Not
necessary in winter months
r. ID. Boss, NJ. d. consider a tri-weekly
garbage service sufficient, except from hotels
and large boarding houses and during the
months of July, August and September, when
daily collection is unquestionably necessary
from a sanitary standpoint.
f. c. Ewing, NJ. DIT seems to me that
from November to April a sem-weekly service,
religiously performed, should be sufficient but
later. when a chemical change. the result of
heat, rapidly occurs. a daily service would i'm
prove the sanitary conditions.
Joseph A. Mudd, NJ. D.-A daily service
with uniform regulations rigidly enforced,
compelling easy access to garbage receptacles
would be worth lis cost.
j. ID. Chappell, NJ. D.-A daily sarvice is
greatly needed. Any service less frequent will
be detrimental to health and cause more or less
annoyance to the people.
]. W. Shaw. NJ. D.-Speaking strictly from a
sanitary standpoint, the advantages of daily
garbage service over the previous methods can
scarcely be estimated.
Allen Walker, Md have no hesitation in
saying that in nv opinion there is an impera-
tive need of a daily garbage service within the
city limits.
ID. C. Stockstin, MD.-My opinion as well as
that Of many of the profession is that daily
service is necessary. and the earlier we get il
the better. as we are now approaching the sum-
mer months.
G. W. Birdsall, NJ. d. believe all that is
necessary for sanitary purpose is a tri-weekly
service under proper inspection; without that
a daily service would fail. Spend the money
judiciously that would be required for a daily
service, in providing inspectors for given dis
tricts, and make the m responsible for COM
plants in their districts
j. A. Watson, NJ. d. do not think daily
service necessary in winter months. For the
rest of the year the service should be daily.
H. s. Goodall, NJ D.-A daily garbage service
would be a safeguard to public health, at least
during the present year.
VIM. c. Woodward, NJ. D.-During the sum-
mer season a daily service might be Of
advantage, especially with hotels and
large boarding houses. Public receptacles
should be provided ordinary householders
and they should be required to deposit therein.
daily service over the entire city is not nee
essary, nor do l consider it jutiifed by the ex-
pense, except in case of epidemic.
G. W. H. Fitch, NJ. D.-Garbage is a COM
mon medium for germs. If the receptacle is
kept crowded the germs are rapidly repro
duced. Hence, the more frequently the gar
bage is removed the better for the health Of
the people. Proper receptacles should be used,
and disinfected when emptied. The advantage
of q daily service are numerous.
DIR. Hammett submits also as stated, reports
from sanitary inspectors showing the many
obstacles in the way of the garbage collectors
and that tend to prevent prompt collections.
Tho Panama Investigation.
The House committee on rules expect to hold
q meeting late this afternoon or tomorrow
morning to consider the resolution for the
Panama Investigation and also that to investi-