Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-16
A STARTLING STATEMENT
OF the Disease-Breeding Power Of the
Oit5's Dumpage. 2e-sa.se :.


E..sI- -" 3
The Commissioners today received from
Health Officer Hammett the following spe-
eial communication in relation to the
health OF the city:
In furtherance of the policy in relation
to the sanitation of the District, which
proposes to wage a war of determination
upon all possible sources of disease within
the limits thereof. / have the honor to call
your attention to the dangers arising from
he manner in which the dumpage of the
lily is now disposed of. The practice has
been. 1t seems. to nave designated places
sr squares wherein the city's refuse must
be deposited under the direction of a super
vising agent These designated squares are
always private property, upon which dump
age Is not only permitted. but desired by
the owners. in order to bring lots which are
much below grade up to a proper level
with the surrounding property. In some
Instances the stratum of dumpage thrown
upon such land is all the way from one
foot to twenty or twenty-five feet in thick
ness, and the quantity thereof must aver
age daily throughout the year several hum
bred wagon loads.
This dumpase matter consists of the de-
b-is from cellars. stores. markets and man.
er. vegetable matter. moldy dust and dirt
from below ground and all the refuse of
domestic life in a great metropolis go to
make up this condemnation of matter.
The loads of stuff that comes of the floors
OF markets. composed of mud and sawdust
saturated with oils. fish brine and saccha-
r1ne compounds, contribute to this mass.
But, worse than all this, where the wall
paper and plaster from houses that have
undergone renovation from CONTAGIOUS and
other diseases. diphtheria, scarlet fever,
consumption and measles. is added to the al
ready diSease-breeding piles, the liability
Tor diseases to emanate from the dump
becomes especially alarming
But in addition to all this, IL Is we'll
known matter that the refuse gathered
from the sewers when they are cleaned
consisting of everything that is foul and
offensive to humanity is disposed of in the
same way. When We consider the nature
OF the animal matter lifted out of the city
sewers, as well as that which permeates the
muddy masses which are carted daily to
the dumps il becomes serious question
whether the general cleaning up of the
whole city and the sweeping of its beauti-
1ui streets are of much avail, so long as
such great masses of disease engendering
material are piled I'D at convenient points
throughout its entire limits.
As an indication of the dangers to the
public health arising from this practice the
following statement drawn up from the rec
ords VIII serve to show how disease in
the several cases named therein has been
spread and the deaths in the immediate
neighborhood of these filled up grounds
greatly Increased.
There were extensiv. dumcing grounds on
squares SS-77S, and 47-67 Yves. Washington
In years past The two first have sfnceJ bsen
covered with buildings aYfS fhAc Ia ter
squares partially built upon. 49, u
During the past five years there have
occurred 1888 deaths on that and the immeii-
ately neighboring squares from the follow
Ing diseases: Diphtheria, %; typhoid fever
-; consumption, 4S. and pneumonia and
acute lung dieases, u.
In the same time on and around snua re-
1lS. ~ deaths occurred. These were: From
diphtneria. 10; typhoid fever, %; consump-
ton 10 and pneumonia and acute lung dis
eases. So.
And in the sane time in the other tvo
squares In Georgetown and immediate vicin-
lily there broke out an epidemic of diph-
tner1a. while the dump was in full OPERA
ton. causing sevenry-two deaths from that
dlsease. while there were twenty deaths
from typhoid fever, los from consumption
and e:ghty-four from pneumonia and acute
lung diseases, amounting In all to Isl
These examples OF the baleful Influences
arising frou The deposit of the city's dump
age IN popuiste1 parts thereof. or where
population is likely to be afterward conceu-
trated. are given because the evil results
nave been ascertained. In the above cited
cases the mortality exceeds the average
and norma. number by 200 to 300 per cent
In the case of the Georgetown squares the
natural number or deaths should have been
not over 40. Or even loo in the territory en-
braced in the statement, instead of PSI. To
such an extent did disease, especially diph-
iberia. prevail there that the health depart
ment with all its medical sanitary force was
called upon to resist its ravages and prevent
the spread thereof with all the means and
power at its command -
But Ii is presumed that enough mas been
SHOWN 10 convince the Commissioners Of
theDfstrict of the urgent necessity for an II,
mediate change from the present system for
tne final disposition of dumpage The de-
talis and exact methods to be adopted In
making this change are safely left to their
discretion and Judgment, with the assurance
tnat they will do In the future as they have
done in the past, all in their power to pro-
mote the health of the capital, the only
recommendation being that, while this re-
fuse matter might be removed from be-
yond the popula ted portions of the District
yet believe more sanitary method would
be cremation"