The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-06
THE HEALTH OF THE CITY
,yrsnxsrISG srArEMsNrs f"o~
nm oPPESHIMER's RsFo"''
,,.sord.s Death Rate NJ Compared WIN
that of Tweniy-Fonr Otner
Recon- IN ndations.

DIR. w. T. Oppenhimer, pres'de"' - .na
BOARD Of Health. has just coi"''0 80,
annual report of his department
n,a,ns some very interesting iao'S
r. ~o,sraI health Of the city. In 'n'
-, ,.bich covers the twenty-seco''
year OF the existence OF the o'"'''
Oppenhimer says: hoe,
o,r sanitary advancement has not D''''
ox,,ec,ed. This was due TO our re-
! Iuctauce in asking the Counch io'
creased appropriations during the 'e'"'
n,,s,,oent times. However, there were ~
",7, demands to meet. as me CITY "'S
~ Ia a more healthy concitioh 'i"h
during the year past. Although our pop.-
la,ion has steadily increased our M
,alitv has as steadily diminished u"' il's
the last three years. In 1873 there - '''
serious outbreak Of contagious "ise a'-,,,,r,a
,r-centv isolated cases or uiPilen'i 20 I,
tn t,,o deaths. fsl cases Of typholu
fcvor with forty-elght deaths, ana '"ete
cases Of scarlet fever with one ucd'n
were reported. The majority OF thess
cases were directly traceable TO mean anu
ir,nerfect plumbing. to local ilth' OF ~
both. -,ar,,. tho
rach wear we see more clearly the
necessity for the adoption OF plulhpinb
rules and regulations to protect our pee
nle. Although the Board OF Health nae
sought to rectify as far as posS'pie
faulty plumbing in houses reported 10 pe
in an condition, the need of expert ASSIST
ance is keenly felt
The association of plumbers IN TINS Guy
have been aroused TO the importance
10
etens 10 promote the passage OF good ana
s,betantial plumbing laws. There are in
Richmond some of the best plumbers III
this country: they are frequently Wen
educated. and are generally true, expert
mechanics.
Wa find. through numerous meetings.
with them. that a vast number OF them
are Informed in the latest improvements
I'm sanitary plumbing. and are competeht
advisers when following the dictates ol
.beir INDICTMENT. This they are not per-
,nitted 10 do. as they may only perform
allotted tasks. The plumbers are tired OF
doing mean and dangerous Work, ana are
as anxious as the general pubic Ior laws
IN Govern the kind of work they do ana
the quality Of their materials. we strong
" advocate the appointment OF an euu-
Gated exDert plumber. This cannot posi-
Div iniure any one, and the cost VIII De
insignificant when contrasted with lhe
number OF people saved from sickness or
death.
TO IMPROVE THE SANITARY CONDITION.
The Board Of Health should not be
considered wise in their own conceit. whch
maintaining that they and previous Do rus
have suggested almost everything that
could possibly bear on the heaithIuiheSs
or unhealthfulness Of the city Yet tnat
admirable institution, the Chamber OF
Commerce, insists that an investigator
be made into our supposed high death
rate. An investigation of this character
would call for al expert sanitary ensl-
neer, chemist, and hygenist. we DO not
believe that all the qualifications 1or so
profound a research could be found IN
any one man: therefore the expense would
be enormous should we send TO a dis
lance for such scientists. We have In
our midst men quite capable OF meet
ing the requirements.
our water has bene analysed and pro-
nounced pure and wholesome by
chemists both at home and abroad; al
though il would be more pleasing to the
eye, IL filtered; our system OF sewerage
is in pursuance of expert engineering
our surface drainage is rendered perfect
by our topography, and our climate,
though variable. cannot be changed.
The physicians who have supervised
the Department of Health for the past
twenty years recommend the adoption OF
food inspection plumbing Inspection. and
a public hospital. Still another recon-
mendation must not be omitted, which
is the establishing of an abattoir and the
complete removal of those butchers who
infect Henrco. back of filthy Shockoe
creek.
This last suggestion is really the
neucleus around which formed so much
OF the dissatisfaction with our unhealthy
city in the Chamber of Commerce, caus-
ing 1t to publish 10 the Union that we
have been and still are one Of the most
unhealthy cities in the world That the
butchers should be removed found is
frution not in desire to improve our
suburbs. but to enhance the value of the
property little further back than that
which the butchers occupy although an
aoattoir is a good suggestion and would
greatly benefit both city and county, we
cannot advocate a measure pecuniarily
detrimental to so many, when its object
is the personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the
few.
We have not an unhealthy city, as we
have said before. The fault, If there be
any, lies with the Board of Health for
we have registered all those dying within
our limits, regardless Of the length OF
thei: residence here. We have based our
calculation on an estimated population
OF 5000 The table below will show how
we compare with other cities, to whose
health officers we are indebted for the
information so kindly given:
COMPARISON WITH OTHER CITIES.