Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-27

danger signal against its USE We have q
great number of wells scattered throughout
the District, and such sources Of water
supply are always dangerous when located
in crowded sections of a city. The water
from many of these wells in various locali-
ties, and from which hundreds draw their
water supply. has been submitted to
minute examination, and in some of them
the germs of disease have been discovered
Such wells have been recommended to be
abandoned. and many have been so order
ed by the District authorities Our general
water supply from the Potomac has also
been tested by the chemist many times and
though 1t Is not always what could be de-
sired as regards color. it has been found to
be safe and wholesome and particularly
free from all disease-breedng germs.
The general sewerage system of the Dis
trfct has also received the attention of the
league through the committee which has
| this matter in charge. and of which Gen.
John g. Parke Is chairman. A general
plan for sewage disposal, which, If car
req out, IL Is believed will meet the de-
mands of the city for several genera tions
TO come, has been agreed upon. being an
Endorsement of the plan submitted in the
report of the board of sanitary engineers
appointed under act of March q 1889 to
examine the sewerage system of the Dis
trict of Columbia. Though little can be
done In the way of improvements in this
line without legislative action, the needs
Of the city in this respect are being kept
before Congress with view to having
this general plan of sewage disposal car
Red out in the near future
Other Questions Considered.
The garbage question, which has been a
source of much complaint in the past, has
also come in for a large amount of atten-
ton at the hands of the league, and it Is
believed that its efforts in connection with
the efforts of the District authorities have
resulted in securing the best service which
we have SO far had, though there is still
room for improvement in this direction. A
general cleaning up has taken place
throughout the city during the past year
and thorough house to house inspection
has been made by the health department,
ana II Is believed that the city was never
cleaner than today. The question, how
ever, as to the disposal of garbage has not
yet been solved to the entire satisfaction Of
the council. and will not be until every dis
agTeeab bic feature Of the service which 1t Is
possible to remove has been eliminated.
The committee on diaries and food SUD-
ply, OF which Prof. Charles E. Munroe the
chemist of Columbian College. is chair
man, has given close attention to the mat
ter or the milk supply of the city, recog-
MIXING the fact that through this means
diseases find ever omen channel to in
wade the home especially among our in
rants and children, in whose diets this food
so largely enters. Besides recommending
the establishment Of a milk inspection bu-
reau, supplied with a sufficient number of
inspectors to enable the department TO
I
tiers the city, 1t has also recommended that
the necessary legislative action be taken
by Congress- providing severe penalties for
those who expose for sale adulterated and
disease-producing milk
For q long time the District authorities
have been much perplexed as to the loca-
ton of the proposed contagious disease hos
pital. One site after another has been Sc
lected, only to be abandoned at the outcry
raised against them. This question has
also been before the league for some time
z n arr1iT fna N1I
her last to consider the matter and report
TO the council the results of it's delibera-
tons. Or. A. F. A. King. who is chairman
of this committee submitted report on
this question at the last meeting of the
council, and this much-agitated question
VIII again be brought to the attention OF
the authorities. with a definite recommen-
dalton as to its location.
There was also lately appointed a COM
mittee on public wash and bath houses for
the purpose of considering the needs Of the
District for one or more public wash and
bath houses and the best methods of sup
plying such needs. If found to exist This
committee, of which Miss Lehman is chair
man, has the subject under consideration
and is endeavoring to work out the problem
with due regard to the interests of all.
The Work of Education.
One branch of the work of the league is
the diffusion of useful knowledge regarding
hygiene and sanitation. This work has
been carried on with considerable activity
y committee having charge of this work is
known as the committee on promotion, and
Its chairman Is Mr.. Myron NJ. Parker
Under the management of the committee
a number of public lectures have been given
by men eminent for their researches in
studies having a bearing on sanitation
These lectures have been free and have re-
suited in spreading much useful Informal
ton among the people. In addition, sever
al talks have been given to the public
school teachers. Working with the COM
mfttee on promotion is a committee known
as the ladies' committee on sanitary house.
keeping, OF which Mrs. Anna L. Woodbury.
is chairman. This committee has through
lectures and otherwise spread knowledge
concerning the hygiene OF the home, and is
establishing a diet kitchen in connection
with cooking school.
As the league was organized early last
year, and therefore accomplished nearly a
years work up to December 81, 1888, 1t
might be interesting for the purpose of
determining in a general way what tangi-
Bile results, If any. it's efforts have pro-
duced, TO compare the death record of that
year with that of the preceding year 1t
VIII De dl1lcult, however to state Just how
much the work Of the league entered into
these results. We can only draw deductions
from such a comparison and the signifi-
canoe of the figures will doubtless appear
different to different individuals Just what
credit is due to the league and what to
other causes must be left to the reader
II VIII DE SrdtIylnS TO all, however. to
know that the general death rate has great
ly fallen Off during the past year whatever
may have been the causes at work to bring
about such favorable showing The to-
tai number of deaths during 1893 was but
6O6o. while in 1892 IL was 6,416. During the
past eighteen years there has been an
average annual increase in the total dea tn
rate In the District of 121, but during the
past year instead of being an increase i'm
the number of deaths there was an actual
decrease Of J4I, making the falling off he
low the normal of 414. The following ia HE
shows the figures for the past two yea
the column headed Normal being the
number of deaths that would have occurred
had the average annual rate of increase
Tor the past eighteen years been maintain
ed during the year 1893.
Total deaths: 1892. G.416; 1893, 6O69. actual
decrease 1888, BAT; normal, 6.543: actual
deaths below normal, 414. Deaths of those
under one year old: 1892, Lie; 1882. I55I-
actua! decrease 1893, liz, normal 1,757:
actual deaths below normal, DOB Deaths Of
those under hve years old: ISs2 2 2sJ: ISg3
DO actual decrease 1893, 215: normal
%'359' actual deaths below normal 80.
Inc membership of the league, as pre-
Nlously stated, now numbers something over
oo1 ana Is constantly increasing They are
ehhsted IN iife-saving crusade both from
!h@ humane principle involved and from the
interest they feel in the welfare of the
capital city. Their work will not be done
! until the number of deaths attributable no
preVentable causes shall have been reduced
70 the minimum: ii will not be ended nntiI