Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-21
DOCTORS DEBATE
The Medical Society Adopt the
Typhoid Fever Report.
TIE BILL TO LICENSE PHYSICIANS
An Important Measure to Provide
for Licenses and Examinations.
THE DIFFERENT SCH OOLS

After two hours discussion last evening
| the report of the committee appointed by
| the Medical Society Of the District Of Co.
| lumbia to investigate the subject Of ty-
phoid fever in Washington was adopted.
The full text of this report, together with
| the discussion at the last meeting Of the
| society, was printed in The Star. When
| the society met last evening DR.. Robert
Reyburn was recognized. He cemplimented
the committee on its excellent report, but
| took exception to some statistics, claim
ing. among other things. that Washington
had more miles of sewers in proportion to
the length Of streets than exist in any
other city Of the United States. The doc
tor then attacked the scavenger service of
the city and said:
1.-The scavenger service Of Washington is
perfect farce The garbage in the alleys
Of the portions Of the city occupied by the
poorer people Is very much neglected and
allowed to accumulate. Quite a number of
houses in the alleys Of Washington have
no proper privies. and in many that have
them the privy Is replaced by a bucket,
which is emptied in the nearest sewer in
let under cover Of the night. The result Is
that large number of families have no
other place OF deposit for their night soil
than the inlet of the surface drains. As
these drains are only flushed out by heavy
rain storms we have here a condition of
great uncleanliness. Typhoid and other
germs may remain there on and around the
surfaces OF these drains for days or weeks
before being washed into the sewer. Then
again, our garbage is a constant source of
filth and consequently of disease Two
years ago police investigation was made
OF the garbage service Of our CITY, which
showed that the working capacity Of the
thirty three carts then in the service was
at their highest point of efficiency equal to
the work of making 5000 visits a day to
the houses. At this rate the contractors
plant (Which at the present time consists
OF thlrty-one carts) has now a capacity of
making 5000 visits daily, or of making one
complete round Of the city in nine DAYS
The number of houses in the city of Wash
lngton, including Georgetown, is estimated
ny the best authorities to be about As, 900.
The Quantity of Garbage.
This means that at all times there must
be at least 100 tons of uncollected decom-
posing material lying uncared for in our
streets and alleys. This in itself is a suffi-
cient reason for the general unhealthiness
OF our city. The root of the evil lies in the
fact that our sanitary department is as
primitive In its condition as Ii was when
washington was a village. When our SAM
tary methods attain the development that
our water and sewer supply have already
attained then typhoid fever and other filth
diseases Will greatly diminish in frequency
Just think for moment of the utter alb
sUIdity or pretending to collect the garbage
OF this city with thirty carts, or about
che cart to collect the refuse from about
5000 persons. Such a condition of things in
the capital would be laughable were it not
of Washington
flnaily, while agree most heartily with
all the sanitary reforms advocated by the
committee yet differ most decidedly with
them aSt INN ia
portance and OF the order in which they
should be carried out. l would therefore
respectfully beg leave to offer the following
suggestions for the consideration of the
committee:
First. that the District Commissioners be
earnestly rec "ested to ask an increase of
the appropriation for the health department
District of Columbia, sufficient to at least
double the present garbage service Of the
city.
Second. that the District Commissioners
be respectfully requested to issue an order
closing up all pumps in the District of Co
iumbia that are located in districts supplied
with Potomac water
Third. that the District Commissioners
be requested to urge upon Congress the
adoption of the plans devised by Col Elliot
for the storage, publication and increase Of
the water supply of the District
Fourth, and lastly, that the District
Commissioners be requested to prepare and
submit to Congress a complete and compre-
hensiVe system of sewerage, which will be
adequate to supply the future as well as the
present needs of the citizens of the District
Of Columbia"
Differing Views.
DR.. B. G. Poole read lengthy argument
opposing the report. concluding as follows:
1t should be the pleasure, as 1t is the
duty. of the medical profession to collect
and study the facts appertainng to the
prevalence Of disease, and to impart to the
hi
enable the people to take measures for the
prevention of sickness and DEATH but the
bugaboo ought to have no place in scien-
tific research and can have little other ef-
feet than to excite dstrust in the minds
oil an intelligent community"
DIR. j. w. Chapel argued that typhoid
fever was on the decrease, and explained
the figures of the committee by stating
that physicians had changed their dag
nosis. He did not believe wells were con-
taminated as much people thought. Fill
tration through soil certainly purified water,
and 1t was only where there was direct
drainage that there was any likelihood Of
contamination.
DIR. Stone of Brghtwood spoke earnestly
In support of the committees report. 1t
was most valuable document he said,
and the society should adopt 1t. He
felred to the urgency of better sewerage
facilities in the county and said that each
year the soil was becoming more contami-
mated. He deprecated the opposition that
nad developed and hoped II would be with
drawn.
Speaking for the Report.
Upon motion of DR.. Franzoni the discus
sion then closed. The committee. how
ever. was allowed to close. DIR. Magruder
was the first TO speak. He thanked the So
ciety for the almost unanimous indorse-
ment 1t had given the report. The task of
compiling such a report had been a her
culean one, Yet the Endorsement of the
Medical Society amply repaid the care and
attention incident to its preparation. The
report showed conclusvey that the wells
were responsible for typhoid fever 1t was
prepoSterous for any one to claim that the
report was sensational or that it was
bugaboo. He had always fought the state
ment that Washington was an unhealthy
city. 1t was with a view of stamping out
these sensational reports that the facts
were presented. He did not believe that
malarial fever was much responsible for
sickness as was represented. The death
rate fer typhoid fever is 49, and he did not
think that any one could blame the COM
mittee for bringing out the true state of
affairs. 1t was the pumps that were to
blame, and he believed if they were all
closed some lives would be saved this sum-
mer If one life alone Is saved IL would be
better to sacrifice loo pumps. He wanted
TO emphasize the recommendation of the
committee to purify the Potomac supply,
and urge upon Congress the necessity of
better sewerage facilities.