The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-03
A HEALTH LESSON ENFORCED BY
EXAMPLES.

A HEALTH LESSON ENFORCED BY
EXAMPLES
Their are towns in the north with
from 1900 to 10000 inhabitants. the
death rate of which does not exceed 10
in every 1000 inhabitants. There are
probably some showing even a less rate
of mortality. We recall that years g
when we received h New York San
itarian tina we have seen the death
rate given as low as 8 for some north
ern towns of from IL, 900 and up perhaps
to 10, 900. The secret Of a low average
death rate is cleanliness, pure drink
ing water thorough sewerage. These
combined give pure air n water from
analysis of Wilmington's supply Of
water tha was made a year or two
since by order of the board of alder
men, costing $40? If not you should
visit headquarters and see it. There
is not a we'll in Wilmington that fur
nishes pure, imprisoned water. we be-
lieve. We state hat some eight years
ago water from five wells in different
parts Of the town was analysed by the
chemist at the University of North
Carolina and every we'll was ound
poisoned, the water being unfit for
drinking because dangerous to health.
There ought to be an ample supply of
pure water furnished by the city to all
the people, to every home. And there
surely ought to be a complete system
of sewerage ramifying throughout the
town and connecting with every dwell
ing house, store, shop, etc. The taxes
collected in Wilmington in the last
twenty years probably aggregate ST.
$780, O0. We have not the figures at
hand. We would like to know the pre-
else amount. Enough has been taken
from the people to have built sewer
age, obtained water supply, paved
every street from the river to Ninth,
and from Brooklyn bridge to Castle
street.
But what we are concerned with here
is the perfect sanitation Of the town
from end to end, pure drinking water
for all and sewers for every house. We
wish to help Wilmington.
We have seen the health report for
the year in Wilmington showing less
than 400 deaths for the year. 1t has
not been many years ago, if we re-
member correctly, since this was the
case. In July last the deaths reported
were 81. In August they numbered 4S.
TNhic ynoEoc 110 1oofhc in oivty n VIC
an average of nearly two a day. 1t
would be if continued $50 deaths in a
year. That would be a death rate of
thirty in the 1000 inhabitants, which is
more than New Orleans now is, the
sickliest city in the union. But the
death rate is not so high as that, we
rejoice to know. Perhaps the deaths
for 1897, unless an epidemic should oc-
| cur, will not be above 500. Even that
would be high-much above what it
would be if the things written Of above
| and so im~peratively needed, were pro-
| vided by the city. If 500 die it will be
at a rate of 22.75 in the 1000 inhabi-
tants. Philadelphia with some 1,3OO,-
900 inhabitants, has a death rate not
exceeding 10. Let the people wake up
to the necessity Of having those things
that make for the public health. If 500
| die here in 1897, it is more than 100
above what it ought to be-. More than
100 people will have died who would
have ived if the city had provided the
three things found so absolutely ben
| eficial in other communities. Augusta,
| Ca, Memphis. Tenn, New Orleans, La,
| and other southern cities, have very
| greatly reduced their death rates with
in a few years-cutting them down, we
think, more than 25 per cent, and pos
SHY 35 or more. What has been o
resorting to the sanl, measures and
securing the same lief from conta-
gion and sickness.
The Messenger sor1e weeks ago men
toned how bad off Mobile was with
So, 900 or more inhabitants and how the
peaple were at last aroused to action
in behalf of health. The death rate
is very much higher than at Birr1ing-
ham, Ala. Mobile has no good water
supply and no sewerage. Birming-
ham is we'll supplied with both. Behold
the difference. 1t is foul air and bad
water that kill. The people of Mobile
have just voted for both waterworks
and sewerage. The vote stood 2,1S3 for
/ to AGA against. The noes deserve to be
made ill by drinking their own polluted
water and breathing the pestiferous,
Register in high spirits says:
Mobile is a place we need not here
after feel any hesitancy in boasting
about. 1t is not only the most beauti-
ful Mace in the south nosSaSSod f 4ha