The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-21

extent never biS
concensus of opinion is that it is due to
bad sanitation, although DIR. Keogh as
serts that it is due to the wind. The
fact that zymodic diseases have started
in SO early while the weather is still
cool arouses grave fears and attracts
unusual attention to the sanitary con-
ditions of the city. The number Of
quarantine flags for contagious dis
eases a week ago We're twenty-three,
covering thirty cases of scarlet fever
and one case of diphtheria, and yester-
day there were twenty-one flags, cover
ing twenty-four cases. The diphtheria
case and two of the scarlet fever cases
resulted in death. The report of the
health department for the week also
shows that infectious diseases-measles
and chickenpoX-are prevalent among
children. Last week the number of
deaths from all causes was ten, max
ing forty-one for the month thus far.
The unusual amount of sickness from
zymostic diseases, the fear that as the
weather grew hot these diseases might
spread into general epidemic, the
continually increasing protests against
the accumulation of filth in various
places caused The Herald to send a rep
resentative on a tour of inspection.
This tour was short and was con-
long enough to prove that the ordi
nances concerning sanitation are being
openly violated in the very heart Of
the city.
Filth Causes Fever
Inquiries were made of leading ply
sicians as to the cause of scarlet fever
and as to the sanitary condition of the
city. Without exception, they attrib-
ute scarlet fever largely to bad sani
tation and a violation of the laws of
health, and those best informed pro-
nounced the sanitary condition of the
city bad, horrible, outrageous and
abominable.
When the representative of The Her.
aid had made his round he secured a
copy of the revised ordinances of Salt
Lake City to determine what outrages
against the laws of health are per-
mitted, and what are not. Those ordi-
nances provide that the board of
health shall exercise general supervis-
ion over the health of the city, effect all
measures necessary to promote the
health and cleanliness thereof. 1t shall
abate all nuisances of every descrip-
ton on public and private property
Chapter 5, sec. l.
The health commissioner, who shall
be physician in good standing, shall
be the executive officer of the board. He
shall take notice of all ordinances re-
lating to the sanitary condition of the
city and enforce the same. Chapter
5, sec. 2.
THE sanitary inspector shall obey all
orders of the health commissioner, and
all orders and resolutions of the board
of health. He shall, under the direction
of the health commissioner, employ all
necessary teams, drivers and wagons
to be employed in cleaning the streets
and alleys Of the city, and to remove
all garbage, dead ANIMALS, refuse ami
NAL and vegetable matter, offal and
other matter detrimental to public
health. Chapter ;, sec. s.
The above are the general duties, in
part, of these health officers, as they
relate to the matter in hand. Now, for
a few particulars.
Under the head of garbage the ordi-
nances provide that the owner or agent
or occupant of every building or place
of business, must provide a metallic
vessel, with handles, for receiving and
holding all ashes. sweepings and other
rubbish, and that these vessels are to
be emptied by the scaVenger as soon as
filed. A separate and suitable vessel
must be provided for garbage and
liquid refuse, and must be emptied by
the scavenger daily. In the residence
portion of the city the garbage YES
sells are to be emptied once each week
in spring, summer and fall, and once
every two weeks in winter
Ordinances Violated.
The ordinances are openly and flag
rantly violated in every locality visited.
Large wooden barrels are used for gar
bage. barrels that even now, before hot
weather has come, fairly reek with the
stencil of decaying animal and veget-
able matter. Barrels of this kind were
found that had not been emptied for
days and were sending out the most
horrible fumes. Other barrels and
boxes filed with ashes, tin cans, CID
clothes and rotten paper We're found
where they had stood for weeks, while
under the sun and rain the work of de-
composition went on. Many places
were found where the garbage was
thrown in heaps upon the ground
ashes. decaying fish, vegetables, rags,
shoes and general offscourings were
found in such places.
Ash piles and manure piles were
found upon which families had been
throwing slops, rubbish and garbage
till the air was poisoned with the odors
Pest holes were found into which rub
bish had gathered undisturbed for
weeks.
Fruit dealers, produce dealers and
meat dealers were found vino asserted
that the sanitary officer never called
upon them. They did not even know
the name of the inspector and had
never seen him. Yet it is the duty of
the health department to see that
spoiled meats and produce are not ex-
posed for sale.
The rains falling upon these places
transformed them into fostering sores
in the heart of the city. People who
try hard to keep their places clean and
orderly suffer through families living
in upper stories, who throw rubbish
and garbage out of the windows.
Other places were found where the
Stops had been thrown for years upon
the ground till the soil was thoroughly
saturated. To dig into these places
when the sun is hot, produces stencil
that is unbearable. AS many as twelve
eesspools or pits were found on one
small piece of ground and in some of
these the offal was very poorly COW
cred. Houses were found in the sewer
districts unconnected with the sewer,
or so poorly connected that the inmates
We're forced to throw their Stops upon
the ground. Closets were found used
by five families, the conditions of which
were nauseating in the extreme. Old
broken-down buildings were found |
regular fire-traps. Other outbuildings
were found in which all manner of filth
had accumulated. These things are to
be seen on the surface in the heart of |
the business district of Salt Lake City |
Concerning Nuisances.