The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-26

besides this. Indianapolis is well situated.
OF course, it is not on any great elevation.
nor is it a swamp, but is elevated enough
to have the air perfectly pure.
1.-The sewer system generally presents the
most difficult problem for a city TO solve,
does It not?'
Yes, that is very true Of large cities.
Take Chicago for instance. The drainage
of that city is something that the authori-
ties have been endeavoring TO cope with for
years, but have never been able TO salts
factoriIy do so. You will not find these
conditions alone existing in Chicago, but II
is true of every large place. Indianapolis
is, however, fortunate in this respect. We
have a fine system of sewers. and as the
years go on it Will be made still better.
municipality with sewers is always
healthier than one without them, because
sewers carry off great amount Of filth
which would otherwise stand and breed the
vilest kind of impurities"
COLORED PEOPLE AND SMALLPOX.
us it true that certain classes of diseases
are confined TO particular class Of people.
such as the majority of smallpox cases
among the colored people?"
mo, that is not true only so far as the
cerned. The reason that this disease is
more prevalent among these people than
others is that they are generally not clean
and then they crowd together. 1t is the
nature of colored people to go among their
friends a great deal, and In cold weather
a great many of them will be huddled to-
gether in a warm room. Then, If anyone
happens to come in that room who is af-
fected with the disease, the whole crowd
will get IT, Their crowding together does
not necessarily breed the disease. but I
said, someone OF them will contract II out
side and he will give 1t to the rest. The
number OF cases OF smallpox in this city is
not large when we take into considera-
ton the number of colored people that live
in the city, though the present situation is
somewhat exceptional
"Of course, it is the same with all con-
tagious diseases. They are all contracted
about the same way, and the reason you
find more Of them among poor people is
that they have to live In smaller rooms
and generally do not have the means of
keeping them clean, neither are they able
to buy wholesome food. Indianapolis is
fortunate in not having great number of
people who do not live well. 1 don't mean
by this that the greater part of the people
live extravagantly. but they live in a sub
stantiaI healthy way. 1t is well known
that the majority Of the people here own
their own homes. These people, of course.
take pride in having good sanitary condi-
tions prevailing about their homes.
81 was raised" DR.. House went on to
say. 'fn Maryland, close to Washington.
and do you know, the older this city gets
the more 1 can see how close it resembles
Washington. People who have never been
to the capital hardly realize that we have
a city which is nearly as beautiful as II is.
because the beauty of Washington is noted
all over the country. There is one thing
that Indianapolis is greatly in need of,
and that is public baths. There should be
a place where the poor can go and battle
without its costing them anything. AS 1t
is now, there is no place for them to go un-
less they pay, and most Of them do not
have the money to spend in this way. In
the summer time the poverty-stricken
might battle in the canal but then the
chances are the police would arrest them.
There is one thing that the Board of
Health generally has to contend with, and
that is lack Of funds And this is just
what it should not be hampered with be-
cause the expenditures of this board direct
~ aid some one who is in need of assistance
For instance, when a person is affected
with smallpox something has to be done for
him, and it takes money to do it. The
mayor, however, has shown the board MANY
courtesies. and he seems to be trying to
bring its work up to high standard.