Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-30
REV|EWQE! CONDITIONS
Subjects Before Washington
Board Of Trade.
THE PUBLIC HEALTH
DESCRIPTION OF TRIP THROUGH
ALLEY SETTLEMENTS.
Addresses by District Officials and
Others-Buffet Lunch Served
List Of Those Present.

List Of Those Present.
Members and friends of the washington
Board of Trade spent an evening with the
public health committee Of the organization
at the New Willard last night. One of the
features Of the evening was an Illustrated
description of a trip through the alley set
Elements Of Washington. by Charles F. Wei
Ter, secretary Of the associated charities.
Other speakers were DR.. George M. Kober'
who reviewed the general health condition;
Gen. George M. Sternberg, who devoted
himself to the subject of pulmonary con-
sumption: DIR. W. C. Woodward, health Of
ficer, and Mr.. Smith Thompson, who pre-
scented a bill for public baths and con-
venience stations.
The public schools committee was on the
program, but owing to the length of the
program DR.. A. P. Pardon Of that COM
mittee presented only brief review Of con-
ditions in this direction buffet lunch
concluded the evening. which was particl-
pated in by several hundred members of the
board and their friends.
AS result Of the showing made and sug-
geStions offered. several resolutions were
adopted on matters of public Improvement.
The meeting was called to order by Pres
ident Thomas w. Smith. and the minutes
Of the last regular meeting were read by
ciusion Of which the committee on health
took charge. DR.. Kicking Of the commit
tee said he had a number of resolutions
covering important questions, which he
should offer at the end Of the evening. All.
however, he said, might be included under
one general head. ITO reduce the mortality
in the District of Columbia" This, he said,
would be an easy task If the cooperation
Of the Board Of Trade could be had for a
few years.
The mortality Of Washington was COM
pared favorabiy with that Of several other
cities. In 1890, 1t was stated. the average
OF death was 31.1, in 1900. 80, throughout
the country. In the District Of Columbia
forty-two years. and among the colored
race twenty-eight years. This difference
against the colored race, he said. was not
due to color. but to the fact that the col
ored people constitute in the main the
poorer classes in the District.
The prevention Of 'the great white
plague DR.. Hickling said, was another i'm
portant direction in which work could be
done to reduce the mortality.
Among the Poor.
Mr.. Weller Of the Associated Charities
presented conditions among the poor in
Washington by the aid of pictures thrown
on screen. He prefaced his remarks by
a word Of caution, saying that In the trip
through the "sore' spots of the city the
fact must not be forgotten that Washing
ton was a beautiful city; that there were
problems here to correct there was no
doubt. and 1t was to these evils in the way
OF social Ills that he wished to call atten-
ton.
In Washington there are 27s alleys, he
said, which are densely populated. Willow
Tree alley Is the home of 329 persons, and
many other similar places have almost as
large a population, From these alleys come
the men and women who work in the be st
homes in the city. Into these plague spots
washing il carried each week, thus expos
ing thousands of people to any disease
which may exist among the .unfortunates
who are herded together in forbidding
places
ooh. for a Boss Shepherd who would
level the wretched houses Of this city as
Boss Shepherd leveied the paving Of our
streets!' exclaimed Mr.. Weller.
Needs Of the District.
DR.. Woodward, who followed Mr.. Weller.
reviewed what he considered some of the
most important needs of the District. I'VE
must not be wrapped up in the idea OF
cleanliness Of the city," he said. Our
streets and our cutters may be clean, but
Is our air clean?"
The swampy flats and the James Greet.
canal. he said, sent up foul and unhealthy
vapors. Our water supply was another
source Of concern. although DR.. WOODWARD
said the city had less to fear from the
citys water supply than from the swampy
air. Medical inspection in the schools was
an important remedy suggested. Hospr al
facilities for consumptives was another
necessity Present regulations prevented
the consumptive from being properly cared
for or even admitted into any of the city
hospitals.
Are we clean city when these things
exist?" asked Dr. Woodward. I'VE must
not pat ourselves on the back and think
We have nothing to do
Taking up the subject Of consumption
DR.. Woodward said the great thing along
the line Of cure was to go to the root of the
evil by taking preventative measures. Thu
District of Columbia, he said had hardy
borne It's share In the way of discovery.
The District did not have the facilities for
research. There was no meteorological
laboratory for the proper analyzation oil
either milk or water.
We cannot go ahead on the improveme Mt
of the AnacoStia flats; we cannot solve the
water-supply question:; we cannot erect our
municipal hospital unless we are able 10
negotiate this little loan from the govern
ment." said DR.. Woodward.
This is not the complete remedy for
health, he said: 1t is matter OF education.
People must be taught sanitary habits.
Public baths must be provided. It did no
good to talk cleanliness unless there was
some place where people might make them
selves clean. Each person must seize on
the idea that the health of the community
depended on the health Of the individual.
DIR. Woodward urged that If we were
going to have all Of these improvements
each citizen must work to that end
Prevention Of Consumption.
Gen. George M. Sternberg. in prefacing his
remarks on the prevention Of pulmonary
consumption. stated that he had once
drafted bill for the condemnation Of in
sanitary buildings, but that nothing had
been done in the matter in Congress.
In his remarks on consumption. DR.. Stern
berg said he should conflne his remarks to
prevention and cure:
at Is a well established fact" he said,
(which is generally recognized, that this
disease Is due to a minute bacillus, dfscov-
cred over twenty years ago by the famous
bacteriologtst, Robert Koch, and that this
| bacillus is present in large numbers in the
| purulent matter coughed up from the lungs
| Of those suffering from the disease. We
| also know that the propagation Of the dis
| ease depends largely upon the introduction
| Of the bacillus to the lungs of susceptible