Evening star., 1903-10-28

put upon sanitary reform Is of the highest
significance and Importance, and we lock 10
you for new and practical advice. We OF
this capital which seems to US so beautiful
that 1t exacts our affectionate loyalty. re-
toice to see that in our desire to have II
made more and more beautiful we nave the
sympathy of all intelligent visitors and the
support of our intelligent countrymen. But
we know that 1t cannot be really beautiful
unless 1t has the beauty of holiness-that Is,
Wilderness. health, physical and spiritual
BE clean within and without. The first
word of religion Is the last word of science
In obedience is life; in dosobedience, death
The republic of Cuba. which by happy
coincidence is first represented in your con-
vent1on in the city of Washington, and has
our special welcome. brought, as she was.
into the family Of nations through the un-
exampled effort and under the care OF our
own republic. illustrates impressively the
value of health to the state. Freed from
the dominion of Spain by the heroes and
martyrs of our army and navy, Cuba was
freed from the more terrible and costly do
minion of disease by the heroes and mar
tyrs of sanitary reform. Once she was not
only miserable herself, but terror to her
neighbors. We suffered so that after one
or the awful visitationS of the yellow fever
from her shores to ours Mr.. Blaine said
thiit II would be wise to spend half BILL
lion of dollars if necessary for the purchase
OF the island simply to stamp @ut that
plague. Now Cuba rejoices not more in her
own deiverance than in the deiiverance of
her neighbors from that danger. Here and
everywhere similar deliverance must be
wrought by patient and self-sacrilicn,y and
public-spirited endeavor. We take inspird-
ton and courage for our task from what
has been DONE
DR.. Wyman's Annual Address.
DR.. Wyman then read his annual ad
dress.
Il believe that the insanitary condition
OF our cities presents a condition parallel
to that of their political corruption" he
began Municipal betterment would pro-
ceed faster if its promoters realized that
an achievement may fail when too much
at one time is attempted. but may sue
ceed by efforts in detail. By seizing upon
one highly important element of munich
pal reform and for the time being concen-
trating all energies upon it good citizens
would achieve success not only invalu
able IN Itself. but one which would serve
as point of vantage for other efforts"
Moral reforms, DR.. Wyman thought
would more easily follow better SANTA
ton. Large cities here and abroad he
said. have shown the effect on health and
commercial prosperity of purely sanitary
measures Among others he mentioned
New York, with its tenement house victo-
ries: San Francisco in it's sanitary strug
gle in Chinatown: Memphis with It's sewer
age reformation in the warfare against
yeilOW 1eVer, ana havana.
DIR. Wyman spoke of the growth in num-
Der and power of the state boards of health
but added that many of our states
backward in sanitary legislation. State
laws, he continued. can materially as
sist effort in the great cities toward tene-
ment house reform and elimination of
Sums, as we'll rs the establishment in the
rural regions of proper sanitation. In
cities. the state legislature has the power
to demand compliance with certain sani-
tary requirements. The first qualification
for a new municipal or village charter
should be an assurance of its proper sani-
tation.'
He expressed the opinion that popular in
terest in sanitary reform might be enlisted
through the agency of labor unions. which
already have manifested their own interest
in sanitation and are nearer to the great
voting public than any other organized
bodies in cities. ITO awaken the interest
of the poor in measures for their own bet
terment,' he said, is preferable to seeking
the aid of philanthropic millonaires. To
my mind it would not be advisable. even
were it possible, to induce any multi-mil
lonaire to come into any city to eliminate
it's slums with his wealth Municipalities
should depend on self-support.'
Car Ventilation.
At the afternoon session yesterday there
was a general discussion of the subject of
car ventilation, the consensus of opinion be-
vitiated. and that they are fruitful sources
of disease The delegates were outspoken
in their condemnation of the alleged lack
of attention to the matter of cleaning blan-
kets ana furnishings i'll sleeping cars. DIR.
j. II. Mccormick of the state board of
health of kentucky declared that an Off
cial investigation into the subject made by
him disclosed the fact that the blankets
were cleaned only once every six months.
DR.. c E. Dudley of Altoona, Pa, chemist
for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
answering the criticisms with regard to un-
sanitary cars, called upon the delegates to
furnish him the data upon which they
based their statements 1t was not fair, he
said, to require railroads TO spend large
sums of money in this direction until they
knew where they stood. The cleaning of
cars in transit ne characterized as one of
the most annoying things railroads have to
contend with. In addition he said his COM
pany had tried various schemes for steriiZ-
ing the drinking water in cars, and had re-
sorted to the eXpedient of formaldehyde in
disnfecting them. He assured the delegates
that the railroads are ready to take hold
of the matter and utilize any practical sys-
tenn that will contribute to the general pub
lie health.
Infant Mortality Discussed.
The report of the committee on '''Cause
and Prevention of Infant Mortality was
read by Dr. Henry Mitchell, chairman Of
the state board of health, Asbury Park,
n. J. The remarkable dminution in the
number of deaths among infants during
the past ten years, Dr. Mitchell declared.
has been generally ascribed TO the recogni-
ton by medical practitioners of the ad-
yantages which attend cleanly methods in