New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-22

,,,e total number OF deaths actually decreased
2 ,oe. while with n growing population an IN
crea So in the deaths. notwithstanding the fewer
sunsirokes would have bccn natural
The statistics show a most remarkable de
rra,s.. ,n deaths from the diseases which re
spond to sanitation. The deaths from the great
white plague consumption were $50 fewer. That
was due TO the Intelligent work of the Health
nenartment Last year ir renovated twice as
many houses which had been occupied by con
s,1urr,tivrs as had been renovated i'm 1901. and
Il has In various other ways taken precautions
10 check the spread OF this disease. When DR.
Jederle took office there was almost an cpl
demic of smallpox, but with such energy did he
secure general vaccination and with such hui
manity did he provide for the care OF the af
fiicted in the contagious hospitals which We're
formerly places OF suffering and neglect that
he decreased the number OF deaths from small
pox hy exactly 100. Through cooperation with
Commissioner Woodbury. he has used ashes TO
MI up malaria breeding places and reduced the
number OF deaths from malarlal fevers by 60
The greatest saving of all is that from diarrhos
in children. which is 9l3. That is a disease
which especially lourishes through the neglect
of officials 10 do their duty of honest inspection
in the poorer quarters Of the city. Few Tam
many men would let case OF smallpox go at
large for bride, but how many mothers have
lost their babies because Tammany inspectors
shut their eyes 10 impure milk or neglected 10
condemn decayed fruit DR. Lederle has taken
great pains with these matters, has made many
milk dealers angry and ready to vote against
Mayor Low, but he has saved thousands of
homes from grief. The record likewise shows
221 fewer deaths from scarlet fever. 46 from
diphtheria and Group and 915 from violence
police protection seems 20 be better and order
more prevalent These are improvements not
10 be attributed TO the weather. like Sunstrokes
influenza or pneumonia
This is the sort of public service which comes
home TO every man. AS he cares for his life
and his children's lives. he wants such good
work TO go i'll the hands OF experts. and
not be demorslized by thrusting it back into
the hands of some politician who, like Murphy
viii use the department TO reward heelers and
carry Tammany primaries. as his recently pub
lished correspondence shows he did. Somebody
may think the saving of a thousand or i've
thousand lives 4 little thing among three mill
ions. may feel that his chance is about as good
under Tsmmany, and that at any rate the risk
is worth a good office or 4 fat franchise. But
il you were to be stood up among thousand,
eighteen of whom were 10 be killed by lot
would anything tempt YOU TO consent TO the Sc
lection Of twenty: If you watched by the bed
side OF Your wife or child, would you at any
price lessen by one one-thousandth the chance
for the loved ones life? We all walk in a vain
shadow What one of us can feel that the extra
arrow put in Deaths CULVER by neglect * not
fated for him, that even one life out of three
millions saved by faithful official is not his
own: The soldier who serves his country by
sacrificing thousands of lives comes home
hero TO be put in office The man who serves
his country 10y saving thousands Of lives is
surely as worthy of popular confidence and
support.