Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-11
MENACE TO HEALTH
RECLAMATION OF THE ANACoS-
TIA FLATS URGED.
Argument Set Forth in DR.. Flowers
Letter to Chairman Babcock Of
House District Committee.

Chairman Babcock of the District COM
mittee today received from DR.. Flower,
chairman of the executive committee of the
Medical Society of the District. letter
urging favorable action upon the recon-
mendation of the Commissioners relating
to the reclamation of the Anacostia flats.
This measure. says DR.. Flower has
been urged in the interest of public health
since 1894. and it is to be deplored that so
far no legislative action has been taken
LAS matter of record Dr. Busey, in one
of his published addresses quotes from
the Washington Gazette of 1897 the state
ment that during that year in a popula-
ton of 1900, but deaths occurred in this
CITY, If then during succeeding decades
fatal epidemics of bilious fever intermit-
tant bilious fever and bilious disintery
ana typhoid fever occurred and the repu-
tatlon of the national capital as regards
neaith conditions has suffered it cannot
be the effect of the climate but of some
thing added to the climate and students
OF the subject have since recognized that
apart from temperature, humidity atmos-
pherlc pressure, wind, sunshine and other
meteorological conditions there are MANY
FACTORS such as soil water impure air.
the pressure of insects social and racial
problems which play an important role
III the healthfulness of a given locality.
When There Were No Flats.
"heh the city was first plated there
were no Potomac and Anacostia river hats
ne formation of the Potomac marshes il
attributed to the construction of the Ana.
costla causeway in 1906, and the building
OF Long bridge in 1908, and the Anacostia
river hats to the construction of the Ken-
.IioAy avenue bridge in 1875 and the Ben
nlng bridge in 1897 Whatever their caus.
may nave been, they increased from vear
~ year oy continuous deposition and soon
became notorious breeding grounds for
nro sa 90 tIa ana the chief source for the
mats nave been reclaimed since 1882. add
ing ABOUT 621 acres to our parking sys-
TEN, but the Anacostia river flats, which
cover an area of over 1000 acres. the title
to which is vested In the United States
still continue to be menace to the health
OF our Inhabitants. The reclamation OF
the Potomac flats has greatly reduced the
prevalence of malaria, and it is reason
able and scientifically correct to maintain
that similar results would follow the re-
ciamation Of the Anacostia flats. Take
away the notwithstanding places and
there will be no extra corporal habitat
for the germs of malaria.
Effect Of the Flats.
apart from malaria, it must be conceded
that the emanation proceeding from the
decomposition from vegetable and animal
matter in this large tract of lowland must
of necessity impair the power of resistance
of those exposed to its influence and thus
be factor in the production of many
other diseases, and there is little doubt
that the increased humidity of atmosphere
resulting from evaporation of water along
these flats also tends to intensity the eff
feet of both heat and cold in this climate
AT the last session of Congress a bill
authorizing a survey of the flats with an
estimate of the probable cost of their rec
lamation, was passed. and at present there
Is no legislative project before the House
concerning the flats. 1t is considered prob
able that some action looking to the rec
lamation of this 1,OOO-acre tract of dis
ease-breeding swamp will be taken when
the report Of the survey is presented to
Congress