Bismarck daily tribune., 1908-10-02
new Heal. TIL PROJECT
National Reform Movement y
/ Started In Boston.
TO ATTACK EVIL AT IT'S ROO?

. SaSi aS$
TO ATTAe K EVIL. AT IT'S ROO?
Miss S. Hughes Wants Vacancy
,ss Commissions Established In Large
cities-E ach. Empty House 80 BE In
IS sPected Before Occupancy and All
DANGER Of Disease Removed.
sA movement to lay the foundation
of a national reform in all large cities
was recently started In Boston with
the object of promoting health in d
new and original way, which starts at
the root of an evil and IS generally
5combated effectively
@ Miss Sarah ] Hughes OF the Back
Bay section of Boston, !. woman of
sextraord dinary energy and intimately
acquainted with those perplexing ques-
tons and conditions which are a con-
slant source of anyiety to boards OF
health. has conceived a plan for the
ablishment of vacancy commission
in Boston, New Z ork and Philadelphia
as the starting points of national
work. These vacancy commissions are
to be composed of q physician at the
head, a trained nurse of high standing
"a public spirited and practical lodging
house Keeper and a real estate woman
of philantl,ropic character, says Bos~
ton correspond Of the Philadelphia
Record Their powers, to be conferred
either by city or state, win be such as
TO give them authority to enter all va
cant houses. inspect them and order
them put into a condition before oecu-
pancy that will preclude all danger OF
disease. ~
Miss Hughes has discovered that
landlords are in the habit OF giving
only a superficial cleaning to vacant
tenements and houses, that new layers.
of wall paper are laid over the ola
layers. that germs are so thick on the
inside Of the rank paper that they can
$be seen with the microscope ana that
crannies and crevices where disease.
turks are utterly neglected, not being
given even hot water and soap treat
ment when bichloride is an absolute
necessity No less than ten layers OF {
paper have been found by Miss Hughes,
in Broolsline. Mass; the richest town
in the world, while Eve and six layers
are common all over Boston ii homes:
supposed to be far better than lodging
and tenement houses. Observat ton has
proved, according to Miss Hughes
that disease and death have their ORR
gin In such condi itions, where the par
simony and shortsig ghtedness Of land
lords permit only superficial cleaning
that looks well to the eye at first, but
which covers only q WI hitened sepul-
lcher. ssssl.s
Miss Hughes has found that the two.
| most prevalent diseases arising from
these insanitary methods are con
sumption and diphtheria. She has kept
close track OF houses where the land
lords would neither make the neces-
sary changes nor permit new tenants
/ to make them with the conclusions
/ formed in an array Of astounding facts.
1 and figures proving that disease has,
4 followed almost invariably and ineyE-
tnbly: hence the advocacy of vacancy
commissions Mayor George a. Hib-
bard of Boston has lent d willing eay
to the propaganda while aldermen
and councilmen are greatly impressed.
4 Others have Joined In the new move
ment. and the plan Ii to follow the
1 Boston work with similar establish
4 ments In New York and Philadelphia
4 finally maxim It national In character.
Miss Hughes would have. all the halls
4 painted from attic to coal scuttle, She
would tear off the layers Of paper te'
!, the plaster and have 1t carried OF .irsI
!, barrels. She would have the wallis
treated with hot water and soap, fol-
4 Z ,oWed BY bichloride until there could.
be no chance for germs TO remain. ans
In this way she claims a vast proper
q tlon pf sickness would be prevented.
] Miss Hughes lis a sister Of the cele-
brated physician and surgeon, DR..
q Laura A. Hughes, who delivered
4 two addresses before the American
!, Medical association at Chicago lasf
s June and who won distinction IN the
spanish-American war
Z Truck Patch Literature.