The Washington herald., 1910-08-22
Health in Washington

Editcr The Washington Herald
My brief article I'm The Herald Of Au-
gust Is has called forth quite a variety
Of comments. In that article. il viii be
remembered, I presented the health sta
ustios Of eight American cities. showing
that Washington. from 1893 TO 1905. had
slipped down from the fourth TO the
eighth position in the scale.
I specify a few OF the criticisms.
Cd The publication may result detrimen-
, tally 10 the interests Of WASHINGTON. This
is no fault Of mine nor OF the compiler OF
the statistics The health ofice author
izes the announcement to be made daily
/ that typhoid fever is on the increase: and
so Of other ailments that happen to al
fict the community. Let the truth be
known, however. Unpalatable the infor-
nation may be 10 a boasting community.
90 Another intelligent gentleman says
the Capital was wrongfuly placed by
the founders. He thinks il should have
been placed on the Susquehanna. say. at
or near WrightsviIe. But the reply is:
II was not so placed. but right where il
Is on the Potomac near the sea level.
he thinks the water supply should be
brought for family use. from the Blue
Ridge Mountains. and not from the Po-
tomac River. with It's vitiated sources.
He seems TO ignore conditions that exist
and theories about ideal ones.
The truth is. Washington is located in
its present site and has a population OF a
third of a million Of people Il is the
Capital of the greatest republic Gin name)
in the world. and must work out its own
destiny. This being granted. what can
be done to &ake it a healthy and health
ful city? We answer:
Cd Let it be remembered that the city
has four NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. South
east, Northwest, and Southwest. AL de-
mand equal attention.
(9 Let as much interest and attention
be given TO the development OF the East
ern Branch as are bestowed on the north
pole or the Yukon or the wildS OF South
Africa. Il is an unwise policy to expect
to, preserve One-fourth Of an apple or
potato while three-fOUrths are permitted
to undergo decay or even neglect.
90 It is unwise and foolish to dish out
constantly the effete theories Of the past
while the common sense of the present
age is ignored. Let streets and alleys be
kept clean. II the buildings and grounds
around the Union Station are condemned.
let those buildings be razed and the space
filed up. Let not people live in tenement
houses unfit for residence, in many cases
ten O. fifteen feet beneath the surface.
Let ole of the infant industries. seen
everywhere on the streets. be stoned.
Stripping boys. with a bag OF tobacco in
one hand and piece Of paper in the
other, are making and smoking cigar
cites. Neither advice nor spanking is
given them. In this season Of fruit and
vegetables people gorge themselves at
every hour of the day or night, and then
wonder why they are feverish. Give the
stomach, sadly overworked. at least a
little time for rest and recuperation. Use
the day for work and the night for rest
and sleep. In the language Of Shakes
peare. even in spite OF the fashionable
phase of the subject throw physic to
the dogs; I'll have none of it,"
II a little common sense is exercised,
a person may have good health in Wash
ington as well as anywhere else God
mas no elect. so far as health Is con-
cerned. excenst that those who obey the
known laws Of their being are blessed.
Whatsoever a man sOweth. that Shall he
also reap. If person sows wild oats.
he'll reap wild oats without a peradven-
ture. have no sort OF sympathy for
the man OF woman who openly and de-
family disobeys the simple laws Of health
and then regales me with a complaint
Of his ailments. Every man or woman
who has sense enough TO come in when
It rains may have health, If he win pay
the price, viz: Obey natures benefcerG
laws Let people learn ana obey these
laws, or else quit their whining.
J. FRAlSE RICHARD.
Space in the municipal markets Of