The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-09
HEALTH CONDITIONS
TOPIC OF MEETING
Life Insurance Experts Find Many People Living in Cities
Who Use Well Water and Who Have No Modern
Sanitary Conveniences in Their Homes

NEW YORK, June S.-That at
least thirty per cent. of the popula
ton in various cities of this country,
equipped with good water SUPPLY sys-
TENS, mainly use well water that is
subject TO contamination was stated
in report of special investigation
OF the sanitary condition of thirty
two American cities submitted to the
Association of Life Insurance Presi-
dents to-day by Hiram j. Messenger.
actuary of Hartford. Conn. In cities
with sewer systems the population
living in houses unconnected with
sewers was given at about forty per
cent.
The cities investigated are, with one
or two exceptions, in the South and
Middle West, and are as follows,
Lynchburg. Roanoke. Knoxville,
Chattanooga. Nashville. Louisville,
Cincinnati, Indianapolis. Bloomington,
Springfield. St. Louis. Memphis. Lit
tie Rock. Nicksburg, New Orleans,
Mobile. Montgomery. birmingham,
Atlanta. Macon, Jacksonville. St. Au-
gustine, Savannah, Charleston, Au-
gusta, Colum bia, Charlotte, Danvilie.
Richmond. Baltimore. New York and
Hartford.
In addition to water supply and
sewage system the principal points
Investigated covered disposal of garb-
age, inspection of milk, meats and
perisha BILE provisions. board of health
ordinances for maintaining sanitary
conditions, laboratory equipment and
work ot the department of bacteriol-
ogy. climatic conditions, location Of
city and natural character of sur
rounding country. character of city
government character OF people, with
special reference a. To whether or
not they appreciate the Importance
of maintaining proper health condi-
tions and whether or not there is a
powerful public sentiment that can
/ be brought 10 bear upon the city
government in regard to such ques-
lions.
The evidence found practically
everywhere particularly through the
southern States) showed that there
has been a most wonderful improve
ment in the general sanitary condi-
tons during the last ten or twenty
years" states the report Cities in
the South in proportion to their means
as rule are spending as much money
IN improVeme nts affecting the gen.
eral health Of the city as in the North.
AS far As observations indicated. 1t Ia
Impossible 10 select one particular sec
tlcn Of the. country and show that
from sd nitary standpoint 1t Is. as a
whole. materially superior to anothe
section i'll what js being done by the
various municipalities and State au-
liberties In the line, of sanitary work
or course, there are sections of the
country where natural conditions
! bearing upon health are very favor
a BILE and other sections where such
conditions are very uufavorable; but
as far as efforts of city authorities "a
put the cities In the best possible SAM
tary condition is concerned. one car
find some OF the best and some OF the
worst instances in the South. In the
North. In the East and in the West
( 1t was surprising to find on the South
Atlantic coast a city which in the
efficiency of its board of health and
in its maintenance of generally
healthy conditions by adoption of the
very best modern method stsndaboul
at the top of ali the places visited
while in the same section of the coun-
( try, not far from this city. was another
place which, although greatly favor
cd by nature. as far as what the city
authorities had done, stood near the
+ bottom, and the most unfortunate fac,
was that the citizens had no concep-
ton ~ the real situation. II was
surprising 70 find on the Mississippi
river one city in most excellent sani-
= iNTF tDNTlttHNt BHi a lew HuHUTFH
miles north another city whose inhab-
itants would resent any opinion that
they are not among the most intelli-
gent and rrogressive--anH yet this lat
+ ter place, on account of It's absolute
J iy inexcusahle conditions, II down
near the foot Of the list.
/ 1T was found that as rule mos
/ of the cities visited had a fairly good
supply of city water. The important
question in regard TO the city water
supply is not So much the charactei
! Of the water furnished by the city
water system hut the extent 10 which
! the inhabitants use the city wafer and
( the extent 10 which they make Use
OF some other source of supply. The
extent 10 which city water is used
varies probably from 20 per cent. Il
close to ZOE per cent. and although
I II is Impossible 10 obtain exact fig-
ures. upon the whole probably 20 pei
cent. Is n high estimate OF the average
percentage of inhabitants using tit,
water in cities of $4,000 innabitant!
and over. The remaining 80 per cent
or more obtained their water suppl,
elsewhere and mainly from wells sup