The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-09

which wells were subject to contami
nation and many of which actually
were contaminated.
Coming to the question of sewage,
the percentage of population living in'
houses connected with the sewer svar-
led from 20 per cent. to 95 per cent
with an average of probably less than
so per cent.--although here also It
was difficult to obtain exact figures.
In two cities tene OF them one of the
largest cities in the country the
board Of health had no authority to
compel residents to connect houses
with the sewer on streets that were
properly severed and properly fur
nishsd with city water; but as a rule
the cities had this authority but the
| extent to which this authority was
used varied greatly In general 1t can
be said II is possible To find many ci-
| ties in the country that have spent mil
lions of dollars for sewers and for ex-
tending the city water system and yet
I from quarter to more than half of
the inhabitants live in houses that are
not connected with the sewer and in a
great number OF such cases the situa =
ton is a closet with no sewer con-
nection and nearby a well furnishing
surface water. and constant danger Of
contamination, and II cannot be said
that these are entirely in the new sec
tons OF a growing city where sewer
and water mains have not been extend
Ell. A large number OF these cases are
on streets that have been severed and
have been furnished with water mains
and frequently in the oldest ana most
| thickly populated parts of the city.
TN regard TO the disposal of gar
! bags. conditions In most cities were
unsatisfactory, The most sanitary
way OF disposing OF garbage is proo-
| ably to burn it, About half dozen
of the cities investigated had inciner-
| alton plans and as rule these plants
| were working in a reasonably satisfac-
| tory manner--snd II they were not II
was generally because the work of COLI
lecttng the garbage for burning was
subject to political influences with an
| favorable results. In the great ma
| 1ority of cases the garbage Is dumped
| on vacant lots, frequently within the
| city limits and sometimes not far from
| the heart OF the city
| Ordinances for inspection of milk
meats and perishable provisions were
quite general, and II is clear that they
are being enforced with increasing eff
| fectiyeness every year, but successful
work of this kind depends mainly upon
| three things; freedom from political
| control. d competent and particularly a
| courageous board OF health and a
strong public opinion in favor Of thor
ough enforcement OF the work.
| Coming now TO the consideration oil
| some special points. the following is
quoted from the annual report for 1915
| Of the Department Of Health OF cts
OF less than 100, 600 inhabitants and
the capital OF one Of the leading States
OF the Union: There are 1000 shall
low wellS'in this city and the poilu-
| 600 vaults. There@afe 5000 homes In
the city. 5000 OF which are not con
nected with city sewers or water mains
for sanitary purposes. The sewer and
| water systems OF this city have cost
ithe taxpayers approximately $4,000
600 This means that the public ex-
penditure Of 100000 for sanitary
purposes is utilized by one-third of tbs
population and the benefits which
should be derived by the community
are lost. ...a-. ..-.
Since 1902 the typhoid fever NOR
tally Of the city has been high com
pared with that OF other cities. ir
/ 1903 II was as, per 100000 of popu
iafton. while the average of registra
/ ZION cities of the nation was but "a 6
in 1904 this city's typhoid rate was
IS, while the average OF registration
cities was "a: in 1905 this city. 3S4
with average cities az; in 1905 thi,
city $50. average cities s*.2; In 1sai
this city Sill. average cities SIT: IL
1908 this city ssh, average cities
ass; in 1909 this city 80. averag,
cities az in 1910 the typhoid tmbr'
taiityl rate in this city Jumped t.
81 per 100000 of population.
In a large city in the South one
OF the great public markets was Wis
tied and the conditions were simpl,
revolving Great Quantities or meat
vegetables and more or less overrip,
fruit we're displayed in an open mar
ket extending for two blocks, with
no kind of protection for the perish
! able provisions. Never Were such
swarms of flies seen before. In on.
case big piece Of meat was SO GOV.
cred with flies that II was really dim
cult TO make cut what 1t was. For
tunately. movement Is on foot t.
have this market done away with. AL
public markets of the kind ought t
be abolished. 1t u impossible to
maintain sanitary conditions a. loni
as such things exist. On the othel
hand, In the city Of Montgomery
Ala. there was evidence of quite sat
| fsfactory enforcement OF the ordi-
nances for screening meats and per
ishable provisions. Not only were
screen doors required at the entrance
of the market. but screens over tn,
individual displays OF perishabie food
Fruit stands on the streets were fur
nished with cases with screen doors
and during the summer months M
fruit was allowed to be exposed fol
sale without proper protection. Th'
fly il one Of our most deadly enemies
and the protection OF meats and pro
visions from this fatal work 10 alb
solutely necessary IL the public In Il
be protected from contagious and
infectious diseases. ....
"One city was found to be In mos
excellent condition in practically evar,
respect as far as what could be don.
by city authorities in applying meth
DDS OF modern sanitary science, Sa
vannah. Ca, II the city referred to
The city has in Its head Of the boart
of health DR.. Drummer. an unuHall,
capable man and a man whose energ.
and courage In enforcing the health
regulations OF tho board 70 refreshing
FIN contrast with the weak and haltinl
actions of many health ofYiciais. Al
4 though Savannah has only $1,000 In
habitants, its department Of bacte
rioloEy Ia known as the best In tn,
South. and II II doubtful II there ar,
half dozen better equipped and
mora efficient departments in the
United States including our larges
cities. The city II very completed,
piped for water. obtained from arte