The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-07-14

be successfully carried out. will be
gradually broadened TO include the
entire city. the statement having
been made that 80 per cent OF res
idents In Detroit were careless
about keeping the alley In the rear
OF their premises clean. Commits
sioner Gillespie said that he would
detail from 10 to 80 officers to en-
force sanitary measures and ordl.
nances.
The cleanup campaign will be In
augurated in the district that has
the highest tubercular record, and
results will be carefully watched
by the health department.
Housing Conditions Are Bad.
Or. Price declared Thursday that
housing conditions have become e.
serious menace In Detroit. Faced
with the apparent and convincing
necessity OF immediate action, with
a death rate from tuberculosis.
pneumonia and kindred ailments
that did not subslde in Detroit as In
other cities following the grip cpl
demic last winter, the board OF
health now proposes tolution OF
the problem by the enactment and
enforcement OF m adequate housing
code. similar To the ones IN opera
tion in New York city, Grand Rapids
and Duluth, according TO the health
officer.
"Epidemics frequently strike with
startling audiences and find the
community entirely unprepared to
Withstand the attack. Sickness oft
en- prostrates the Individual be-
cause of hygienic errors OF omis-
sion or commission" the doctor de-
clares in the forthcoming Board OF
Health bulletin.
mo doubt the location. arrange
ment. and character OF occupancy
OF the home exert more forceful
influence on the health OF the indi-
vidual than any other of his environ
ments This Is also true OF the
neighbors and those with whom he
comes in contact.
Tuberculosis. bronchial pneu.
monia and pneumonia claimed 1854
victims during the first six months
OF 1915. Detroit was unprepared
because of inadequate housing facil'
tiles TO withstand the epidemic OF
these impure air diseases last win
| ter, and for the same reason is
unprepared TO withstand an intro
duction Of infantile paralysis from
New York or of typhus fever or
malignant smallpox FROM the Next
can border"
Bad housing conditions obtain
| the doctor says, in houses which
are poorly lighted. unventilated
damp, imperfectly drained, in bad
repair. with uncleanly surroundings
and numerous other defe ctions.
Such houses are menaces and
dangerous to moral and physical
health, social and personal. and pre-
mote inehrity, Industrial inetficiency
dependence, poverty, disease and
death.
All the above conditions obtain II
Detroit the health cfTlcer declares
and evidence is readily available
for anyone who cares 10 s,;bstan
tiate this.
The percentage of population liv
ing under one or the other or Eever
I - - a.. fn.noogp1 ,opditiope &c I'm
creasing RAPIDLY. the doctor sayG
due to an influx Of people for whom
no adequate or wholesome HOUSING
facilities exist, and also because q
the absence Of a definite and spe
cific housing code that would pre-
scribe community housing stand
ard for those who have little regar
for their own health and none a
all for the neichhors and other
with whom they come H. contact.
/, George II. Fenkell, commissions
OF public works, precipitated the di'
cussion on street and alley cleanin
in the cabinet meeting when n
complained that his department !
unable TO adequately handle the sit
uation without the assistance OF thu
police and health authorities.
I'VE have appealed TO the police
and health authorities repeatedly
but they do not seem able to give nj
the desired assistance" said Com
missioner Fenkell.
Our department makes weekly
cleanup of all alleys. In some
wards. especially the Third and
Fifth. the alleys are in an almost
impossible condition within two OF
three days after the cleanup.
venture TO say that 90 per cent OF
the residents in these wards have
no garbage rcceptacles."
Police Commissioners Gillespie de
clared that his department was not
10 blame. He said that the courts
were at fault Or. Price also ducked
the responsibility by declaring that
his department was Interested most
ly In housing conditions.
I'VE could make 10000 ordinance
complaints In a day" said Commits
sloner Gillespie. What Detroit
needs is an ordinance court where
proper attention can be paid to all
ordinance complaints"
II was NJ the mayors suggestion
that the departments agreed to co
s,,oro,, Ia N r'oon.un cauDaicn the