Year: 1877

The Sanitary Report.


The paper by DR.. Frederic H. Gerrish, on
the sanitary condition Of Portland, which we
publish in full to-day, should be in the hands
of every householder. Its subject matter is
of general and immediate concern; the reme-
dy for the evils of which it treats is in part in
the province of each of US and not exclusively
a thing of municipal administration. While
some sanitary conditions can best be brought
about by concerted action through govern
mental agencies, others are under individual
control. Personal cleanliness is not within
the power of the municipality to exact, and
:he continuous inspection of our dwelling
houses, the watchful care which prevents or
removes the evident causes of disease in our
domiciles, cannot be undertaken by the city
without offensive encroachment upon the
privacy of the ci,l~ The constituted au-
thorities can do much 10 raise the standard of
health by proper attention to public works
and police regulations, but they cannot COM
pleteiy effect the desirable change without
the hearty cooperation of each citizen, So
long as each unit of society takes proper pre-
cautions for the preservation of his health the
mass will not be diseased.


The revelations of the report in regard to
the bad condition of the sewerage and the
deficiencies of the water-supply will be read
with surprise for we have fattered ourselves
that the one was adequate and the other
exceptionally good. The Back Cove nui-
sance was too patent to escape observation !;
but the mass of US now learn for the first
time that the means designed to relieve the
end and are carrying poison into all our
houses. The kindly agencies of earth and
air and water have become by the malignant
power of filth perverted to its own base use,
and we have complacently watched the pro-
cess by which the evil was done-nay, en-
couraged it by our sloth and indifference and
sometimes active though unconscious
aid. The very earth under our
feet has been prolific source of dis
ease, and our great advantages for good
have been turned to ill account. 1t is not
that our death-rate is appallingly large in
comparison with the death-rate of other cit
les, but that it is greater while it should be
much less than the normal rate: for we have
large natural advantages of position in san
itary point of view. Nature has been gener-
GUS. even prodigal, with us, and in return for
her kindness we have Systematically violated
her laws. Now that the error of our ways is
made manifest every consideration of self
regard, of public spirit, and of philanthropy
urges to remedy of the ills. The nature OF
that remedy calls for the patient considera.
tion and the wisest thought of our people.
When once determined upon it should be
promptly and largely administered.


The suggestions with which DR.. Gerrish
closes his report are wise and practical. 1t
remains with us to adopt and carry them out
in detail. Already Mayor Butler with the
hearty cooperation of the other branches of
ihe city government is moving in the matter,
and much-needed reforms are on foot The
improvement of the sewer system, the collec-
ton of vital statistics, the doing away with
the Back Cove nuisance, stricter supervision
of the water supply, a change in the methods
of collecting and disposing of offal and excreta,
are all measures necessary to be taken, and
can best be carried out, as suggested in the
report, by city board of health. The ques-
tion of increased expense necessarily incurred
on account of these sanitary measures is sat-
sfactorily treated by DR.. Gerrish, and his an
swer to objections on that score should be
read by all who are in doubt as to the expe-
diency of the increased outlay. Indeed there
is not in the report line which the public.
spirited citizen can afford to let pass unread.
The paper is able, clear, entertaining, and,
considering the limitations imposed by the
Jack of data, exhaustive. Its author deserves
the appreciation of the city for his luminous
exposition of her sanitary condition, and has
earned the thanks of the Society to which it
was presented for SO valuable contribution
to the course of progressive medical science.