Report on the prevention of cholera, by J. H. Raymond ... Commissioner of health of the city of Brooklyn, to the Conference of state and municipal boards of health, at Washington, D. C., December 10, 1884.

  • Raymond, Joseph H. (Joseph Howard), 1845-1915.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the prevention of cholera, by J. H. Raymond ... Commissioner of health of the city of Brooklyn, to the Conference of state and municipal boards of health, at Washington, D. C., December 10, 1884. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    tion of the city more than any other it is difficult now to say ; but I find in looking over the records that special mention is made of a pump situated upon Van Brunt street, which was looked upon by the health dfficials at that time as being largely instrumental in the spread of the dis- ease in that section of the city. There is no doubt about one thing, whatever else may be said, and that is, that this section of the city was at that time water-soaked, and thus probably was adapted to the propagation of any germs that found a lodgment there. Since that period very many of these ponds have received from time to time a certain amount of filling, but not enough to completely obliterate them. Last summer (1884) special effort was made to fill these ponds, and also all others in the city. Fifty-five ponds have thus been filled at an expense of $26,721. It is a source of gratification to me that all the filling of lots during this past summer by the Department of Health, has been with clean material entirely free from garbage, and in every way unobjectionable. At the present time there exists in this section of the city but one pond, and measures have been taken which will before the advent of spring, cause this one also to be com- pletely filled. The same action which has been taken in the Twelfth Ward has been followed throughout the city generally, so that we have to-day in the city of Brooklyn but six ponds which will be likely in any wa}' to serve as abettors in the propagation of the disease, should it come, and action has been taken in reference to these which will result in their abatement during the present winter. PRIVY VAULTS. The first census, so far as I am aware, that was ever made of the privjf vaults of Brooklyn was made at the request of the Department of Health by the Police of the city in the year 1878. At that time there were twenty-five thousand privy vaults in the city. Of this number fourteen thou- sand were known as not water tight; that is built with stone as a rule loosely placed together, without cement, and with no attempt to prevent soil saturation. In addition to these there were eleven thousand vaults which were nominally water tight, and were constructed in accordance with the Ordinances; that is, they were built of brick and cement and were connected with the sewer. For several years this department has been earnestly striving to eradicate from the city every privy vault which could be eradicated, and to-day every one which is upon a sewered street which is not legally constructed, is under orders for its aboli- tion. During the past six years several thousand have been abolished, just how many it is impossible to say at the present time as the figures are now being made up. We have up to this time been un- able to proceed against the legally constructed privy vaults, eleven thousand in number. Attempt have been made by the department to have the Ordinances so