PRESENTED TO THE
American Public Health Association,
AT NEW ORLEANS, DEC. 1880.
By MOSES T. RUNNELS, M. D.,
INDIANAPOLIS.
CHICAGO:
DUNCAN BROTHERS.
1880.
There is no subject of greater interest to the people than that ofhealth and the best means of obtaining it. Plenty of wholesome food,good air and pure water constitute the first essentials of rightliving. Any thing which contaminates these prime requisites admits afactor into the problem of life which seriously vitiates its result.To what extent agents of adulteration have injured the human familyby disease and death we do not know, but the usual estimate made bysanitarians is, that nearly one-half of the existing diseases might beabolished, provided that individuals and communities should enter uponcorrect modes of living. In the United States over one hundred thousandpersons die annually, and probably one hundred and fifty thousandpersons are constantly sick from causes well known to be preventable.Dr. Draper says the total number of deaths in Massachusetts during fiveyears, 1869-73, from all causes was 156,289; of that number the deathsfrom zymotic or fermentable diseases comprised 26 per cent.; those fromacute pulmonary diseases were 7 per cent.; and those from phthisis,17 per cent. So that, if we include all these among the “preventable”diseases, the deaths from these causes represent one-half the actualmortality. It is estimated that the productive efficiency of theaverage life in this country might be increased 30 per cent.; or up tothe normal amount by the proper observance of health laws. The annualmortality rate should not exceed 15 per 1,000 in cities under goodsanitary management, but the tables of the National Board of Healthshow a greater mortality in almost every city of the country. Zymoticor preventable diseases are increasing in Indianapolis. From thesediseases 443 deaths occurred in the city during the year 1879—over 32per cent. more than in 1878—and if such a large number died, it isfair to calculate that twenty times as many persons were more or lesssick from the same causes. Nearly 33 per cent. of the total deaths of[Pg 4]the city last year were due to zymotic diseases. These facts shouldawaken the public to thorough search for the causes at work producingsuch a high mortality.
I believe, and it shall be my endeavor to prove, that the increaseof zymotic diseases in the city is due in a great measure to causeseasily preventable. Man, it is true, is born to sorrow; but many ofthese sorrows are of his own creation, or are due to his neglectof established principles. Having determined upon a thoroughinvestigation, we need only to visit the premises, where typhoidfever, scarlet fever, diphtheria, and diseases of this class prevail,to obtain facts enough to solve the problem. Wherever filth abounds,whether in the air, the ground, or the water, there will be a fruitfulsoil for the propagation of fermentative diseases. To be convinced ofthe present and past filthy condition of the city, one should take awalk through any of the alleys at noonday, and inhale the foul odorsarising constantly from sewers, cess-pools, privies and decayinganimal, vegetable, and excrementitious matters thrown out from kitchensand stables. An examination of the kitchen and back yard of a house issufficient to prove one of two things, either