3 22 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ings and sheds, which were filthy and in some cases not sewered, 

 the appliances used being inadequate and primitive, and the meth- 

 ods, especially from their publicity, indecent and demoralizing ; 

 that cattle were driven through the public streets in populous 

 quarters with great danger to life ; that the plumbing and drain- 

 age of dwellings, private as well as tenement houses, were ex- 

 tremely defective, allowing sewer-gas to freely escape into the 

 apartments ; that offensive odors from gas, fat-melting, and other 

 manufacturing establishments were not uncommon ; that stables 

 were generally without proper drainage and very offensive ; and 

 that stable manure was allowed to accumulate, was removed 

 irregularly and in an offensive manner, and was stored for sale in 

 the vicinity of dwellings ; and that the removal and disposal of 

 offal, dead animals, and night-soil were conducted in a primitive 

 manner disgraceful to a civilized city. It was also reported that 

 there was no proper supervision and care by public authority of 

 contagious diseases or to prevent their spread ; that there was no 

 public inspection of the food-supply of the city, and especially of 

 milk, meat, and fish ; that there were no regulations or inspec- 

 tions for the purpose of insuring to new buildings proper light, 

 ventilation, and drainage, or to secure the correction of defects 

 and the proper cleanliness of buildings already occupied as human 

 habitations ; in short, that the public health received no intelli- 

 gent consideration from the municipal government, and that the 

 demoralization incident to filthy streets and dwellings and to 

 other unsanitary conditions threatened the material prosperity 

 and the moral and social welfare of the city. Such was the situa- 

 tion in general, as graphically described by the Council of Hy- 

 giene, when the Metropolitan Board of Health commenced in 

 March, 18G6, the great work of sanitary reform and improvement. 

 Sanitary reform is of slow growth ; for every improvement is 

 an attack more or less important upon the prejudices or the prop- 

 erty of a considerable number of citizens and tax-payers, and is, 

 therefore, vigorously resisted. The action of the sanitary authori- 

 ties of New York has been conservative and conciliatory, but 

 firmly and steadily progressive. By persuasion and explanation 

 important sanitary changes and improvements have been inaugu- 

 rated, and, when approved by the common sense of the more intel- 

 ligent and public - spirited, have been completed by legal com- 

 pulsion ; sanitary rules and regulations have been constantly 

 enforced by an expert and vigilant corps of educated inspectors ; 

 and thus by a faithful and persistent public service, and without 

 excitement or startling innovations, New York has been gradually 

 relieved of the nuisances which afflicted its people and threatened 

 its prosperity a quarter of a century since. For several years the 

 Croton water supply, so important and essential to the health 



