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The Health of the City

About This Item

  • Title: The Health of the City
  • Date: 28 June 1858
  • Creator(s): Walt Whitman
  • Whitman Archive ID: per.00898
  • Source: Brooklyn Daily Times, 28 June 1858: 2. Our transcription is based on a digital image of a microfilm scan of the original issue. Microfilm of original issue held at Pennsylvania State University Libraries. For a description of the editorial rationale behind our treatment of the journalism, see our statement of editorial policy.
  • Editorial note: This piece is unsigned, as was the case for most of Whitman's journalism. However, this editorial is part of a series of texts that deal with a coherent theme that has been identified by the Whitman Archive journalism team as likely authored by Whitman. This decision is based on a combination of historical and (auto)biographical accounts, similarity to contemporary Whitman writings, a history of scholarly attribution, extant clippings retained by Whitman, computational stylometric analysis, and, in some cases, manuscript evidence in Whitman’s hand.
  • Contributors to digital file: Kaylen Michaelis Brandi Faulkner Stefan Schöberlein Karie Cobb
  • Cite this page: Whitman, Walt. "The Health of the City." The Walt Whitman Archive. Gen. ed. Matt Cohen, Ed Folsom, & Kenneth M. Price. Accessed 16 July 2024. <http://www.whitmanarchive.org>.
  • Source File: per.00898.xml (TEI)
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THE HEALTH OF THE CITY.

The season is now upon us when contagious diseases are apt to make their greatest ravages, when lurking miasmata, held in check through the balance of the year, arise from their hiding places and poison the air with their foul breath, and when the sin of want of cleanliness avenges itself most severely on both individuals and communities.

As yet we see no cause for particular alarm, so far as the bills of mortality are concerned. These show no evidence of an epidemic amongst us, although it cannot be denied that there is a great deal of small-pox prevailing, and the number of deaths fall below the usual average. Still it is best to be prepared at all points. Last year, at this time, it will be remembered we were all talking about yellow-fever, and though by good luck and the proverbial advantages possessed by our city in consequence of its healthful location and other causes, we escaped that time, we may not get off so well the next.

The proper authorities should be on the alert and look to it that no nuisances are allowed to pass unreported, and wherever filthy back-slums and dirty neighborhoods exist, the usual sanitary measures should be taken. We hope our two Health Officers will not suffer themselves to be so absorbed by their private griefs as to neglect in any manner the interests of the city at large.

Dr. Boyd,1 the newly appointed Officer, reports 22 deaths for the preceeding week. This added to Dr. Cleveland’s2 report would make but 79 deaths in the city for the past seven days, full fifty less than the usual average. If this falling off in mortality is the effect of having two Health Officers, then the public have cause to rejoice; or perhaps people do not like to die until the vexed question is settled, for fear their might be a scramble over their bones, a la the rival coroners. At any rate the health of the city is unusually good, notwithstanding the intense heat, and the existence of two Health Officers.

Notes:

1. Dr. Samuel K. Boyd was elected Health Officer in May of 1859 and, apparently, later became a lawyer. [back]

2.  [back]

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