A SANITARY PARABLE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sut,—Could you spare a moment's attention from fiscal and national topics for one purely sanitary and local ? Here in Cobdenburg the death-rate is 10.23 per thousand. One of our leading physicians is so shocked at this that he advocates the evacuation of the city. Our local professors object. "Then you would do nothing P " says the doctor.—" We wouldn't do that," say the professors ; "why should we ?"—" Look at the death-rate," says the doctor.—" But it is low," say the professors.--" But it exists," says the doctor ; "people still die, and several have the measles."—" But the rate is lower than in any other town," say the professors.—" Possibly," says the doctor; "but it isn't coming down so fast. In Taxopolis the death-rate ten years ago was 25 per thousand, and is now 20,—a drop of 20 per cent. ; whereas here it was 114 ten years ago, and is now therefore only some 10 per cent. less." —" But you can't get over the fact that we are twice as healthy," say the professors.—" You can't get over the fact that they are improving twice as fast," says the doctor. And , there at the moment the matter rests. Can you help us to decide upon the merits of the question-? Most of our citizens
moved from Taxopolis years ago on account of the drains, and have had excellent health ever since ; but of course we see that if we were back we should be more conscious of improve- ment, and have more of it to do.—I am, Sir, &c., E. T. H.
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