The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-10-16 00:00:00

DANGERS TO HEALTH.

On Moiday night Dr. A. Maxwell delivered the second of
a series of "Medical Talks" at the Young Men's Christian
Association. Aldersgate-street, London, the subject being
"Dangers to health; or, Unhealthy Houses." Mr. George
Williams presided, and there was a large attendance, con-
sisting chiefly of young men.
Dr. Maxwell said some years ago this country was
afflicted j)y what was called the black death, sweating
sickness, and plague. These diseases were not known
at the present time, but we did still occasionally
hear of cholera. People used generally to trace these
terrible epidemics to a supernatural origin, but they
would find the explanation much nearer home in
the habits and surroundings of the people.
Amongst the diseases generated by unhealthy
houses were typhoid fever, diphtheria, diarrhcra,
headache, and rheumatism, and in case of epi-
demic those occupying unhealthy houses were much
snore likely to succumb than others.
Having referred to the evils arising from damp
houses, the lecturer said there were three conditions
to be fulfilled in a healthy dwelling—first, it must be
dry • second, there must be no foul air, but plenty of
fresh air; third, there must be no foul water, but
plenty of good water. He directed attention mainly
to the question of drainage, which he said .was a sub-
ject very much neglected as unpleasant to dwell upon,
but which was really far more important than the
artistiemouldings of the drawing-room, as without
health the peace and comfort of the .home were
destroyed.
With the aid of the diagrams Dr. Maxwell illus-
trated the usual sanitary arrangements of a house, and
explained how it was that disease frequently arose.
As a rule there was only one cistern, so that the
noxious gases generated in the drainpipe found their
way into the water that was used for drinking and
householcrpurposes. Frequently there was no trap in
the pipe leading from the sink to the drain. The evil
was increased when the drain-pipes.passed through and
under the house, as it generally happened that there
was some leakage either at the joints or through
cracks in the pipe, and the bad odour was thus intro-
duced to the house. It was most important to have
two cisterns in a house, one of which should be ex-
clusively used for drinking and household purposes.
It was also necessary to have a ventilating pipe con-
nected with the. drain, so that .the foul air _could be
carried away at the top of the house. Re concluded
by referring to the question of ventitation.

THE WAR BETWIXT CHILI AND
• PERU. •
Mailodvices from Panama to the 2nd ins
published at New York, confirm the news of the
sinking of the Chilian war vessel Covadonga. The
latter, on the 14th ult., took on board a supposed
abandoned boat, which was loaded with dynamite,
and exploded causing the Comdata° to sink im-
mediately. Only four of those on board were saved.

2nd in4a4,

The Panama Star and Herald received at New
York, mentions a rumour that the United States, con-
jointly with England, have presented a Note to the
Chilian Government remonstrating against the ex-
cesses committed by the Chilians in Peru. The same
paper states that Mr. Christianey, the Americ.an
Minister at Lima, continues his efforts at mediation.

CUTTINGS FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

A Baltimore dpctor says that a whole mince pie
eaten at bedtime will not harm the most delicate system.
It is dreaming of falling down a coal-mine that upsets one's
nerves.
- - -

A citizen cf New Mexico being informed that in
his absence a panther had attacked his wife, and that she
had beaten•off and-killed the animal, merely shrugged his
shoulders and said, " Ef that panther had knowed her as well
as I do, he'd a never riled her up; you bet."
Kansas School Teacher—" Where does our grain go
to?" "Into the hopper." "Wilat hopper?' "Grasshop-
per 1" triumphantly shouted a scholar.
A Yankee came running down to a pier just as a
steamer was starting. The boat moved off some four or
five yards, so he took a jump, and coming down on the back
of his head on deck, he lay stunned for two or three
minutes. When he came to, the boat had gone the best part
of a quarter of a mile, and, raising his head, ani lookingito
the shore, the Yankee said, " Jehoshaphat, what a jump I"
A Chicago man took out his new trotter and
speeded him on the Boulevard the other day. After
puiting the nag through at his best gait for a quarter stretch,
the owner proudly wheeled up to a policeman on the track
and asked, "Why don't you arrest me for fast driving, old
fellow?" The officer only replied, gruffly, " ISe cause, sir;
you hain't drove fast 'nough yet to violate no ordinance,

"Is your programme full, Miss Beetlecrusher ?"
asked a young man of a St. Louis damsel, who had just
struggled out of a refreshment room with disappointment
in her eye and an "order of dances" in her hand. "Pro-
gramme full ?" said the daughter of the setting sun, "Waal,
I guess not; I hain't had nothing but a piece of cake and
an ice cream, and they don't go far toward filling my pro-
gramme, I can tell you."

They were walking arm-in-arm up the street, and
just ahead of them was a woman in a splendid dress. The
setting sun was gilding the western heaveni, and throwing
a beautiful crimson glow all over the earth. Looking up at
the sky, he said, in a subdued tone, "Isn't it lovely?"
"Well, I don't know," was the reply of his fair companion;
"I don't think the trimming matches very well, and it
doesn't fit her a bit." He shuddered.

The other evening just before sundown, a gentle-
man, who was sitting by his window, casually remarked:
"There goes the woman that Brown's dead gone on."—His
wife, who was in the room getting supper ready, dropped a
plate on the floor, tumbled over the baby, and ran like a
lamplighter to the window with, "Where 7—where? Tell
me quick !"—" The one with the long cloak—just at the
corner."—Then the woman at the window said in deep dis-
gust, "Why, tivit's his wife."—" Yes, exactly," remarked
the brutal husbanu' quietly.—Then the disappointed woman
went back and got supper ready, but her usually sweet
disposition was soured for the entire evening.
• -

• A distinguished American senator was going home
late one evening, when tie was accosted by a desperate-look-
ing ruffian in one of the suburbs of Washington, and asked
what he was going to stand. "Well," he replied, meekly,
" I am very sorry that I can't give you much, my friend,
but what we have we will share. Here," he continued,
drawing a revolver f rem his pocket, 'is a weapon which
has six chambers. I will give you three, and—" But here
the senator found himself alone.

They(iicre courting. "What makes the stars
shine so y to-night," she said, softly. "Your eyes are so
much brig i r! " he whispered, pressing her little hand.
They are married now. "I wonder how many telegraph
poles it would take ,to reach from here to the stars 1" she
said, musingly. " One, if it was long enough," he growled.
"Why don't you talk common sense?"