Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-28
CAUSES Ov sIcKsEss y DwELLTEes


fbeIr best condition, unless thoroughly
ventilated. which Is rarely the case, they
contain z damp, stagnant atmosphere
/ which Is more or less Injurious to health.
In many cellars, even ofthe better class
| Of houses, through the carelessness Of
servants. ilth Is allowed 70 accumulate,
often containing bones, scraps of vegeta-
I bles and swill, which Is very injurious to
I health. / am inclined to believe that
one Of the chief causes Of typhoid fever
among the farming population Is he
presence and decomposition Of vegetable
matter in the cellars. 1t is well known
that this disease prevails much more Sc
verely and more fatally in the country,
where everything would seem 20 be con-
ducive 10 health, than in cities, where
there is usually less vegetable matter kept
in the cellars.
First Of all, then, if we would prevent
cholera and other diseases, let every
householder examine his cellar. Re
move every particle Of filth at once;
provide as much ventilation as possible
aud keep IL up constantly; cement the
bottom and walls Of the cellar so as TO
keep out al water; and In some locali-
ties where the water cannot be kept out,
the only measure which will insure
safety Is TO al up the cellar with clean
saud
Above all, let every ceIIarbe thoroughly
whttewashed with fresh lime before the
lst Of June. This IS most important.
The whitewash makes the cellar lighter,
and the lime destroys mould, mildew,
and every variety Of fungi, which vege-
tate in dark, damp places, some of which
are supposed to be the specific causes of
disease.
Remember for cellars-remove filth,
make them dry, yentilate, and thoroughly
whitewash. Do not wait for a notice
from the superintendent of Health, but
do it at once. If not done the notice viii
be sent and, 50 far as possible, will be
followed by action.
There is no more dangerous cause of
sickness in houses than the 0dOr from
cesspOols and drains coming through the
pipes in sinks. ANY sink which allows
this foul air TO esrape is a dangerous nui- /
sance and should be abated at once.
Fever, cholera infantum, diarrhea, chol-
era morbus and Asiatie cholera may all
have their exciting cause in such sinks. /
Many Of the sinks in the better class of
houses are dangerous in this respect; bat
what shall we say of these arrangements
in the cheaper class OF tenement houses d?
In many Of these houses a square wooden 1
spout leads from the sink, on the outside |
of the house, into n cesspoOl imperfectly /.
covered. The wooden spout is seldom I
water-right, often decayed, and the spout, I
and the house and ground near it, are /
saturated with decomposing soapsuds i
and grease. Everytime the sink is used }
the liquid filth Of the cesspo0l is stirred (
up, and the death-dealing odOrs have a I
free passage through the large spouts into I
the house, and generally into the room
occupied by the family. Asiatic cholera
luxuriates in such houses, and a whole Z
host Of other diseases find in them their
nOurishment and abiding
places.
Let every sink, drain and cesspool be
covered air-ught, and let every pipe and I
spout for conveying slOp water be made
perfectly wateT-tight Then let every
sink in these houses, and in all houses,
be provided with traps to prevent en-
tirely the escape Of foul air from the
pipes into houses.
Oue-third Of our existence, more or
less is spent in sleepingroOms, and vet,
as q general thing, these rooms are the
smallest and most poorly ventilated of
any in our houses. A large class OF our
living in boarding houses, and
many in private dwellings, spend their
nights in rooms with not more than one
half or two thirds the cubic feet Of space
that is allowed 20 the inmates Of our
prisons, and with none of the ventilla-
ton which is considered essential to all
well constructed prisons. The effects
upon health are evil, and that continu-
ally.
In some Of the streets in this and other
cities, in the warm, still mornings of
summer, as the windows Of the crowded
houses are opened, the whole atmosphere
IS percepdbly impregnated with the i'm
pure air which issues forth from the
sleepingrooms Of the inhabitants.
The paper covering the walls Of sleep
ingrOOms Is often a serious nuisance. 1t
is pOrus, absorbing and retaining impuri-
ties from the air; the paste used becomes
moist and undergOes a fermentation,
producing mold, mildew and poisonous
fungi, which, as the paper becomes old
and broken, send forth emauations pro
ducing fevers and other diseases. This
evil is increased tenfold, and made ten
fold more dangerous, when sleeping
rooms are occupied by sick persons.
Rooms IN which there have been cases
Of sickness, and particularly Of fever,
should never be used until the walls
have been thoroughly cleaned aud thor
oughly whitewaShed with fresh Stacked
lime.
It we're far better if our sleepingrooms
b ad no paper on the walls and much less
furniture in them, and if the walls were
frequently washed or whitewashed. 1
With special reference 10 the prevention
Of cholera, sleepingrOous should never
be on the lower floor of our houses. The
poison which causes cholera, like all ma
larious poisOns, is low and grOveling. II
keeps near the ground, and particularly
in the damp air Of the night it often
creeps into the lower rooms OF a house
and into easements, when it does not
reach the upper rooms Avoid, then,
sleeping on the lower floors Of houses
when possible.
sleepingrOoms are generally opened to
the air in the daytime for a short period;
but not sufficiently. They should be
freely exposed for longer periods to the
air and TO the sunlight, so as to remove
the moisture which collects on the walls
in the night, and to destroy and prevent
the formation Of mold and mildew.
For sleepingroOms: ventilate, Yentlt-
ate, ventilate; permit no filthy paper
and paste on the walls; whitewash fre-
luenJly; and give them the benefit Of
free air and sunlight in the daytime, as
much as possible.
In every portion Of our dwellings there
is defective ventilation, and a free and
change Of the atmosphere is too
often unknown. Sunlight is practically
oanished from too many of our houses by
curtains and blinds, and shutters, and
shade-uees, and instead Of its lfe-giviug
presence, we have 8 damp, dark, mold
producing atmosphere, at all times inju-
TiouS 20 health, and in time OF an epi-
demlc especially dangerous. In houses
and rooms which are kept closed and
dark during the sultry heat Of summer,
vegetable fungi are produced
la large quantities, which, it is believed !
are often the cause Of serious diseases.
Our advice Is, then, generally, to banish
shsds trees from the immediate vicinity
Of houses, open the blinds and windows,
let in tie sunlight and the air, and obtain
at all events constant change Of atmOs-
phere in the house. For the prevention
Of disease, and especially to prevent me
cholera, this is Of the utmost Importance.
When cholera is present, and the at
is hot and damp, as It usually
IS at Sach times, a most important nea-
siHe ls 70 buildfires, particularly at night.
10 different parts OF the house, and if pos
sible, in open freplaees.
AtN a. AAl1h Va AAl0 EDDlLSs ana Llle ]
circulation OF the air thus produced. are,
h my opinion, of the utmost value in
preventing cholera and other diseases.
Whether the cholera is present or not I,
there are times every summer in Or
climate when This would be Of great
benefit.
There are some Of the poorer class of
tenement houses In the city, in which l
the walls Of the rooms and passages are
almost black with filth, certain TO pro-
luce cholera and fevers. 1t is not neces-
sary to say that such houses should have,
and must have, thorough cleaning and
purifying with wnitewssh before sum-
mer comes.
Great Reduction in Prices