Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-09-02

mines its hygienic importance, and that an
excess ofthese decaying elements determines
to diarrh@a and dysentery. The popular
theory at this time, and that which has the
ablest supporters, is that Asiatic Cholera is
developed more frequently from the use of
waters loaded with decaying organic mat.
ters than from any other cause.
II is fact admitted by the medical facul-
ty of Nashville, that in the visitations of
cholera, those who used the spring water,
and especially WILSON'S spring, suffered
very much more than those who used river
water. Your committee nope, at some flu
ture time, to be able TO give You a compare
tive analysis Of the water supplied to Nash
vile and that Of other cities.
We would at present insist that the filter
ing arrangements of the reservoir shall be
improved by adding one Of charcoal, animal
charcoal is by far the best Any amount of
this can be made by collecting and burning
the bleaching bones of animals scattered
over the valley of Browns Creek. With
this arrangement the purity of the river
water would be greatly improved. Similar
arrangements might be constructed for filter
ing the water of the public springs.
At former meeting of the Board your
committee made an elaborate report upon
the subjects of disinfectants and deOdorizers.
We simply recapitulate on this subject by
recommending the use of the following
articles, viz: chloride of lime, sulphate of
iron, (copperas,) carbolie acid, common
ereosote made from coal tar plaster of
paris, permanganate Of potassa and bromine.
OF the manufactured articles we recommend
the American deodorizer and disinfectant,
and SINS deodorizer. The latter two are
cheap and neat in their use. One teaspoon
full every day sprinkled in Privies or other
foul places after they are well cleansed, will
keep them pure. Probably the best and
cheapest method is to make saturated sOlu-
ton of the sulphate of iron, viz: OF. dis
solved in one pint of hot water, with the adj
dition of one drachm of carbOiic acid will
answer every purpose. This must be added
to privies until the odour of ammonia and
sulphuretted hydrogen disappears.
Your committee would recommend that
an order shall be issued by the Board of
Health, requiring that all privies, sinks and
foul places shall be purified twice week by
the free use of this disenfectant. Also,
that they require the street sprinklers to use
it in the water with which they sprinkle the
streets, and that they order the alleys to be
disinfected in the same way.
In reference to the subject of drainage the
city engineer informs us that there is no re-
gular system of surface or underground
drainage, and that the city authorities must
make an appropriation to cover the expense
of his labors before he can furnish the board
with map of the city, its streets, wards,
sewers and a general plan of drainage. 1t
is urgently requested by your committee,
that this subject shall be pressed upon the
attention of the proper authorities without
delay. Upon the general subject of drain
age, your committee will indicate their
views in some future report. Published by
order Of the Board of Health.
T. L. MADDIN, NJ. d.
w. A. CHEATHANI, NJ. ID.
J. r. BUIsT, NJ. ID.