The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-05-07


If families knew that terrible enemy
was concealed In their cellars, ready any
moment to spring upon and slay some Of
the household, what . hue and cry would
bo raised; the people and tho ministers Of
Justice would be quickly summoned for
the arrest and punlshment Of the cul-
prit.
Now there are few cellars that have not
several actual murdercrs In them. You
call them by another name indeed; but
they arc not tho less wilful murdercrs-
Consumptions, Chllls and Fevcrs, Typhoid
and Scarlet Fevers, Dipthcrias, Dyscntc-
rics, Cholcrss, &c. Let US SEQ the nature
Of these scourgcs, and whence their ORR
gin.
There Is n largo class Of the most de-
structivc diseases, which includes all the
above named except consumption, and
many besides which arise from some pol
son takeu Into the system, chiefly by In
hallng Il with the air Into the lungs, whcre
II mixes with, and Is thence carried by
the blood TO every part of the body, poIs-
onIng the whole as Il goes; and this poi
sou itself arises from tho putrcfactlon and
decay Of vegetable and animal substan-
ccs. Hence lakes, ponds, swamps, stag
nant pools and sluggish rivers, during tho
season Of tho requisite heat, TO establish
the putrefactivc process In the animal and
vegetable substances with which they arc
charged, are the great source Of those
poisons; and IL Is there the wasting dis
eases to which they give rise almost ell
tircly prevail.
And very little does II depend upon tho
amount of the poison generated; for rs "a
little leayen leayeneth the whole lump"
so tho mcrcst drop Of this poison enter
Ing tho system acts As fermcnt to cstab-
lIsh the putrcfactivc process through the
whole volume OF the blood. Thus two
distinguished German physicians have OBJ
tained from putrcylng materials apoison,
q hundreth part Of grain Of which, In
jected Into the veins OF dog, Produced
In short time. all tho violent symptoms
of putrid dyscntcry, and Killed frogs
quickly.
Now most cellars, rs they arc construct
nj and manaye,l. have nil the conditions
4, abundance 10 generate those polsons,
.,5 ,..,r otr.,r,,y. tho.c horrid diseases.
yvh,, ,ro those co,dItionsy Warmth.
moI,,,rc animal and vegetable subs,a,,-
ccs: the vegetable, In the various articles
nv that name nut there for better keep
Ing; tho animal, In tho millions OF MI
mute, living creatures which the Micro
scope will show In the stagnant water of
any ceiiar' anu eve" tue ''o"'" ""'
gamers over hs uark "a"s' VI "'. "".''
else, that wonderfnl instrument VIII aiso
show TO be organic beings, WIN a'tal'y
so low rs 70 easily permit the p"tre'ac-
tive process In them. Nine tenths OF Tue
cellars We see-and this VIII probably
hold true through the iand-not only m
cold weather. when the dahser Is not 10
great, but all through the spring. sum
mcr and fall months, are rceking with de-
caying vegetables, broken boarcs anu
barrels on which you seek to navigate
over a sea Of stasnant, putrid water; and
with no ventilation I'LL late In the season
sometimes not at all. For often IN mid
summer have We known such cellars 10
have the windows closed as IN ma wii-
ter. Ifinstead Of "a shining mark tho
poet had said
-Ds.,h loves such ,v,r,4 s,a~--
Il might be bad poetry, but Is a truth
which, MIGHT. and ought to form the cpl-
,,n, a. m,nv /, ,o,b stop.
-, .,, .,
II, ''''s'o.' , ,oa ". m '',".., % ,,'., -
ssaa.,.. u"sn.,n.i In I,s wo,r-so con.
.,r,,", w,ur n.,I.r. md an Imnrovc ,bos.
.,.".,,y hu,,, az m secure constantly
rood deem drainage. permitting no stag.
non, w.,er-tbc bottom well cem..ied.
All! as quite an intelligent person, n few
DAYS ago, upon whom We were urging
this subject said-"thcsc ccmcntcd cell
lar. s,oIl the eabbaos,." True; but are
cabbares Of more value than human life?
"But Il will cost something" Trucagain;
but even n recovery cnsues, n single case
Of severe sickness will cost FAR more than
the sum necessary to give clean and
healtbfiil cellar. but while you arc walt
,,,, for the cement, and for the ground 10