The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-03-09
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Pnblic Health Is Public Wealth.

STlzEz
Perhaps no subject of the same i'm
p~ortance to the people at large ia 5.
imperfectly understood as that of hu
man health and human strength.
Extravaganza in the use and destruc
ton of human life may be a featur,
inscperable from the rapid develop
ment and growth of young patton
but, now that our population hn.
reached an extent of thirty or forty
tlillion, it ia certainly quite time thai
we should give earnest attention to
the checking Of this iuordmate waste
We are building railroads, telegraphs,
foundries, machine-shops, factories
and warehouses with marvellous ra-
pidity over our vast extent of country
but no amount of present prosperity
can be relied upon to compensate for
q continued disregard of the laws of
human health.
The line at the head or this article al.
though written nearly century ago
by that great philosopher aud econo-
mist, DIR. Franklin, is of. increased
Importance to us at this day, because
human labor is much more expensive
now than then, and since the introdue-
fion of steam tor the performance of
so large a portion of the heavy work,
the skill and intelligence of one man.
when, directing the vast power of the
steam engine, a do the work that
without this assistance would require
ten e England has already be
come greatly alarmed Mt the immense
loss she suffers by the unnecessary
sickness and waste Of time and strength
of her laboring population, and shows
much earnestness in the improvement
OF their condition: and New York, as
well as many other parts of the Uni
ted States, cannot afford TO be so much
behind her in this respect. In viola
ton of the plainest laws, we have in
our haste built up a vast pile Of bull
dings which are but little better than
immense tombs for the premature in
terments of the living. Nearly one
half of the population of this city sleep
in dark closets, totally deprived of all
sunlight, and hardly eve reached by
the fresh air. Probably no city in
The world has so large q portion Of its
dwellings for the industrial classes,
constructed with such glaring disre.
gard of the necessity for the two fun
requirements ofhuman cx-l
and pure air. And
not alone in our dwelling-houses is tie
want of these great sanitary agents
In many of our factories
school houses, churches; and other
the same defect exists.
Fully impressed with the truth that
no nation can progress with that Wig
Or and strength necessary to enable it
10. maintain a leading position among
the nations of the earth, without the
s~trictest attention to the preservation
Of the strength and health in its indi-
vidual members, we intend to give the
Of public b alth IN so far rs it
affected by the dwelling, pursuits,
and circumstances of tho industrial
classes. the position in the pages Of
The TECHNoLoGIsT, that it deserves.
and that has been too long denied to-
It by the industrial Journals Of the
country.
Medical subjects are entirely cut
side of our province; but ventilation
and the prevention of the diseases that
nav be induced by special trades, or
by defective buildings and objection
able building sites, are entirely with.
in the professional studies or the engi-
neer, tie manufacturer, and the bull
York Teehnologiist.
. II