New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-03-05
Drainage Of Towns.

OF late years the subject OF the drainage
| of large cities and towns in England hat
! occupied much Of the attention Of Engllsll
engineers and of the sanitary department OF
| the privy council The statistics obtained as
| to the public health of those localities where
| a thoroughly effective system Of drainage
| has been INTRODUCED cOnclusively prove the
vital importance of the subject. The medi
| cal officer of the privy council, employed in
| the investigation Of the sanitary condition
| of TWENTY-FIVE considerable towns in Eng
| land. to which the new drainage system has
| been applied, furnishes satisfactory evidence
| of the consequent reduction OF the rate OF
| mortality in those towns. In some cases, AS
! at Cardiff and Newport, the decrease has
| not been 80 great-Only from three to two
| per cent, but in many others the reduction
! has been very considerable.
| At Me1thyr Tydfl it is twenty-one per
cent. at Macelesficld and Croydon twenty
| Der cent. These figures refer to the general
I mortality, but where there are special
| causes OF death, which are fostered into
virulent activity by neglected drainage and
| sewerage, the beneficial effects OF the new
| sanitary regulations are surprising. In
nine towns the diminution in the number Of
| deaths from typhoid fever has exceeded
one-half, and in the remaining town it has
| been between one-third and One-halt. In
| case of epidemic cholera that disease has
| been almost exterminated. In Merthyr
Tydvil, during the epidemic OF lS4S, the
cholera carried Oft 267 persons out OF 10000,
but during that OF 1866 the number Of deaths
did not exceed 70 In Salisbury $50 persons
died of it in lS48, but only IA in 1869.
In Alnwick the number in 1913 was two
hundred and six: in 1869 none. The com
missioner's report points out the fact that
the influence of sanitary works, IN properly
draining the subsOil, has been more valua-
BILE than their direct effect. The LAYING OF
main sewers has helped to dry the soil, and
thereby to diminish pulmonary complaints:
and he mentions several large towns where,
in consequence OF this drying OF the soil.
the deaths from consumption have been re-
duced to Onehalf their former number. In
Leicester there was great reduction in the
subsOIl water while the sewerage works
were in prOgress-the death rate from con-
sumption subsidized fOrty-one per cent. That
it was the subsOil water which caused the
mortality has been proved by the fact that.
where impervious pipe sewers were used SO
that no alteration was made in the level OF
the subsoil water, no decrease in mortality
has taken place.
1t will be observed that the health Off
Ger dwells chiefly upon the drainage OF the
ground on which the cities stand. and
makes the sewage branch of the subject
subordinate. He contends that the two
ought to be distinct, and that the removal
of storm water and surplus rainfall is of
more importance than that of refuse from
houses; and that where the two are COM
bined evil results follow. The sewage, in
order to be utilized for manure, should be
carried Oft i'll impervlous pipes or cOndilits
SO AS to avoid concentrating the subter-
ranean water through which the drama &c
has to be led; but if flooded with water it
loses its fertilizing properties.
On the other hand, if it be carried through
previous cOnduits. SO as to drain the water
as well, the latter becomes poisoned, fetid
and dangerous. He emphatically condemns
the London system. which he styles 'bar-
barOus hydraulics whereby the system of
flushing forces vast quantities Of impure
matter into the Thames and he cOmmends
the system adopted at Chelmsford. where
the separation OF sewage and draining 10
thoroughly carried out, the storm water
being taken to the river by surface channels
and supertiuous conduits, aud the sewage
being conveyed by pipe drains to pumping
station at the lowest part OF the town.
The system of water circulation is of
such Importance to health and comfort
that no efforts should be spared to bring it
to perfection. In domestic arrangements
Il vast amount of labor and time is saved
by proper water cOnvenienceS. and this is
no small item OF saving: but if, in addition
10 TINS, the SUDSou o1 dwellings, We're Kept
dry. the surplus rain water promptly car
ried of from roofs and cutters. and the
reservoirs kept up to the full by well
devised system OF conduits. it is evident
that much money would he economical.
while the public health would be
greatly benefited. There is, however. one
consideration which ought not to be over
looked, aud that is that the removal of the
predisposing causes to any particular form
Of disease-as in the causes Of consumption
above alluded to-may produce tendency
to increase the activity Of other disorders.
inasmuch as it leaves a greater number of
the feeble members Of the population ex-
posed to the attack. Not merely the work
of the sanitary engineer is needed to drive
away insidious disease. The care of the in
telligent physician will still be necessary.
combined with the habits of cleanliness aud
morality on the part of the population.