The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-05-02

TUESDAY EVENING, MAY 2, 1871.
street sprinkIing Viewed In sant-
tary Light. I.t.I
WET FILTH MORE DELETERIoUs AND PES
TIFERoUs THAN DRY-oTHERWisE AN
ANNOYANCE AND NUISANCE.

WET FILTH MORE DELETERIoUs AND fEs-
TIFERoUs THAN DRY-oTHERwIsE AN
ANNOYANCE AND NUISANCE.
We present to-day an article from the
pen of an eminent physician Of Rochester
New York, on street sprinklipg. The
views of our gifted correspondent are new
here, but are the fruit of profound and in
telligent investigation aided by observation
in all parts of the world:
1t is only few years since the first
rickety sprinkling cart was seen in our
city. For several seasons the institution
barely survived, and ventured to convey
its supposed benefits only a little way from
Auueduct street. Now its numerous prog
eny are finding their way into every con-
siderable avenue of the city, bringing to
the inhabitants, it is to be feard, evils
much greater than the augmentation OF
taxes levied against thousands, and with
out consent. 1t is worth while to inquire
into the utility of this method Of contend
ing with the evils of street dust, or filth
in a dry condition, and as to the influence
upon the salubrity of the city OF street
filth both when dry and wet.
1t is hardly necessary to mention, what
is so well known, that the dust and accu-
mutations in the paved streets of cities
consist chiefly of organic debris and ami
NAL excreta and that all such organic
matter, when in the presence of air, mois-
ture and warmth, pass rapidly into state
of change, fermentation or decomposition.
As a result of such change, there is pro-
duced and given off sulphuretted hydro
gen, sulphide of ammonia, phosphides
and other noxious gases. Both theory and
experience prove that these volatile and
gaseous substances, produced by such
organic matter in a state of decay and
fermentation, are injurious to human
health.
They are SO, even when from this ex-
treme state of dilution the organs of smell
are naturally insensible to their presence,
or when, by habit they become SO. Often
when the olfactory organs fail to detect
danger in the offensive exhalations, it has
been found that the senses are not to be
relied on to guard us against the influence
of such volatile poisons. The accumula.
ton Of sulphuretted hydrogen in close
places, such as cess pools and common
drains, sometimes becomes so great as to
strike down Instantly the workman who is
incautious enough to breathe it. This gas
is about one-fifth heavier than common
air, and single gallon of it mixed with
1900 gallons of air renders it poisonous to
birds, and one per cent. of it in atmospher-
ic air makes it fatal to dogs. A very
small portion of it mingled with the air we
breathe makes it injurious to health.
Air, warmth and moisture are necessary
conditions for the processes of fermentation
and putrefaction. If any of these three
conditions be wanting these changes go on
moro slowly or cease altogether. Thus in
cool, dry vaults, dug in an absorbent soil,
and through which current of dry air
passes, human bodies sometimes become
dry before they have time to decay, and
they gradually shrivel up into such horrid
mummies as the bodies Of twenty-five
monks robed in the cassocks in which they
lived, which are exhibited to travellers in
one of the churches in Bonn, and those OF
count and his daughter in the church of
st. Thomas, in Strssburg. 1t is we'll
known that where the climate is hot and
dry, as on the borders of the African
desert, in the pampas of South America,
and in California, the flesh of animals, in-
stead of becoming putrid, can be dried
and preserved for any length of time. But
where moisture is present-even though
warmth and air be in great measure ex-
cluded-decay still takes place in dead
organic matter, and subtle gases of evil
odor and malign influence continue for a
1~vr~ k;x,, q, bo MOD nod and o;vay, off
Another interesting fact connected with
this subject is, that street dust, as soon as
it is subjected to the action of moisture
and heat, generates countless myriads OF
the lower orders of animal life, invisible to
the naked eye. Examination of the dust
of street and atmosphere of various cities
under the microscope, show it to be pos
sessed of wonderful amount of active
animal life. Mr.. Dancet, washed out with
distilled water twenty-five cubic feet of all
from the city of Manchester, England, and
obtained about $50 drops of liquid. II
one thousandth part of drop of this thu
microscope revealed $50 organic beings, o.
some 100000 900 in the $50 drops. TIL
officers of health have made the same Xix
examination of the air and dust of tn
streets of New York.
The report, after mentioning the parti
cles Of various organic and inorganic sub
stances found in over one hundred speci
mems of the dust which had settled o.
plates of glass, says that fungi were yer,
abundant, and when water was added ant
the contents exposed to heat and light TO
half day, thousands of animalcul@ mad
their appearance, while the fungi sproute
and multiplied, and formed perfect mi
croscopic aquarium, full of vegetable an
animal life By allowing filth to renal
10 the streets, and by wetting 1t dali
during warm weather, we can not onl.
generate an abundance Of noxious and POI
sopous gasses, but cultivate vibrione
bacteria and other varieties of .animalcu
lous vermin on a scale that puts Set
Green's fish culture altogether into I'll
shade. There are in our cities othe
though less visible, pests than the fleas {
Rome and musquitos of Venice.
What is the inference to be drawn fror
such facts, as applied to street dust or filtf
Plainly, that lift is to be allowed to remai
for any length Of time, or if it is not to |
swept up and removed at short intervals,
is far safer for the public health to keep
az dry as possible. In Cairo, Egypt, 81