The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-03-14
Health and Cleanliness.

No disease ever yet made its appear
ance that was not the result of viola.
! ton of one or more Of natures laws; and
one of these laws very frequently dis
regarded is that demanding cleanihess-
We may obey sanitary laws to the letter
as regards outward cleanliness by ablu
tions, and yet be unclean in what we eat
or drink. In these cases, we are to a
great extent the victims Of circumstances
over which we have no controe, and of
ten over which no person has, although
mans rapacity and greed for money is
frequently manifest here. As the result
of uncleauliuess in what we drink, we
may almost positively attribute the an,
nual scourage of typhoid fever, which
comes, to a greater Or less degree, every
autumn, and leaves behind it mourning
everywhere. The health ommissioner
of New York city has been at consider
able pains to collect evidence about this
disease, and the facts he presents are ap
palling. We may gain some idea of the
vast harvest Of sickness and death which
this reaper annually gathers from the
fact that between 100000 and 10000
people annually suffer from this disease
in England alone. 1t will be remember
ed that Prince Albert fell victim to it,
and recently the their-apparent was pro
strated under its remorSeless crap. SO
much for its extent and virulence. Now
a few words as to its cause. The health
commission has Investigated the disease
thoroughly, aud say, though it has long
been developed in obscurity, it is now
we'll known among the most intelligent
medical men that it is one of the 50 call
ed ''flth diseases" Of modern sanitary
writers. Its most ordinary exciting cause
is air, or drinking water befoulded with
excremental matters. 1t is also quite
fever may himself infect the air of his
room or the water which receives his
excreta with germs of the disease, so as
to transmit it to others A single case
may thus be the fruitful source Of wide
spread epidemic To illustrate this the
commissioner gives several illustrations.
In small German settlement in the up
per part of New York city, there was
severe outbreak of dysentery and typhoid
feve. A physician called to attend
some of the cases, set to work to
find out the cause. On inquiry as
to the water supply, he was directed
to a spring on low ground iu the midst Of
the settlement, so situated as to receive
surface drainage. The water was pure
and sparkling to the sight and taste, and
was loudly praised by the owner of the
spring. y quantity put in bottle and
allowed to stand few hours threw down
a thick sediment of most offensive mat
ter, which, on being tested, was found to
be as purely excremcnt as if it had been
taken from privy. The people ceased
to use this water, and the epidemic ceas
ed at once. While visiting at house in
an interior village, noted for its health
fUlness, he was interested in the history
of what seemed to be singular breaking
out of the disease. On visiting the To-
cality, the house was found situated on
an elevation, and all its surroundings were
admirably arranged for health. Que
could readily believe the statement that
there had not been case Of sickness in
the house for twelve years. But he soon
unravelled the riddle. lie found that
few weeks before the fever appeared the
pump in the well broke, and the farmer,
being driven with work, eglected to have
it repaired Meantime the servant
brought the water from spring at the
foot of the hill, which soon became low,
owing to the drought. HI then resort
ed to small brook, and from this source
the family were supplied two or three
weeks. This stream, higher up, ran
through several farm yards and received
the surface drainage. The symptoms of
poison by this water was slight nausea
and a mild diarrhoa ; after several days
typhoid fever in its worst form was usher
ed in. OF the entire family but two es
caped an attack, and they did not use the
water. An examination of this water re-
vealed a sediment of exercmental matters
Every case Of this fever can be traced to
some such eases. Consequently, one OF
the most important lessons for households
to learn is that excremental matters pol
luting the air they breathe or the water
they drink will cause typhoid fever. 1t
should be called "excremental fever" SO
that when the name is spoken every one
is reminded of its cause Far too little
attention is given to this most fruitful
source of sickness aud death in cities,
towns, villages, and by country residents.
Drinking water should always be taken
from wells or springs situated above the
level of human habitations or so deeply,
as artesan wells, that they cannot receive
surface drainage.