Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-27
Importance Of Cleanliness.

The Local Government Board of Lon
don has recently published sundry pa
perS upon the question of the diffusion of
cholera throughout Europe, with a resume
of the most advanced opinions in regard
to its prevention and suppression. They
agree that its home is in India, where it
originated, and where it maintains and
spreads itself in climate peculiarly
adapted to its development They also
agree as to the means whereby it eX-
tends its ravages into other countries.
This is simply through human inter
course. But another conclusion-and at
first sight it may be considered as rather
an alarming One-is, that in Europe it is
becoming gradually naturalized, assimi-
lating itself to the infection known as
typhoid fever This last disease is now
well known to arise simply from filth,
and may be prevented by cleanliness and
purity. The English sGUa1as, therefore,
have come to the conclusion that cholera
is not to be prevented, or " stamped out"
when it does come, by any sort of quar-
antine regulations, but by extreme care
in the supply Of water and the local pre-
ventiOn Of filth. They express their be-
lief that as typhoid fever becomes less
destructive and dangerous by the dis
seminatiOn of proper knowledge in re-
gard to its prevention, in like proportion
will cholera cease to be an object of ter
ror. They deem it simply disgraceful
that typhoid fever should exist, because
it arises from filth-Which should always
be prevented, even if the public health
is not apparently suffering by reason of
its existence. But with thorough clean
illness and an abundant supply Of water
they are Of the opinion that England will
be able to receive with comparative
lmpunity whatever impOrtatiOns of chol-
era contagion may thencefOrth accrue to
her from abroad" These conclusions
are not new on this side of the water, and
the wonder is that ] ohm Bull has been so
long in arriving at them. They
were reached years ago by the
physicians not only of Chicago,
but Of New York, Philadelphia and
other OF our American cities. When these
infectious diseases come along every cit
izen should not only do his duty in the
matter of cleanliness, but local authOri-
ties should bear down with a rod Of iron
upon their municipalities and compel
careless or Indifferent people to be good
to themselves in this respect. Not half
attention enOugh-in fact, very little in
deed-ls paid to the prevention of typhoid
fever. and when one dies with it the cir
cumstance is somehow charged up to
Divine Providence, when it arises solely
from mans Indifference or criminal care
lessness. investigations set on foot a
year or two ago, when the Prince of
ales came so near being carried of by
TINS tell destroyer, showed that the eX-
haIatlons from a privy came up through
the moor OF his library, where he was in
the hablt OF spending much of his time.
The public well remember the sOlicitude
Whlch was telt all over the world during
the many days in which it was uncertain
whether he would live or die This dis
ease arises from similar causes wherever
II exists, and so marked is the fact that
some writers have even denOminated 1t
the eXcrementitious fever" 1t is a
inevitable often to feel impressed with
the laea that our physicians cannot heal
Us When we are sick, but it is altogether
a grand and simple thing for science. to
inform Us that the direst scourges of our
modern times may be warded Oft by
cleanliness alone. Simple as is the lesson,
however, people are very slow to learn 1t
ana appreciate its value We may escape
cholera Tor this year and for many years
aheaC; but If it does come it will be
petite than mourning the dead and pay
ing doctor bills to set about securing that
perfect cleanliness which will prevent
most OF the diseases to which the human
race IS bJect.-Cb5caq0 Inter Oc6nn.