Los Angeles daily herald., 1874-08-09
Letter from the Health Officer.

EDITOR HERALD: BY the provisions
Of the health ordinances passed at last
session of the Board of Common Coun-
Gil [They appear in to-day'sHERALD.--
ED. ], it will be seen that many impor-
tant regulations were adopted concern
ing certain irregularities and nui-
sances that have heretofore been MAIN
tanned or by careless oversight have
been suffered to exist in almost every
portion and quarter Of the city. will
invite the attention Of your readers to
two Of these regulations:
1st. In the absence Of efficient sew
erage (Which, by the way, the city au-
thorities are now endeavoring to pro-
vide) our present system of privies
and domestic drainage in general
amounts to nothing less than nui-
sance of the most dangerous character.
The seething masses of human cor
ruption and filth found in large ma
jority of old vaults speak in tones Of
laundering stencil to our senses to
bury, cremate or abate in some man
ner the foul collections for the sake of
all the people-not only the poor ten
ant end the innocent and helpless
child, but the wealthy landlord, who,
though in many cases removed some
blocks away from his property, is Of
ten the victim of the poison sent to-
ward high heaven from his own prop
erty. This ordinance makes 1t a mis-
Il tntv
one to continue unconnected with
sewer. This imposes the necessity
of many changes; and the alternative
to provide, instead of the old ones s,clos-
cts of certain dimensions or dry earth
closets, presents the double question
of financial economy and the public
good for the consideration of the peo-
pie. An intelligent understanding Of
the alternative offered by the ordi-
nance will not long hesitate to decide
in favor of the dry earth closet. Eco
nomically constructed, it will cost
very little II any more than the mis-
erable old fashioned privy, which
never can be other than public and
private nuisance; while the former
most sacredly regards the public
health, and when cared for, as the
water-closet connected with sewer
| must be, it presents the most COM
plete immunity from disagreeable and
unhealthy orders of any device or sys-
tenn now known. Simple dry earth Is
the disinfectant and to apply it as you
would the jet of water in the water
closet, requires some simple machinery
for which patent has been Is
sued. This earth closet company Is
represented in this city by H. A. Spen-
Ger, with H. d. Barrows q Co. on Los
Angeles street, and he will be pre-
pared to either supply machinery or
give instructions concerning the erec-
tion of these closets to all who may
desire the same. Ninety-nine hun
dredths of the old closets in the city
| which should now be abolished can
easily be converted into an earth
closet and at about the same cost as
construction of new vault and re-es-
tablishment of the closet. Then we
breathe sweet and healthy air, In
stead of the noisome stencil that would
be sent from the escape pipe of even
the new privy. A regard for the pub
lie health will promptly elect this dry
earth system, and until the change Is
made our city mortuary and sanitary
reports will continue to tell tales upon
| us that will make Los Angeles any
thing but desirable resort for inval.
ids. This dry earth system is used ex-
| tensively in Eastern cities, and has
the unqualified Endorsement of
medical, scientific and public
men everywhere it is tried. 1t
especially appeals to the people of
this city because we have not now,
nor never can have, an efficient sys-
tenn of sewerage. The lay of the land
in much of the city forbids 1t, and
then we have no sea, bay nor river to
efectudLty absorb the vast quantities
of sewerage that 10000 to 10000 peo-
pie send forth. Already the city au-
thorities are at loss to know where
they may discharge the main sewer,
as the present one is reported nui-
sance. Even in this imperfect way
they will be unable to supply all por-
tions of the city with sewerage for
some years to come, hence the greater
necessity of adopting this dry earth
closet for the protection of the public
| health.
I'd. The positive prohibition OF
sending any drains or discharges into
the city zanjas. This stipulation,
when enforced, will break up many
careless outlets and indulgences now
maintained and practiced by ma