New-York tribune., 1875-11-18

pointed by tho English Parliament. at
the head of which was Lord Essex.
made great number of experiments
sparing neither pains nor expense,
and tho result was q vague report enJoinihg
care in the construction OF traps ana ventl-
lators to the hOuse-drans, and advising that
the sewage be separated fTOm the rainfall.
Five years later, as our readers know, the
Prince OF Wales was brought near to death Dy
defective drainage from the chamber where he
slept. The Commission recommended also, as
the only safe method of ultimately dispOsing
of the sewage Of great city, its dilution and
the sale of the liquid to farmers the value of
it being estimated at a half-ponny per
224 gallons. The Chinese, as is well
known, thus dispose safely and economically
of this poisonous matter But the scheme
for obvious reasons would be impracticable in
any large American city, especially III New
York and Philadelphia. Public prejudice is
against it, and the demand for fertilizers on
neighboring soil would not warrant the expert
ment. The rivers in both these cities offer too
cheap and ready an escape not to he used, ana
will continue to be the receptacle OF the sewage
for long time at least, during which period
every high tide WILL as now, drive back the
deadly poison of malarious gas into our houses,
unless some different method of cleansing the
cuyerts is adopted.
One-fourth the money spent in the ventila-
ton, heating, and draining of our houses
which we spend on drugs and doctors would
give us healthier minds in soundcr bodies.
Especially is this true of our churches,
thcaters, and schools. There are churches filed
Oft
people, in which no cost has been spared in
fresco, carving. or glass, where absolutely
the sole method of escape for the foul air is
the windows. These are. a rule, under the
management of ignorant sections. However
pure the spiritual food received in such
houses, they are physically breeding
places of DEATH The fact is that, judging by
the usual condition of churches, schools, and
street-cars, one is forced to believe that the
majority of people prefer to take their air as
the trapper does his veDisOn, hot and high.
We venture to assert that not one man III
hundred requires the FREQ passage OF fresh air
INTO the chambers OF his house ut night. When
we are thus careless and Indifferent to the
ventilation of our own dwellings, it is no
wonder we neglect that of orr schools.
Every thoughtful parent must have noticed
the rapd increase of chOTca, or st. fitus's
dance. among children of late years, and be
quite ready to yield IN earnest assent to the
suggestions made 10y DR.. Hamilton OF this city
at the Association, concerning it, DR.. liamll-
ton asciibes this increase principally to the
forcing system now in use both i'll our public
aud private schools. He might have added the
strain upon the single faculty of memory. The
number Of studies imposed upon the scholar Is
so large that school hours are necessarily con-
sumed in recitation of the text, which is in
consequence a mass of meaningless facts and
words. The teachers have no time to explain, to
interest their pupils, or to awaken any thinking
faculty in them, even if they were competent
TO do so. In large number of cases they are
not the small salaries viii not command good
teachers. but only young men and women who
make trade Of the work as a temporary make
shift. A nervous, ambitions child is put
through this mill month after month, and
either gives up in despair. contentcd to die
Ounce, or succeeds and grows pale, his eyes
and mouth twitching and we wonder what ails
The boy, and dose him with aIscnic Cram
ming and foul air have quite az much to do
with or health as a people as hereditary or
epidemic disease, md our business should be
10 look 10 the hOuse-buildcr and ignorant
teacher before druggist or doctor
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