Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-10
EVENING STAR.
How 60 Poison q Hou.e

Many remarkable aud sudden outbreaks OF
disease and cases OF sudden death have oc-
CURED during the past few years in houses IN
New York, where every sanitary circunn-
stance seemed favorable. The favorita child
OF wealthy family has been suddenly car
ried of by diphtheria, where the house was
on a bill with every drainage apparently ex-
cellent, and the rooms Were never crowded or
overheated. Another, living In the most
airy and elevated portion OF the city, has
suddenly been seized with that most myste-
rlous and terrible of the "foul-air diseases, -
spinal meningitis, and, under every care aud
precaution which wealth could supply, has
In what might be called a palatial house. has
been attacked with typhoid, and the children
or other members have struggled for months
with death. virulent fevers have broken
out In the finest houses, and some OF the
handsomest quarters OF the city have not
S %sIa- exempt h from Psstential disease
avenue has felt IL as well as the streets made
over old water pools. IL should be remem-
Der TOO, In sanitary pStntod view that
utterly exempt from these foul-air diseases
There Is nothing ''providential" I'm the sense
OF mystery In these sudden deaths OF the
children OF the rich. They are as much the
effect OF law as would be the drowning OF these
same children, IL they had been put under
water. Modern science can as certainly re-
duce the death rate from foul air diseases as
IL Ian elevate the land or keep down the
water on the banks OF given lake. A skill
fui modern prison and sanitary inspector has
or diphtf eria In his wards, he should At once
ton.
The best parts OF city can not, of course.
escape the diffusion OF poisonous gases from
the worst parts. Moreover. nuisances like
our gas works and bone factories distribute
their poisons for miles on every wind. But
each house In New York has a private and
individual machine for dinusing the germs
OF diphtberia or the seeds OF scarlet fever,
sore throat, cholera infantum and typhoid.
richest
tiers of the city has private connection with
the sewer, in which are the infacta OF typ
hold patients, or the fermenting and disor-
ganfZing animal and vegetable matter,
which either produce the seeds OF disease. OF
furnish the fertile soil for these seeds 10 ripeu
in. The especial means ofinfection I'm many
diseases is by sewer products. In the Croton
Waterfowl there is, OF course, a drain-pipe
connected with the main drain OF the house.
Ordinarily the water traps keep the gases
BACK. But some night, when the sleeper Is
most unprotected against such influ-
ences, and the vital energy is at the
lowest, flood from the sea or rain fills the
sewers or strong wind blows through them.
The gases are forced violently back. The
water in the trap-bend forms no obstacle
They rush up through the chamber water
pipes, and difruse themselves through the
apartment. Had we supernatural power
of sight, we should undoubtedly see on such a
night cloud of microscopic sporules OF scar
let fever, or currents OF diphtheria germs, OF
showers OF typhoid seeds scattering them
selves through the house, and entering the
systems OF the unhappy sleepers. Such as
are vigorous would throw them Of, but with
the weak and the young the seeds would
take root, spring up and bear fearful fruit
The next day there would be "providen
tial' case of malignant fever i'm the house
ard in a lew weeks a life would be eNtin
guished, whose loss many coming years
could not cause 10 be forgotten.
The only prevention against such escape:
of gases is TO Danish all water drains from
The bed rooms, and to put escape ventilation
pipes on the traps. We must return 10 tn
old bowl and pitcher. The pipes should al
end in the bathroom; all water be drawn
from there, and this room be ventilated so a,
to permit no contamination of the house
The little extra trouble would be well repaiC
by the safeguard TO life. Such an arrange
ment excludes all chamber BATH rooms. Bu
safety is the first thing, convenience after
ward.-M Y. Times