Huntington advertiser. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1874-1921, 1876-01-27

EpIroR ADvEgrIsER:-There is Z
growing impression that many OF
our epedemic disease. originate in
fith, a term which is applicable not
merely to foul organic matter in solid
masse,, but also to minute portions
of it suspended in water or in the
mir. Olc or more of these condi-
tons appears to call out typhoid fe-
yer or diarrheal diseases, and this
relation has been so marked in many
cases that filth has cnmc to he regard
ell BY some aS the actual cause OF
their occurrence. Acting on the
basis of these views, we should en-
pcct that approved sanitary measures
would greatly mitigate the force OF
these diseases. This is clearly shown
to be the ease by the statistical re-
turns from villages and towns where
sanitary regulations have been vigor
oaslv enforced. The English reports
are especially valuable for the illus
tration they afford Of the working ot
these sanitary systems, especially in
typhoid fever and diarrheal diseases.
These same reports also, show that
outbreaks of both diphtheria and
scarlet fever are closely associated
with filth. nuisances of some sort or
other The report of Mr.. Simon.
Chief Sanitary Officer of Great
Brit il i truly startling to consider.
lie >ays that of 100000 deaths
occurring in England fully $4,000
are from preventable diseases, or in
other worl> one out OF every eight
deaths might have been prevented by
the application of facts known to
scientific men.
The English town of Croydon was
81 unhealthy at one time As TO lead to
the establishment of pretty COM
plete set Of public works, and the en-
inrcement of special sanitary regula
tons. all OF which have been in oper-
atiun some fifteen years. The NOR
talitv before the completion of the
works Was % per 1000. Afterward
il was Is per 1000, for an average of
thirteen years. Giving gain of
five per cent, or about $500 lives.
Ia recent article on the origin
of diphtheria, the writer has made
an impartial selection of twenty
houses, where the disease had appear
el. in single town, and he has d.
rectel his inquiries toward the con.
dition of the cellars and underlying
sill. The greatest fatality occurred
n those that Were built upon filled
,and, where the >uhscil wa> clay and
the cellars were wet. In such case,
the eXhalations of the ground were
naturally k,len with the products ,,of
decomposition and being un,li>turbed
bv currents OF air. and i'll the pre-
>ence of moist atmosphere and
mild temperature We G, in the writers
opinion accessory to, if not produc,
tive of Zymotic pci'olins." In the
City of New York, dIphthcria seems
to have been influenced bv conditions
IF somewhat similar nature. In n
large number of cases the possibility
Of infection from person to person
has beeu almost ineoncelvable, espe-
cialIy when the poison seems to have
such finited capacity for transpor-
tation. Careful inspection of the
premises in such cases has shown
thas sewer gas could enter the apart
mcnts eithcr through defective
dr;sns. Ieaky pipes or deficient traps
perhaps there was lack of water to
flush the basins or sinks or foul nut
ter had been allowed to cnllect on the
premises or in the immediate neigh
borh vol. These OF other ms,nitary
conditions have almost invariably
been found to he in operation when
isolated cases have been Investigated.
Another significant tct is the
statement that more than half the
cases OF diphthcria which have oc-
Cured in New York, have been in
tenement houses, and that two thirds
of the whplc number have occurred
,n the first anA >eeun3 floors. 1t is
fair To conclude from these state
n1entS that filth, damp cellars, and
bad v-ntiat on have us much to do
in the development of diphtheritic
poiSnn us the sanitary neglect OF
those who live orcr such reservoirs
OF diseases. Nearly every solitary
case of diptheria that has occurred
IN tbs city Gun be clearly traced TO
some unNnitary condition about the
premises, 0r in the location and con-
structlou OF the house. \ mild
temperature AMI moist atmosphere
are necessary to develop the elements
of organic matter. That this copdi-
ton of the temperature and ut.
nIoSphere have much TO do i'm the