The Cecil Whig., 1876-05-27
isolated cases from time to time ever since

Now, all these persons affected, lived in
the immediate vicinity of the first patient,
the conductor Rogers; that is, they lived in
the neighborhood at Tie time Of the food and
for some time dferacards! Some had re-
moved before they were attacked, to the
other parts of the town, and some even
into the country.
That this outbreak originated with Rog-
ers there can he no doubt. True, none of
these people with single exception Wis
tied Rogers. Many of them had no inter
course with each other
They all used one ,eeH in common, and
this leas all they did use in common.
This we'll is situated about thirty or forty
feet south of Middletown Run, and on the
opposite side from the dwelling of Rogers.
How did it become infectede
On making inquiry learned that the
discharges from that first case were thrown
into the run. This run was low at the
time and almost choked with rubbish which
had accumulated through the winter, it be-
ing the receptacle for all refuse matter in
the neighborhood.
1t is plain that the effect of the rise in
the water was to wash back upon the sur
face all matters in the run. The we'll was
on lower ground than the run. The sur
face of the street was "made ground, :"
composed of loose stones and earth. We
have thus the exact conditions to insure
infection of the water.
Observe that this was the only we'll ac
cessiblc to persons living south of the run !;
it was in fact used by all whom ! attended.
But those persons living north of Rogers,
although quite as near to him (some of
them, indeed), were entirely exempt
There was not single case in these houses.
They were all supplied with water from the
spring of John Kearney, Esq.
The type of this epidemic was quite
mild. Few of the cases were severe and
only one fatal. This one occurred in my
hands, and the patieut from the first de-
clared that it was a sickness unto death.
The considerations thus suggested of
decency, comfort. modesty and health, re-
quire that, by proper sanitary regulations
and by individual thoughtfulness and care,
we should relieve our dwellings of all de-
caying and offensive substances. In large
cities ,eater is the readiest source. Balti-
more, with it's remarkable facilities for
drainage, ought to be model city in clean
illness. One may we'll hope that its people
will develop the skill and the energy neces-
sary to purify its harbor now so offensive to
all who visit the city by steamboat.
Mine is however, more limited sub.
ject: the impurities around our houses in
the country and in villages. Is there any
economical means by which we can make
them inoffensive to the senses and easily
removable? Can VIC convert them to any
good use?
And here at once the word manure sug.
gests itself. That which is most deleteri-
Gus and offensive in the wrong place be-
comes useful and respectable in the proper
place. Nothing about US was intended to
be destroyed; the most noxious things, if
only we will remove them to the appropri-
ate crucible where natural agencies can
operate upon them, shall presently change
their form and become available for useful
purposes. Our fields and our gardens are,
in truth, laboratories, where air and water,
acids and alkalies, heat and electricity are
ever at work. In the beautiful alchemy of
nature, all decayed things, animal and veg
etable, the sweepings of our floor, the
"suds'' wherewith the washerwoman
floods the kitchen yard, the bones and the
feathers which the cook throws into a cor
ner, all these, if rightly disposed of, are
converted presently into wholesome vege:a-
bles, and thus at last are transmitted into
money.
In the Atlantic States, Maryland and
Virginia especially, the lands have been
exhausted by the carelessness which drew
from them year by year all they could rem
der, while little or nothing was returned to
the soil. The application of lime has done
much to restore them, and the use of stim-
ulating fertilizers has wrought good results.
But every good farmer knows that these
will not suffice alone. The land needs the
home made manures composed of organic
matters, and nothing around our premises
which can furnish food for plants ought to
be wasted or despised.
1t is not, however, the economic view of
the subject which am concerned to urge.
How shall we, having regard to health, con-
veniently get rid of the impure and un-
wholesome refuse, which accumulates
around our dwellings in the country and in
villages. To this inquiry the answer is
DRY EARTH.
1t is remarkable how many of the most
valuable sanitary ideas are anticipated in
the Code of Moses. Thus we read in Deu-
teronomy xiii, 13: "Thou shalt have a
place also without the camp, whittier thou
shalt 60 forth abroad, and thou shalt have
paddle upon thy weapon, and it shall be
when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou
shalt dig Herewith, and shalt tnrn back
and cover that which cometh from thee"
1t is only of late years that We have come
to recognize the many virtues of simple
earth. Surgeons discover that it is val
liable dressing for wounds. During our civil
contests, it supplanted stone and iron as a
protection against missiles. The expert
enced soldier made out of it his bulwark.
with no better implements often than his
bayonet and his tin cup, and now we are
learning its exceeding value, in guarding
US against the effects of filth. Earth is a
kind mother to us. There is truth at the
bottom Of the old fable, wherein the giant
was said to renew his strength, whenever
he touched his mother earth.
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.
ST. NICHOLAS FOR JUNE brings full