The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-09-21
anne SANITARY reflections.

Editors Intellseneet. 49,,
While the recent efforts OF the health
officers to put our city in good sanitary
condition are to be commended, g far rs
they 60, to any one who will Observe the
progress OF their work 1t will appear enti-
rely too superficial. The cutters of the
streets are carefully scraped and their con-
tents carted away, while the alleys, some
OF them reeking with filth Of every descrip'
ton, and emitting foul odors, laden with
disease, are passed by with a simple appli'
cation Of carbolic acid. This may, for the
time being, al!ay their o~tEensiyeness, but
does no real permanentgood,a and in short
time they will be emptying their noxious
contents into the carefully cleaned cutters
OF the streets, and they WILSON be Us bad
as before. This mode Of cleaning looks as
II It were intended moro for tic eye than
for the sanitary improvement Of the city.
But, after all, the most, II not only effect
ual way to insure u exemption from dis
ease Is for every citizen to look to his own
premises first, and see that they arc in
proper condition. Then he may with pro-
priety take IN observation Of those of his
neighbor, and II he finds any nuisance
therein %endangering the public health 1t
Is q duty which he owes to himself and
to the community to see that 1t Is abated.
This is, Of course, q rather delicate matter.
What In the eye OF one man Is an unbear-
able nuisance, in the opinion OF another Is
rs nothing, and there are not many who
like to be reminded OF their Ignorance or
negligence, or both, in tolerating any Of
~fensiveness about their dwelling. Happily,
this fear OF offending the sensibilities OF
our neighbor and possibly gaining his ILL
will may be overcome by directing the at.
tention OF the City Health Officer to oil
such cases, and rs It Is his special province
to look after the public health OF the city,
and as he speaks "as one having author
ity," no otfense Is taken OF what he may
say. f.7'.
The doctors report an unusual number
OF leases oftyphoid fever in our city this
summer. When 1t Is considered that ty-
phoid fever, and in fact nearly all fcyers,
are the result Of neglecting the common
laws OF sanitary regulations, occasioned by
the emanations Of foul drains, choked
sewers, decaying vegetable matter, cess
pools in our yards and alleys, or other ma
larial influences, and when We know that
wlthoutthese conditions typhoid teveris an
impossibillty, does it not appear strange
that so little attention Is paid TO this vital
~ important matter OF cleanliness2 Clean.
illness In dir, water and person is, us any
medical man will toll you, essential to lfer.
feet health, and where carefully attended
to Is almost exc mption from disease. The
comprehensive prescription given BY Hip
pocrates covers the whole ground, "Pure
air, pure water and pure soil"
No man has a right to trile even with
his own health, much less with that OF his
and in noticing the disposition
Of some 10 treat matters as trivial and as
undeserying notice.. which,. by neglect,
may endangar the h0alth Of themselves,
their families and the community, We feel
impelled TO the conclusion that our laws
should be made more stringent and pun
ishment more severe In order to meet their
cases. II our physicians would, lust for
once, overcome their apparent antpathy
to appearing in the public prints on any
subject pertaining to their profession, and
give US a few prescriptions for the b0n0tit
OF the public health, the weight Of their
professional signatures might go far TO
CONVINCE people Of the truths feebly set
forth above, and the subject Is ono worthy
OF serious attention. HOS