Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-12-12
CAUSES OF SICKNESS AND DEATH.

iCC"li oUt one uealn III IL uurlng the
Autumn, that OF a child. While our viii
lage has been thus blessed the surrounding
country has suffered severely as evidenced
by the numerous "iuneral professions
which have passed along our streets TO
the cemetery.
Within a radius Of six miles Of town
there have been many cases Of sickness
which defed aud boilled the skill of our
physicians. The prevailing disease was
fever Of low or typhoid character. In
almost every instance, the sickness could
be traced TO evident local causes The
most general cause was impure drinking
water.
IN country level as this, there can be
but few springs and resort must be had to
digging to obtain water for drinking and
culinary purposes. Many Of these wells
are nothing more than holes dug in the
earth to the depth of few feet and these
suffered to fill with surface water which
has percolated through the deep, vegetable
mould everything the sub soil of clay.
The water in many Of these holes Is Of
rich amber color, effected in the same
manner as lye is obtained by teaching wa
ter through ashes. This coloring matter
is and constitutes the very germs of ma
laria and malaria is the parent Of our bill
ary arrangements. When set free by
evaporation, we inhale this poison with
the atmosphere we Breathe. In the water it
lie more concentrated than in the atmos.
phcrc and therefore more virulent and ia.
tai in its effects.
All win readily concede that health
would be better preserved by the use of
pure than Of foul water. How much Of
sickness and suffering would have been
avoided how much of additional comfort
enjoyed and how many tens of thousands.
of do liars saved had our people been priv
ileged to use none but pure, limpid water.
BY the exercise of a little thoughtful
ness and industry, these evils could have
been largely avoided and these blessings
realized. How?
To obtain and retain pure water we sub.
nit the following suggestions. A well
should always be located, if practicable,
west OF the dwelling. If this can not be
done, then south, but never east and north,
only under peculiar favorable circum.
stances. The reason for this will appear
hereafter, Having determined the loca-
tion OF the well, then with plow and scra-
per the surface soil down to clean earth,
should be reno we'd at least 12 10 10 feet
in every direction from where it is pur-
posed to sink the shaft. Then plow the
scraped surface, so that when the clean
earth is thrown from the shaft upon the
roughened surface no seam can be formed
through which surrounding surface water
can find its way TO the we'll. Dig or bore
until fountain OF Giving water" is
reached and this is usually done upon the
table lands OF Wood county, within 80
feet Having secured satisfactory
fountain, then wall up with brick or stone,
but never, no never, with a gum" The
wall should be raised at least p to 8 feet
above the natural surface OF the surround
ing earth and then filled around and to
the top with clean earth from the shaft,
soping away in all directions. Now the
surface water will run from the well in
stead Of into it, and a pure life.sustain-
ing element may confidently be antic'
pated.
Angling, or fish worms exist in our
clay soil and these, not unfrequently find
their way into the well, fall in, die, and
render the water utterly offensive and un-
fit for use. To prevent this evil, place
three to four inches OF gravel or sand
about the well. They will not and can
not bore in these as the sharp edges and
angles of the gravel and sand cut their
tender skins We have seen from four
to six quarts of dead worms taken out
from the bottom OF a well at one time,
when cleaning.
A trough for watering horses and cattle
should never be placed near a well. A
deep hole is invaribly tramped by the side
OF the trough, and when this is filled with
filthy water, the latter will drain into
the well and pollute the water within.
Water for stock should always be CON
dncted considerable distance from the
well.
Our prevailing winds are from the west
arnI 10, Ii, a. l.
stables, pig pens, hen coops, privies, &c.
should therefore be located east of the dwell
ling so as to prevent the offensive and
poisonous odors and exhalatinns from
these being driven upon and through the
house, and also to prevent percolation
from these into the well. The barn, &C.
being east OF the house and the well on
the west, the probability Of maintaining
tho latter uncontaminated is greatly en-
hanced. They should be placed as fal
apart as convenience will permit.
Had all our people been provided will
water, and their buildings located as abov,
indicated, should we have been afflicted
with the vast amount OF sickness whicl
has cursed the Maumee Valley2 Surely
not-not one-hAlf OF it. We should
probably, never have heard OF "MilI
| Sickness"
The difference in mortality, betwoer
our town and the surrounding country il
doubtless, to be attributed largely to tn
better observance Of sanitary laws In tn
former than in the latter. Will our friend
In the country please ponder this sub
isct we'll, and if they desire to witness
practical application of our notions, le
them visit the farm of Mr.. NORMAL
BURNS, on the Avenue road, east of town.
In og1ensburg, N. Y, they are KILN
off all the cats, claiming that they ar
the cause of the prevalence of dpLthelia.