The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-06-04
Mississippi State Board Of Health.
LcIRCTLARl

At the last meeting OF the State Board of
Health held at Aberdeen ON the 9th day of
April il was declared by resolution. that the
undersigned should prepare circular letter,
TO be issued to the different Sanitary bodies and
the municipal authorities throughout the state.
The recent epidemic, with ali Of its horrors,
must be fresh in the minds OF MS all, and % ought
to suggest, with special emphasis, the necessity
Of adopting such sanitary measures us shall
greatly diminish, IF NOT wholly exempt from
the seourge of epidcmicS.
We can safely start with the po~tulatr chat. CT
normal atmosphere is the most favorable cuud-
ton for man in health and disease. How often
does the safety OF the patient depend upon
it, Our therapeutics frequently prove painful
failures until we send them 10 some favored Iu-
caitv, where the lungs may be ieu upon this
blood-purifving gas, until the blood eorpu~cIes
shall be restored Ia their Wonted number and
vital integrity.
No Sanitarian viii question that filth with all
it, chemistry foF evil. not only gives Rise Coo
many forms OF disease. which often grow into
the magnitude OF epidemicS, but that It dam
gcrously affects all other diseases, produced boy
HdteyieS bior5i, distinct and different
1t stands to-day well aucstcd fact that foul
air diseases are preveutabie and prevented
when proper hygienIc requirements have been
enforced.
With the encouragement and experience Of
the past, are We not compelled tu the conclusion,
that il is "a matter of supreme imuoruuc, Go
give careful attention tu the removal ui amy aut
all causes about rs that W4ll produce mla~mJtle
and infectious CNhal3tlUu~.
Many foci Of these gaseous poi-au- may Doe
found an cities and townS,-iu the lU-ruu-trucfId
sewers basins of stlLuJut water surface water.
privicS, haru-yards, etc. sewer gals is cuu~lI-
cred far more dangerous 10 public health than
any of the causes chat usually surround u-, iur
in addition 10 Che the dead products of t,mUu-
tatoH we have in sewer gas, germs of minute
fungoid animals and plants when, finding Co.
| suitable indus, nave an immense power ot s.Il-
production.
Dipthcria. scarlaHun and the worst forms 81
our low grades ot teNer~ are the products ut thr
silent and hidden laboratory of these sewers.
These prolific sources ot disease have been
SO much neglected i'm our sanitary work, that
have thought it proper to direct special atlru-
ton 10 these tunnels for the discharge ot water
and filth.
We trust that the County and Municipal
Boards OF Health may Doe profoundly impressed
with the importance of at once making pra-
| per survey ot their respective district aud Joy
calitie> discover any and all causes dangerous
to public health, to have the same abated. and
all suspicious places thoroughly dI9}uIryt.u Iu
order 90 destroy germs and mlusW-. u Is 40 this
point that disinfcctants can be used with most
reliance, to abort disease and their spread into
| epidemics. To preserve health ami Hf. is ouc
OF the highest cmploymeuts that cam engage our
attention, and the ministers OF public
health should contribute our best tudrayur- tU
secure these wise and beuehcent ends. Ih.
well directed efforts of the Health Service of
Great Britain has so improved the Sanitary COM
dltion. and consequently the physical condition
of her population, as 20 have diminished her
death rate uut-thrd in comparatively "a Ntry
few years. Then DO not let ms teuporilc, aud
disregard our obligations until some tempest uE
death comes to remind MS of our wiiful Iu-ufi-
cheney We shall then Ice called again to witt
ness that our improyisgd efforts, and the use UI
disinfectants viii prove poor III not fatal dy-
pcndcnCe to arrest the march of the destroyer
Disinfectants cannot bee used Ina sufficient guau-
tiy (without becoming source oi dauutrJ
upon the eruption of amy fatal epidemic. Goo
neutra1ze the life destroying germs and gases
arising from a city saturated with hlth.
Then let ms "put our house iu ORDER and
accept the hopeful and helpful suggestions .f
experience, that the buue and pain of our iIIs
are greatly mtigated 10y the renewing iuHu-
ences of pure atmosphere. Cleanliness ie tnc
brightest temporal ornament 10 amy people. iur
il means health and prosperity with ulI their
multiplied blessings
We are disappointed that SO many counties
have failed to organize Boards of Health. We
had hoped that aIl measures instituted tor thr
command the attention of the leading electors
of each and every county in the State. We
must agitate this public health question until
we shall have evoked such sentiment m the
public mind as shall demand "a sanitary a- we'll
as civil administration.
We again renew our desire 20 have the cordial
cooperation of the County and Municipal Health
Boards in the State, that we may mutually aiI
each other in the responsible duue. Wc have
assumed in turtherance OF public hygiene.
May we not fairly hope 10 be sawed from
the pestilence thar Walkcth in darkness. uud
the destruction that waStcth at uuuudav," III Wr.
points out To MS, and thereby secure such "a
measure Of cleanliness as viii ensure it own rg-
ward. ROBERT hELLs, NJ. D.,
Chairman.