Sharp County record., 1879-08-14
GENERAL SANITATION.
Address Adopted by the Sanitary Council
of the Mississippi Valley.

% MAY |, 1873, Dr. d. Z, HOulday OF New Vt
ieans. DIR. r. B. Maury Of Memphis, and DR..
re. Kedzie of Michigan, the committee APP
nointed for that purpose, submitted the fol-
ioWing ADDRESS to the cities, towns, villages
and municipalities Of the Mississippi Valley,
which was adopted:
DRAINAGE.
Al thoroughly drained soil is all important.
This should be secured where practicable, by
q comDlete system of sewers or underground
drains. If this Is not practicable, superficial
or Surface drains should be properly located,
and frequently examined, so as TO insure
cIeanliuess and effectiveness.
II is of the first Importance that dwelling
bouses should be Quilt on dry ground so ele-
waited that there shah be no possibility OF an
Z accunulGtion Of stagnant water under the
floors at any time.
Yards and outbuildings is imperative, so as
+ 20 prevent the accumulation OF filth, garbage
y ,or masses of decompOsing organic matter so
nreiudicial to health. 1t is equally necessary
thai some means be devised for the disposal
of the same, so as to render it harmless.
wATER. CLOSETS AND PRIvIEs.
FouI odors are natures signal of danger.
water closets should be properly construct.
ed kept free from odOr and always Plentl-
frslIy supplied with water. The water pipes
should be wholly disconnected from all 9th
or pipes and provided with independent ven
filQti0n, IntN SIOulu DC 81 lDCdICN 10 w
avoid all possibility ofpOlluting the air OF any
other part of the house.
Where privies are used, they should be
built above ground with water tight vaults.
keDt always free from foul smell by the llO-
eraluse of dry earth sifted upon the contents
or bv the use of a solution of cOpperas. They
sbonld be emptied at le8sttwice year or Of
tenPr if the contents accumulate to more tnan
one- third of the capacity OF the vault. me
walls and ceilings should be thoroughly
whitewashed ,.,, -.....
In general use in many of the manufacturing
lawns Oi England, is recommended as beng
found to combine economy, simplicity OF con
structiOn, easy management, with great IA
cilitv for removing contents without odor or
Inconvenience.
Priyies should be 50 placed as to prevent
their eyhalatiOns from communicating the air
Of houses or pOlluting the sources OF water
supply from wells or cisterns.
WATER SUPPLY.
"Water, next to air, is the chief necessary
of life" We may even place it before food,
because all food is largely composed OF 1t; !;
and 1t is required too for personal cleanliness,
and for the puTiticatiOn OF our houses ana
their surroundings.
Thinning streams and springs, which are
the best sources of water supply should be
frequently examined in order to detect otn-
wise unsuspected causes of pollution.
I" Cisterns should be constructed of suitable
material, carefully built and covered, and so
placed that no foul air can pass through or
over the water they contain. Ihe OVernOW
pipes from cisterns should be free from con-
nectiOn with any other pipes. Roofs ana
putters supplying cisterns must be frequent
n inspected, and some simple cOntrivance
should be adopted to insure their careful
cleaning before the water is allowed to run
+ into the cistern. CisteTn- water ought to be
< freGuently examined and kept free from col
or, OdOr or other indications OF impurlty.
" Wells are the most dangerous sources or
water supply for few wells are safe from sur
face pollution. Wells should, therefore, be
properly located to avoid all possible risk OF
Contamination from their surroundings,
carefully built with elevated curbs and COW
ered tops. The water thew contain should be
Examined at short intervals.
t simple method of examination is by dis
Solving a lump of loaf sugar in quantity OF
the suspected water in a clean bottle, which
Should have q ose-ftting glass stopper
f Set the bottle in the window of room where
X Che sunlight will fall on it. If the water re-
mains bright and limpid after q weeks eX,
posure it may be pronounced tit toruse. But
) III it becomes turbid during the week 1t con-
tains enough impulity to be unhealthy. Such
water should not be used for drinking pur-
poses until it has been boiled and filtered; !;
after which it should be aerated by any sim
Die process, such as pouring several times
from one vessel into another in the open air.
The addition of solution OF permanganate
OF pOtassa will also serve, in most cases, TO
Sufficiently purify water for drinking pur-
noses Eight grains of the permanganate to
one ounce of distilled or boiled water will
make the solution. Add one drop Of this to
half pint of the suspected water; If the red
tint disappears in half an hour, add another
drop. For every drop that loses its color In
the half pint. there will be from One-halt to
two grains of organic impurity in one gallon
of the water. If such water must be used
drop in the permanganate until the red tint
remains: the solution in this proportion IS
not injurious nor does it taste unpleasantly
DWELLINGS.
The prime conditions of health in o house
depend upon cleanliness, pure air and un-
polluted water; the prompt and thorough
Removal of all refuse; and the perfect eXclu'
sion all foul matters arising outside the
house.
Good ventilation is absolutely necessary.
Rooms should be frequently aired, and daily
visit from DR.. Sunshine encouraged. Over
crowding is fruitful source of all pollution
in dwellings.
N Jealous attention should be paid to cellars,
pantries and passages. Mold, dampnesS
and foul smells are never to be neglected.
The SUMS rays, free ventilation and lavish
use of whitewash are excellent scavengers.
The floors of dwellings shouldibe frequently
washed. Choose for this purpose dry day;
doors and windows to be left open during
and after the operation until thoroughly dry.
The floors of dwellings should always be
raised from three to four feet above ground,
so as to insure perfect ventilation beneath,
and the site should be higher than the sur
roUndings, so as at all times to prevent damp
mess or presence of stagnant water
DISINFECTANTS AND DEODORANTS.
More than half these agents are valueless
In preventing disease, and dangerous as be-
Ing productive of false security
~ Heat and pure air are the best of all dis1n-
fectants. Where other agents are necessary,
the following list will be found useful:
M Copperas can be!used almost anywhere,
cheap and efficient. Especially useful in
privies, etc. Ten pounds in pailful OF wa
ter; teacupful in bed-pans, chambers, etc,
after being used quart day in privies,
s urinals, etc, for ordinary purposes. In dan
gerous diseases, add from pint to quart
TO each discharge The contents of a privy
siX feet in diameter and twelve feet deep, will
require twenty pounds of cOpperas to disin-
feet it.
Quicklime and gypsum Or land plaster are
good absOrbentS and may be used adVanta-
geously in damp places, cellars, cutters, etc.
1lCV ShOul1 not however he uSpQ in drains,