Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-11-07
Something About Dirt.

from the st. Louis GlObe-DemOcrat.l
As all people breathe and cat more
or less dirt, it becomes worth while to
know something about its sanitary
attributes and effects, and how ia
avoid its more bapefql species. There
is no such thing as keeping dirt in its
place, for it is believed that all matter
out Of place is dirt but there is a
great deal in knowing what kind OF
dirt is harmless to the health, and
what needs, at any cost, to be swept
into the sewer and sent to again find
its place in the world of matter. A
lecture before the Sanitary institute
of Great Britain gives the comforting
assurance that sometimes the very
methods adopted to cleanse or purify
our dwellings add to the real dirt,
and while the sepulchre is whitened
the emanations exude "nozious as
from dead mems bones"
We may successfully trap and dis
connect all communications between
the house drains and the sewers
Poisonous exhalations may be rooms
or sleeping chambers. But there are
no dust or g~ass-proof windows, and
the insanltary architect or decorator
covers up the fostering filth ca tae
walls with another seemingly clean
paper c9lored with arsenic, or paints
with deleteriOus pigments. A great
deal Of DIRT passes by the nose and
mouth into the lungs and stomach,
without being perceived by either
taste or smell. But every little absol-
ute dependence can be placed upon
the critical judgment afforded by the
best senses Of the olfactory or qag-
tatory nerves, All deligaey 3~fperGeB-
tigg Is lost " those who are co1tind-
ally subjected to the influence of
noxious smells or yapors, Yet a glue
boiler is far from insensible to the un.
pleasant odor Of petroleum.
Insoluble miner.i INST il sometimes
conveyed into the air passages and be-
comes inpacted there. Stogomaaons,
cutlery grinders and cQal-miners grad
ually charge their lungs with tangible
acoumulations of grit, steel particles
and coaldust. From those who have
constantly inspired the smoke laden
atmosphere Of factory districts have
been taken specimens of lung tissue.
in which a perfectly black, dense net.
work is shown. Besides the mineral
particles which blow about, there il
organic matteF 10 a finely divided
state, prone to putretative decomposi
ton, especially when it comes in con
tact with the moisture Of the mucous
membrane. Among these the specific
poisons of typhoid and cholera lurk.
Within a certain range Of small .pox
and SCARLET fever cases, these disease.
certainly throw off TOXIC matters.
which %impregnate the walls and cell.
lqgs so as 70 he capable Of reproduc-
ing the disease for a considerable
period.
In the dirt Of hospitals may be
found puscells, the dead bodies Of
minute insects and the germs Of 9TH
err. Suspended in the air Of badly
ventilated hospitals etc various sails
and p~bosphates besides PARTICLES oil
dried excreta and many kinds oil
starch corpuscles with spores Of fungi
In the streets the nitrates from de-
composed horse manures exercise q
strong reaction against the oxidizinc
influence Of the purer air. The rGa-
son why typhoid and cholopalC cxoreta
are 50 much WQre actively poisonous,
, after fermentation has eliminated
may be found IN the presence of nj
trates, resulting from decomposedesew
age Of long standing. Specific poison
protected in its association with every,
DAY dirt by deodorigiug nitratas. may
DO dried up aud remain dormant fol
an unlimited time. A watt Of air, d
low condition Of vitality in the passer.
by, and that peculiar reciprocity which
occurs to all Of us now aud again, and.
win tile assistqIoo Qf th6 diyt aud We
hear Of another case Of typhoid fever
| which cannot be accounted for.
In innumerable instances outbreak
Qf speaiallY pBgendaFed epldemiel
have hoen clearly traced 20 the retail
ors Of yphoid-the milk dealers
Small pox has been repeatedly spread
by means Of laundries. The axhala.
tions from crowded assemblies in bad.
ly-yentilated theaters and churches
arc but VARIATIONS of aerial dirt II
which Is distributed feyer.6lth. Ii
dealing with articles which may prop
agate and distribute disease to an I'M
known extant, Que only course a b.
pursued, War must be made agains