Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-04-30

LII seeking Tor the faCtS In regard tn
the sanitary condition of this country,
the board has been met not ONLY W tn
vague and uncertain statements. but
also with assertions wholly irreconcil
able with each other made by both
physicians sd unprofessioual men.
Thus some Of The oldest and most pro
m'nent physicians in th't vicinity as
ser' that thek ha~ bprn n. mort
sickness and no SICK ness Of a d; ffprent
type, and no larger mortality along the
frawfish river fer the last thirty years
than in the adjacent country AMI
that it is comparatively free from
malarial disease Others. and thee
most immediately 10 contact with the
region declare that while there are few
distinct n'breaks OF maarial disease
the tendency IF all diseases is to as
sumo either an intermittent or re-
m'ttent type, and that such tendency
seriously complca'es he treatment of
diseases otherwise easy of management.
They also aft thar Ger ain ,mfa u
NIT ny affections prevail, one Of them
stating that for several years past all
epldemlcs which have occurred in that
section or the country have been mo t
severe in the vicinity of these low
lands
These latter statements are in accor-
dance with the common conclusions Of
observant physicians in respect to the
unhealthful influence Of low marshv
GROUNDS. both in this country and
abroad and they are such as the ap-
pearance OF the section under discus
sion would justify US in anticipating
and yet after the most careful exami-
nation of rhe records of sickness exhi-
bited by the petitioners, and of all
facts bearing upon the subject that
could be otherwise obtained. this board
has not found that there has been what
in its opinion can justly be considered
an excessive amount of sickness or any
very unusual mortality.
The board is, however, unable to
reach any opinion that is wholly con-
elusive, as in tie absence of carefully
collected vital statistics extending
through series of years, there are 10
wholly trustworthy data upon which
to found conclusions 1t is unques
tionably true that some houses ale in
dangerous proximity to these marsh IS.
and are so situated that they Can have
neither proper house drainage or safe
water supply, and that in the attempt
to cultivate portions of this marshy
gr' und the citizens making such eff.
forts are subject to exposures which
are highly prejudicial to health But
the board find no facts that need to be
taken into consideration, which tend
very powerfully to modify the sanitary
condition of this country, which are:
First-That comparatively but
small proportion of tie bottom lands
is sufficiently above the level of con
slant soil saturation to permit Of its
being occupied as place of human
residence; hence, we find nearly all
the homes of the citizens of this dis
trict upon the higher land on either
side, as matter of necessity if not
from choice. Many of these homes
are in fact upon ground that is well
elevated and at considerable distance
from the marshy tracts, and their i'm
mediate surroundings, including do
nestle drainage and water supply, are
usually exceptionally good.
Second-In very large proportion
Of this region the soil saturation is SO
excessive as to be held at point where
malaria is not likely to be developed.
Sir Thomas Watson has we'll said:
"For producing malaria it appears to
be requisite that there should be sur
face capable of absorbing moisture, and
that this surface should be flooded and
soaked with water, and then dried.
The higher the temperature and the
quicker the drying process, the more
plentiful and virulent is the poison
that is revolved." DR.. Tebault also
observes that at point of thorough
saturation marsh ceases so yield ma
laria in its greatest potency, land that
above that point salubrity is restored"
1t is the testimony of many citizens
that substantially this condition pre-
walls in this locality to very great
extent, and that the water either re-
mains upon these bottom lands quite
uniformly as to quantity, or that it is
more or less constantly increasing and
submerging new territory.
The questions of what can be done
to make the homes of the more health
full, and to remove from them app aren't
scources of danger, is broad one, the
solution of which involves practical
difficulties. The observance of every
possible precaution which can tend to
make the immediate surroundings of
each individual home as perfect as
possible in a sanitary sense, is the first
step toward such solution; care must
he taken that the evils of imnerfect