The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1879-06-20
rme state Board OF sseauh.
suggestions about Erichman.

Suggestions about Hickman.
We have received he report of the Ken
lucky State Board of Health, a large par,
Of which is devoted to the consideration
+ of the yellow fever epidemic ut Hickman.
I DR. Thompson expressed his belief,
+ from his study Of the disease. that yellow.
I fever is strictly an infectious disease.
communicable only through the atmos-
phere, aud not from contact or association
with the sick, or from emanatious from
the bodies Of the sick, or from fomites
Except az these agents come into contact
( with an atmosphere containing the three
I REQ uisite coeXisting conditions" These
three conditions, he says, are continu-
Gus high temperature, excess of Rtmos-
Pheric moisture and the products OF veg
etable or animal decomposition in the
atmosphere. He thinks these three con
ditions existed at Hickman when the Jno.
b Porter passed up the river ia August
last aud that that poisoned steamer in
fected The town.
The report, viewed from the accepted
theories is no danb, credirable and able
aud the history OF the epidemic is for the
most par correctly given. or the drain
age OF Hickman, We copy the following
extract:
Blu, clean, well drained town ought
. be better prepared against the ravages
Of any epidemic diseases than one lack
ing these safeguards; and ~ 10 town has
greater facilities for thorough drainage
/ than Hickman, by the construction Of two
I or more main SeWers iu the lower town.
into which lateral feeders mas be- con
.uctrdl from the various squares, and an
arrangement o. which the water descend
viii pass into and through these sewers
: "a good systen Of drainage can be had
Nature has placed within the limits OF
The town material from which admirable
draiu-pipe mud sewers NAV De construct
/ eJ. Excellent clay. from ~ hich drain tile
can he burned IS abundant. Bnt AZ these
can be purchased chcaply, IL would hard
+ ~ repay the outlay 10 obtain the necessa-
( ~ machinery aud kilus Tor burning, M
less permanent manufaetory 'or the
sale beyond the limits vi the town was
intended.
Ny opinion IL. that the cheapest and
best material for permanent drains l. TO
be found i'm The bluff gravel. that being.
beyond question. the tues, ready prepar
ed concrete material have ever scent
The value OF concrete IN construction
has been Httested 10y the durability OF
structures erected centuries 70; and late
experiments have proved, that where the
materials Tor its construction are cheaply
.oialued, 10 L. cheaper than stone or
h'lek as building material.
The construction Of the sewers referred
20 in the lower part Of Hickman would
render the re-occurreuce of q yellow fever
epidemic 7sr, 10 i7,pos,s5ls
Fror Proc,er, our State geologist, from
f.
says. Of the gravel found ia such album.
dance in the Hickman tlUf. lie viii fur
uis & 3aru. statement 10 she nuthorit Is
O. Il jotmau or ANY town ia Western Ken
tucky desiring TO use this gravel for
sewers. foundations &c.
made block, 81 inches cube Of gravel
from Hickman and Paducah, using in the
various blocks Louisville cement, Port
land cement. aOl ordinary quick lime
Blocks contajnl AZ ] part of Louisville ce-
ment 90 : sand AID gravel, and blocks
with part quick ,iu7e to gravel and
sand, auI ] Of part Of Portianf cement,
.VIthstood q crushing w>iEnt Of from H.
l0,a TO l.. 600 pounds~ a tIer drainage,
Uo.7id recommend that areas be ezca'a-
ed back OF the stores ruuuiuN through
from Clinton TO Jackson stree g, ana
along the s'tIes OF the outings iee "tSit .
hose streets fronting on Cumberland !
n.eet
- ~etainfag walls TO these areas, CON
sc from the sam gravel can be used.
Instead Of hydraulic lime, quick lime
will answer for these walls, although the
former would be preferable. by sloPing
the bottom OF these areas away from the .
buildings and putting r drain on tie .
lower side, the buildings VIII be render
ed much dryer l think IL iujudicjous 10
use brick work in foundations end for all
buildings IN the future, reliable aud dry I
foundation can be bad NJ much loss cost
from the gravel Nearly all tie heavy +
machinery AZ the Paris Exposition WAS
placed on blocks OF concrete. This gravel (
when placed ia "a ditch and pounded, will Z
br campscted mechanically into hard /
block and I believe will be firm founia- /
st ion for ordinary buildings without any /
addition Of lime or cement. OF course, /
that portion Of tue found alton ab owe she /
ground should be mixed wICh lin or &C