, 1879-07-20
CLEANLINESS. AND VENTILATION.

1ue FopOrl8 VI Lu66peC1a1 sanitary inspect
ors reveal how widely extended are careless
| ness and Ignorance in relation to matters 0
health People ordinarily intelligent vii
live day after day and year after year in clos
proximity to the most vil1ainous nuisance
without making the least effort to have them
abated. It is strong statement, but th
facts will bear it out, that the convenience
Of sinks and closets are actually converted b,
negligence and misuse into positive health
destroying nuisances by at least one-half tht
persons having control Of such premises
These people seem to ignore ell care
or interest in such matters. Closets
and sinks may with proper care ant
attention be made additions to the comfort
aud cleanliness of dwellings, and be made tc
contribute largely to the health of the prem.
ises by the speedy and efactual removal Of
what otherwise would be offensive. This
idea Of the use of such conveniences is seem
ingly the last one entertained by large por.
tion of housekeepers. They seem to accept
filthy sinks aud closets as part of the domes-
tic economy of the day; from familiarity
finally live undisturbedly in the presence Of
death-distilling filth. So fatal to health are
foul sinks, closets, and leaking sewerage that
it would be infinitely better for the occu-
pants if the authorities were to close up
permanently every house where such evils
ont and compel them to find other dwellings
than have them live day after day, waking
and sleeping breathing the fetid gases es-
Gaping from these neglected pipes. we know
Of no measure for the preservation of general
health, and the protection Of families against
this fatal poisoning, more promising Of good
results than the house-to-house examination
now going on, if it be followed by prompt
and enforced cleaning, publication, and re-
pRir of all defects.
Another and almost equally injurious neg
lect on the part of householders IS that of
ventilation. No house, especially during the
warm season, should ever be wholly closed
to the outer air ut night. There should
be SOME communication from all parts of the
house with The outer mir; and when there is
no admission Of pure air from without
and escape of impure air from with
in sleeping in such premises is as
fatal to health as if sawer-valves were left
open. Pure air is invaluable; it may be said
to be essential to the preservation Of human
health. No man is at liberty to shut himself
and his family into sealed sleeping-rooms,
there to breathe over and over health-de-
stroying air, any more than he is at liberty to
subject them to breathe any other health
destroying poison. There are thousands Of
persons who bring with them to this country
the notion that might air is always un-
hoalthy," and hence, as preparation for
sleeping, carefully close every door, window,
Or crevice through which the outer air may
enter and purify the rooms in which they
sleep. There is nothing SO essential to good
health Us pure air, and it makes no difference
whether it be in the night time or day. !.
Those who read the reports Of the Sub
Of tho Health Department, as to
he shocking condition Of promises they find,
must remember that in few days the In
'pcctors will visit them, and let them take
pains and have their premises put in cleanly
condition, and thus escape being held up as
Examples to Others,