New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-05
DISINFFCT0N AND HEALTH

The Commission of Experts appointed by
the National Board of Health did one wise
thing when they ;ssncd last week practical
directions concerning the proper mode oil DIS
injecting houses and clothing in cases OF con-
tagiOus disease, ard made the directions 50
minute that fool must comprehend them
Distinction is rarely attended to In our cities,
even where the fmily of the patient are
people of wealth and intelligence, and where
the physician is of the highest standing; and
among the poorer class and i'll remote country
villaees.and farms, it is entirely UNI
known and unpractised. Scarlet fever RACES
in thickly settled district III town, or typhoid
or diphtheria attacks neighborhood III the
country; all the skill which love or money
can command is brought into play 10 restore
the individual patient, but nobody puts out a
hand to check the spread Of the disease.
saucer with a spoonfa Of chloride Of lime or
q snongc saturated with clrhoic arid swung
in corner. are the only feeble hints Of which
ANYBODY is conscious that there are as certain
modes of prevention rs of cure.
II j. not likely that these directions given
bv the Board viii be obeycd this Summer,
EXCEPT probably by municipal authorities IN
plague-strcken communities like that OF Mem
phis. Their observance for the most part ~
ponds on individuals IN farmhouse or tene-
menf-hOuse and these have their own ideas
about the treatment of disease. 4 quart
bottle of some quack medicine or a
swlr geing dose OF whiskey is a rational REM
edy, but this pottering with open windows
and cOppcras washes is all idle, IN their
opinion. physicians authority may do
something in such cases, but few physicians
trouble themselves about fumigating the
house in which they have left their patient
cured-or dead. The only way to make these
Instructions concerning disinfectiOn of actual
use is to enforce them nv law, as is done II Great
Britain. When the householder is compelled to
disrnfcct his house or vacate it until it is DONE
he viii suddenly become convert TO the
good sense oi coppeias and sulphur fumigation
There is no argument 80 potent rs little
hard law.
In the meantime something is accomplished
when the. virtues of fresh air, cleanliness and
thorough drainage are brought before the
public by this official method. The towns
man will 90 on a few years longer breathing
death out of every foul drain in his house
and the farmer will bank up his rotten
vegetables in bis cellar. and plant his pig
sty under his window, but he dimly
begins to perceive that there is doubt as to
whether he is in the right of it. Much drop
ping will wear away the hardest stone. 1t
would be an effective movement if the Com
mittee OF Experts before they disband would
supplement this circular by others as direct,
AZ plain and as minute, touching general
questions of hygiene and the prevention of
the spread Of typhoid and malaual feveIs.
These matters are untouched IN the present
circular. They need not be afraid of iteration
or too great simplicity in their orders. In
structions which to IN expert in sanitary science
would seem hackneyed mattersof-cOurse would
be doubted and pooh-pOohed with contempt by
the great mass OF Americans who would read
them. Ten to one, too, the expert in sanitary
science does not attend to them in his own
house. There is no danger OF too many circu
lars or too much talk of this matter.