The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-12-23
Sources OF Diseace.

The ignorance or Indifference of house
builders and house buyers is responsible
for most of the diseases arising from
| sewer gas. The trap alone is no protec-
ton, as it is exposed to such accidents as
sucking out, evaporation, and choking
up. 1t is fact, too, that IL water trap
will transmit sewer gas, absorbing it be-
low and giving it Off above. Without a
large and perfectly straight pipe extend
ing from the drain to the top of the
house, giving free escape for all
vapors formed in the sewer, no trap will
afford any degree of protection. The
traps are thus relieved from pressure and
made reasonably secure. These are the
commonplace of sanitary science, but
the number of householders who take
the trouble to inform themselves upon
such matters is exceedingly small.
There is no doubt that any connection
between the street sewer and the in
terror of the house is a source
of peril, even with the "best
generally approved constructions to
prevent the entrance OF sewer poison.
These connections should be reduced to
the smallest possible number, Sinks do
not need to connect with the sewer. The
waste from all the sinks in the house is
best disposed of through a pipe discharg-
ing, not into, but over, well-tapped
cess pit in the back yard. If the cess
pit be properly tapped, and care be
taken to keep it free from grease, no
offensive odors will come from it. The
general adoption of this plan would be
followed by marked diminution in
zymotic diseases In the most city
houses there are sinks in the main sleep
ing rooms, OF in the closets connecting
with them. These sinks invite the
deadly poison to enter the dwelling and
do its work upon the occupants when
their systems are least able to resist its
effects. during the night All sinks,
whatever their construction, and par
ticularly kitchen sinks, should be often
and thoroughly freed from grease and
decomposing matters.
To any thoughtful person 1t is amazing
that people in general are so wholly in
different to the commonest sanitary OBJ
servances. The board of health Is a late
product in the development of human
society. The machinery for protecting
life and property from lawless violence
had existed in n highly organized form,
ages before there was such a thing as
sanitary science, and even now that sci
ence is understood by few. AS for the
masses, they. go on heedlessly contami-
mating their homes, buying and using
impure milk, unwholesome meat and
vegetables, and unauthorized food. As
a result of the eXertions of few wiser
ones, we nave sanitary officers, but it is
not thought worth while to give them the
necessary means of compelling obedience
to the laws. No doubt much has been
ACCOMPLISHED by the energy and perse-
verence of some of our health officers
but, after all, against many sources of
disease all they can do is to meet and re-
solve that any person who shall keep
such nuisance shall he Guilty OF Il
misdemeanor. y New York Times.
PRIMEvAL MAN.-Prof. Dawkins has
come all the way from England to tell
the Boston people. III twelve lectures,
what he thinks he knows ABOUT the
primeval man in the eocene age. tie
Processes to know something about it.
by study of the rocks. and the flora
and fauna of the world. In the miocene
stage of the worlds history, there was no
and nearer the period of man after n
while, although we may not at first
recognize him as he originally APP
peared." In this connection the Cura-
tor of the Peabody Museum at Cam
bridge observes, in the tenth annual re-
port: DIR. Abbott has probably OBJ
tanned data which show that man existed
on our Atlantic coast during the time Of,
if not prior to, the formation of the great
gravel deposit. which extends toward
the coast from the Delaware river, near
Trenton. and is believed to have been
formed by glacial action. From visit
to the locality with DR.. Abbott, l see no
no reason to doubt the general conclu
! sion he has reached in regard to the ex-
istence of man in glacial times on the
Atlantic coast of North America
The Irish journals recount with glee
that noble lord in the neighborhood OF
Belfast had announced his intention tc
pass the winter in Ireland. The pros
pect was not pleasing to Milady's French
maid, so she forwarded threatening let
ter to His Lordship, who at once or
dered his carriage, drove to the station
and flew off to London, journeying from
his residence to the station with re
volver primed. capped and loaded by ms
side. two other friends accompanying
him with loaded rifles inside the carriage
while a gallant colonel, armed to tn,
teeth. sat on the box by the goodman,
the French maid in rumble behind
laughing internally to a degree fatal t.
corset laces.
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