Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-22

In 1861 the ratio of deaths OF persons over i've
years OF age to those OF persons under Ave years
OF age was Al TO 50. In 1879 the number OF
deaths OF persons over five years of age was
1864; II the same ratio of deaths may be as
sumed as In 1867 1t follows that the number Of
deaths under five years OF age would have been
Is, 564x53- SOL instead OF which there were
only IL, .SS deaths OF persons under five years
OF age-a saving Of 4,5i3 lives. Leaving out Of
me question, however, any such calculation,
risen steadily In the last twelve years from
500 o92 TO 1,!,i, 49, the death rate among young
children ior the last three years Is actually less
tlan Tor the years 1861, 1868. 1859. This is due
largely to proper plumbing in teIements.
Alter the dangers from the sewers have been
PROVIDED against by means OF a proper Venti-
iatioh OF every trap in tie house-and no mans
right up TO the roof-the cellars could be looked.
atIer. have visited thousands OF houses In
this city and do not know OF dozen in which
the cellar Is what 1t ought to be. There are SO
many water courses under New York and so
any defective sewer pipes discharging gases
ard liquids into the eartn that an absolutely
water and air tight cellar is requisite. Since
the laws concerning sewer connections have
been made, more stringent matters In respect
to improper connections or 10 connections at all
have improved; but l have known OF tene-
ment house built not ten years ago IN wlich the
soil pipe used to carry OF the sewage FROM
twelve families Went five feet down Into the
ground beneath the cellar and stopped there.
when the health inspectors Investigated the
building they found that the entire cellar
ground TO the depth OF three feet was quag-
mire of earth saturated with sewage. II your
own sewer connections are good and your
neighbors are defective you are quite likely to
have your cellar filled With sewer gas If 1t is
not alright Aside from sewer gas, there are
all sorts of carnations from damp ground
which are Injurious TO health especially here
In New York where our houses are often built
right over Old water courses and on made
ground. The common method OF not making a
cellar air tight is to cement 1t With concrete an
excellent plan 10 keep out water. but useless
for keeping out gases. ! know Of but one good
lining, and that Is with bricks dipped in coal
tar. The sides as well as the floor OF the cellar
should be finished In this way.
intelligent people are Often amazed a. being
told that their Houses are constant invitation
TO disease. Some time ago one OF my pupils
died In circumstances that Indicated poisonous
air. The house was handsome one LII NJ adison
avenue, but ] found that the sewer-pipe be-
meath the cellar was defective, and beiched
forth its gases into the house straight from
tie main sewer, between which and the
The traps underneath the water-closets and
basins were not ventilated, and such Was
the condition OF the house that was quite
prepared for DR.. Fordyce Bankers diagnosis
handsome houses from which the families
have recently been ordered out by DR.. Barker
until the proper changes can be made. The
Board OF Health has had great trouble with
tenement house builders and owners in getting
proper cellars and plumbing; but as we reject
every plan presented that does not suit Us the
character Of these houses is improving rapidly.
Even now, after every builder has learned pretty
well about what we exact, We have to reject
about half the plans submitted until the altera-
tons are made. Since the law was pas sed
tent OF insisting upon healthful provision OF
light and air and proper system or plumbing.
$1,000 persons have been benefited by the
changes made.
Some persons have great faith In dlsinfect.
ants; they buy cOpperas, kill the odor, and
think that they have done all that is required.
Dis1nfect8nts are useful only to prevent the
spread OF diseased air or matter; for this pur-
pose they should be used freely In sick rooms,
but for counteractiDg the effects OF sewer gas
they are useless The use OF these modern
| OF disease. patent disinfecting machines. water
closet purifiers and so forth Is perniciOus. The
man who uses them virtually cOnfesseS that his
house is unclean, and that the bad odors need &c
be hidden or perfumed. Certain companies en-.
gagged in the Introduction OF these machines
| threaten me with humiliation because
refuse TO accept their brides or fees and GER
lily TO the worth OF their frauds. Our insoec-
tors stands ready to visit any house ana TO In
| form the owner just what ought to be done
| but men who Will spend thousands OF dollars
houses will not spend one cent to make sure
| that the air they and their families breathe is
| not reeking with dangerous impurities which
| would make their hair stand on end with hor.
1 IOI COuiu IuCy tuC1n Uo8uAnCu lcW uuu-
dred times. Doctors know something about
| these dangers, although not half what they
ought to know; but they contend that theiI
| business Is to cure, and not to prevent, Sewer
| gas gives them work all the year round. When
| The disease appears the doctor Is called In al
| the expense Of hundreds OF dollars, whereas
few dollars spent IN making sure Of ones
| OF doctors 1t should be thought Of far more
| importance to examine ones cellar and one!
drains and traps every year than 10 shake one'l
i Garnet and Yanf hOs,oo