The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-08-25
Dust and Its Evils.


For the past three or four months
New York has been greatly exercised
over the rein of mud. Filth has found
in it q indus, and, were it not removed
ere the summer rsolstice arrives, it
might prove q source of great impair
ment to the public Health; but, after
all, 1t Is sometimes an advantage when
floating material is made, into mortar.
Like the dust of ime,. it will not fly
hither and thither If thus fastened. The
greater dangeris when ilth of any kind
becomes thoroughly dried, SO rs to be
waited hither and thither By the winds
Some interesting facts are brought to
light by the chemist in his search into
the composition OF dust. The pollen of
the rag-weed is often found in the mp
per air of cities, far away from any
fields. Scent from q special factory,
with its minute particles, are percept-
ible tens of miles distant. An analysis
of dust found in the summer in the
upper part OF q 7theater in New York
showed pulverized horse-manure as 8
prominent ingredient It is when
particles of unchanged filth are dried
and waited about and then, become
subjected to heat and moisture that
they are productive of most harm. In
deed, dust of itself, even II not charged
with specific material, is q great irri-
tant. One of the great affections of dry
and dusty weather is that the lungs
necessarily inhale so many Particles.
The mucous membrane of the throat
and lungs is exposed to the irritent,
and bronchial affections. are often the
result. Much that is called catarrh or
ranked as bronchial cold is mechan-
al tn x,~b<> n.
the sea because there was no dust there
had, at least. one, valuable considers
ton as an argument for sea life Much
of the good that sea voyages do is
owing to the freedom of the air from
floating particles, as much as to It's pur-
ity of composition. Horsemen under
stand the value of clear air when they
sponge the nostrils of their horses, In
order to detain the floating dust. 1t is
certain that men would be wiser. amid
clouds Of dust, il they would keep their
mouths shut and, have the nostrils wet
ted or protected. lin many kinds of
dusty work workmen should use such q
gauze or other contrivance IS will allow
free inhalation and yet detain some Of
the floating particles. We recall the
case of a man who had worked in q
spice-mill twelve years before, and yet
a disease of the lungs showed them to
be marked with characteristic sputa.
Cities have this as one of their greatest
evils. Public parks and squares and q
broad river or sea-front help to remedy
the evil somewhat. The question, often
arises with sanitarians whether the
watering of the streets is the lesser of
two evils. With all the variety of
opinion as to it, it seems probable that
the question depends very much upon
the cleanliness of the dust. II foul.
pulverized dust is thus alternately
moistened and dried, the very water
may aid in its dangerous Transformation.
but il streets are wen kept and cleanly,
the watering enables the dust TO be
more easily removed and the dampness
Is refreshing. Like many other sani-
tary questions 1t Is relative, and all the
facts as to conditions must be given, In
order to decide. It occurs too often
that the sanitarian Is called upon to give
an abstract opinion. We know Of no
department In which decisive advice
more depends upon having all the de-
tails of the case in hand.