Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-11-21

Matter OF Importance.
DEAR SPEcTAToR:-The presence of dis
tinct malarial element In the various forms of
febrile diseases has been obvious to the medi-
cal mind in this locality for some time. For
merry this type OF disease was held to be the
product Of the low countries, and the proxim-
ity to tide water necessary condition. Our
altitude and environing mountains were held
to be insurmountable barriers against this
form, at least. of human ills, and the develop
ment of a type of symptoms incompatible with
our topography has started in many rejecting
minds a current of earnest thought. The en-
lightened med cal man has long known that
malaria, obscure as it is as regards a definite
knowledge of is character and origin. is not
dependent for its existence on proximity to
tidal streams, or even on large or limited areas
OF morass or partially submerged territory.
Sc lions exposed to periodical inundation are
not infrequently totally excepted. for many
towns an villages SO located enjoy remark
able exemption from types of disease which
we're once held to be almost a genus toci 1t is,
however, a notable circumstance that city 30
happily situated is ours, in reference to alti-
tude at least, should develop in febrile dis
eases so marked a tendency towards a contin
ued type and even towards distinct period
city and remission in their character. The
cause is not atmospheric or climatic, for the
healthfulness of our media is possibly not sur
passed anywhere. The cause of it is to be.
found in our wretched system of imperfect
sewerage, ventilation, and over crowding. A
town so afflicted in these particulars, but less
favored in natural advantages, would be visit
ed by an epidemic, which, for virulence and
malignity. must pale the horrors of Memphis
and the Mississippi Valley into insignifcance.
The statement that Staunton is an over
crowded town will doubtless strike the unre-
flecting reader with amusement. But over
crowding does not necessarily imply the abso-
lutte contact of habitations. and one acquaint-
ed with the condition of our tenement houses.
especially among the poorer classes. will con-
cede at once the truth of the observation. Nor
does the evil of overcrowding exist alone here.
The demand for lodging houses in excess OF
our capacity is well known, and even in the
better walks of life. If not in numerical excess
to the relative amount of space occupied, the
means of ventilation are Inadequate. There is
allowed to each individual 100 cubic feet Of
| breathing space. The ratio per .001 of carbonic
| acid from respiration at the end of one hour, If
the air is unchanged, 600. The amount neces-
| sary to dilute to the standard off, or including
the initial carbonfc acid OF per 1000 volumes
during the first hour, $500. Amount necessary
to dilute to the given standard every hour after
the 1rst s0O0 In this tab e. for the sake Of SIM
plicity, the carbonic acid naturally in the air
has been disregarded, but, of course, there
would be actually in the air volumes per 1000
more from this source. Take most any one OF
our poor tenement houses and do we dare say
that these conditions are observed at all times,
or rather at any time? Take school for in
stance, and contrast the human heads. or
rather lungs, withsthe area of breathing space
allowed. Take room AxlS land this is a ID
eral al owance we fear,) place i've or six girls
In 1t, or even four and wher is the one eighth
" the breathing space required by the laws OF
nealth? Crowd one hundred and fifty OF these
poor unfortunates in a chapel or study with
,moky gas burners. say 80 by SO feet or go, and
where is the diluting atmosphere to come from?
If the ratio. equivalent 20 the demand, is OBJ
lined, it is gotten in gusts rom widely opened
windows, and in winter with innumerable In
terlacing currents air dancing along the whole
range of the thermometric scale from freeZ-
ing point to so Fahrenheit. Here are gathered
pupils from an area of country bounded by the
line of Mason and Dixon north and south by
he Rio Grande and Gulf. Girls possibly I'M
iccl' matized, and many at that impressible
age when the constitution is pliab and capa-
,le OF receiving permanent impressions Of
healthfulness or disease. Are hygienic laws
meeting their commensurate attention here or
aot? Can six or four human beings be packed
IN the room of average size obtaining IN some
Of our public edifices and in a building with
special devices for scientific ventilation, and
be expected to get the air required in the quail
lily, quantity, and manner that the preserva-
ton Of health demands? If SO, we challenge
the inspection and opinion of any half read
student of hygiene or medicine on the subject.
AS people we have always been behind our
Northern brethren In the vital ma ter of a due
attention to hygiene. and at no time was the
writer more impressed with 1t than curing his
t-m porary connection with the health service
of the city of Brooklyn. One and limited
section of this city, was ed with a plague
spot known as the diphtheria area Annually
this frightful distemper ragged with terrifying
violence and fatality throughout its limit, and
the origin baff1ed the keenest scrutiny of the
most alert physicians. Finally. a plumber in
excavating for the repair of gas pipe in a sub
cellar of one Of the infected buildings struck a
stratum of dark and viciously offensive mud
or clay as he supposed, but. when tested by
competent scientific Knowledge, was found
to be decayed animal matter. The health
board took Immediate cognizance of the cir
cumstance. the building was condemned APP
praise |, and ordered to be demolished. It was
done and the area of foulness found to exten d
beyond 1t in several directions. Other build
ings were successfully demolished, until an
irregular and widely-reaching space was ex-
posed, all of it comparing in character with the
soil first discovered. 1t proved to be one OF the
excrement. or possibly number of ercremest
pits of the revolutionary eacaanpnent. and had
lain there as breeder of pestience and death
for a century. The most thorough process of
disinfectiOn was adOp' ed, and the location sur
veyed and mapped. Many of the buildings in
this locality were of the handsomest charac-
ter but they were not spa ed, and fell as very
| proper victims on the altar of the general well
fare. SO much for the relative public spirit of
the two sections regards care in the observ
ance of heath laws, and in attention to mu-
| nicipal cleanliness.
In subsequent letter we purpose giving ad-
ditional experience in the North, and will re-
| turn to the ,ubject of our schools and to the
| discussion Of the propriety of educating youn
people under the suspension of every hyeienic
law. CANDoR.
Handsome black tips. only 50 cents, at Mrs.
Gladke's. now
A fine assortment Of PIANO COVERS. at
GLADKE'S. octl7
AN EXTENSIVE CAVERN IN HIGHLAND
CoUNTY.-We learn from correspondent of
the Highland Recorder writing from New
Hebron, Highland county, on the llth inst.
that Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Whitmer and son, and
Mrs Propst, OF this county. while the guests of
Mr, Hughart M, Burns with tn lstter rs