The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-04-28

Sanitarists An Council.
At the recent session of the State San
itary Convention. at Greenville the fol-
lowing proceedings were had:
OVERLOOKED LANDS.
Effect on Public Health of Over
flowed Lands Adjacent to Maple River"
This topic was ably discussed by DIR. S.
E. Gillian, Health Officer of st. Johns.
According to his theory Maple river was
by nature healthy stream it had
good inclination and people along its
banks were ordinarily healthful. Thus
it was until 1910, when people began to
dam the stream. Flats were overhowed
on either side to great distance, the
Maple Rapids dam caused the overflow
of bottom lands to the extent of 1000
acres or more on low weter, the water
backing up for distance of ten miles,
making q wreck of q belt of land on
either side from one fourth to mile In
width through the townships of Fulton
and Washington, and the overflow ex-
tends into Elba and Duplain. The river
bed, because the current was stopped,
became filled with filth and debris from
above. Vegetation was entirely de.
stroyed, the surface of the ground, be.
cause of its saturated condition, being
of the consistency of thick mush.
When fall rains set In lands more distant
became overhowed, in which condition
they remain until the next spring. The
high waterf1Ow is estimated at from 6, 900
to 5000 acres of valuable land, rendered
for several months of each year unfit for
use. This might be drained, as n COM
petent survey shows that the fall in
Maple river, between Maple Rapids and
Bridgeville, is 7.66 feet. Bad river.
running into the Saginaw valley, also
has its banks overfowed by the dams in
Maple river. From observations made
by reputable physicians, the overlooked
lands have been and are fruitful source
of disease. The miasma emitted there
from during the summer and fall months
causes a large percentage of the sick
ness of the region. Fever and ague,
dysentery, typho-malarial and remittent
fevers, pneumonia, rheumatism and neu-
ralgia, as a rule, have always been
greater III per cent. and more malignant
in type in regions overhowed by this
standing water than on higher lands
with natural drainage. Diagrams We're
used to show the relative healthfulness
of overfiowed lands with the lands not
overfown, the percentage of sickness
and death being the test. Numerous
reports of health officers read to the con-
vention greatly sustained the position of
DR.. Gillian. The paper was of much
interest, because of its enunciation of
principles which may apply equally to
all overfowed lands.
VACCINATION.
Vaccination, Jenner VS.. Bergh," by
DR.. @. M. Martin, of Greenville. This
excellent paper reviewed the article of
Bergh in the North american RevieaO
for February, in which Bergh takes is
sue with the experience OF mankind and
the observations of distinguished physl-
clans since the introduction of vaccina-
ton into use in 1776. Bergh character
ICES vaccination as "hideous monstros-
ity," and says all sorts of bad things
about it. DIR. Martin gave copious sta
tistics to prove his abiy-sustained posi-
ton that vaccination Is one of the great
est preventives to disease ever discov
cred.
SCHOOLS AND STUDIES.
High Pressure VS.. Hygiene In Our
Public Schools" by Rev. M. w. Fair
field, of Muskegon, was u strong argu-
ment, ably supported by cited facts as
illustration, that the number of studies
each student is required to carry at a
time is too large, the number OF hours
of study, in school and out, in order to
commit and recite such lessons Is too
great illy-ventiiated school houses and
school houses with numerous stairs are
destructive of human life. These and
other evils call for sanitary reform in the
construction of school buildings and in
schedules Of study.
FOOD ADULTGRArIONS.
Food Authorizations, by Prot. A. B.
Prescott, of Ann Arbor, was paper
which showed that much of food is not
what we think it to be. He instanced
glucose sugar and grape sugar, oleo-
margarine, p. -. spices, coffee, terra
alba in cream OF tartar, etc. He thinks
legislation should demand that these
things should appear III the markets
under their real names or should be
prohibited from SALE Dr. Avery related
that package of sugar labeled "pure
Michigan maple sirup," sold by Chi
cago firm wholesale and retailed in
Greenville, analysed by a competent
chemist, was found to be one-eighth
maple sugar to seven eighths corn glu-
cose. Rev. M. W. Fairfield, of Muskegon,
made a test of some coffee which he
purchased of his grocer, who was posi-
tive it was pure coffee, for his wholesale
dealer would not, could not, for he was
SO honorable, sell on adulterated article.
Yet Mr.. Fairfield showed that grocer,
one of the best of his class, that his un-
adulterated coffee was one-half chicory
PURE AIR.
"Pure AR; Why We Should Have 1t
and How We Should Get It." was an in
teresting and instructive lecture bv the
Rev. ID. G. Jacokes, of Pontiac, OF the
state Board of Health. His advice was
how to secure good ventilation in oil
buildings and to keep clean the envi-
ronments of our dwellings.
SEWERAGE.
" Sewerage of the City of GreenviDle,"
by o. Ct. Fox, was paper of great value
in suggestions. Every city needing
sewerage should devise AMI plan for it a
long time, and not construct at great ex-
pense something which il would soon