Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-01-17
Afternoon Session.

Directexamination of DR.. James Simpson re-
sumed Mr.. Belcher called the attention of witne.s
to the report OF DR.. Hatch on the sewerage of Sac
ramento for 1879, and also report for 1880, and
read from the latter, describing the drainage Of the
city, condemning the system of uncemented cess
pools, the throwing OF slops the surface of the
ground, the digging Of pits for priyes left open to
be filed up when partly full and new ones dug, the
digging of cesspools in cellars, the erection of in
efficient water-closets- all which has been going on
in Sacramento since 1852. That in that time vast
numbers of cesspools have been sunk, and also OF
privy vats and vast numbers covered over and new
ones dug, IN cases high as siXtyfour may be
dug per block for use of the families living
on block. Also, reading from the report
relative to the sewers OF the city, their fall
per block, the drainage canal, etc. These matters
being read to Witness Mr. Belcher about to ask
witness what must be the 5sult OF such system IN
a CITY like Sacramento, when Mr.. Cadwalader OBJ
jected. Mr.. Belcher also made brief statement of
what was testified to by City Surveyor Blssett
celning the sewer system or plat of the city, the
number OF sewers their character, the exclusion of
solid excreta from the sewers the material Of which
constructed, the fall of drains their number direc-
tion, course, etc, and then asked witness what he
would say must follow such system. Mr.. Csdwa-
ader objected. Overruled. Witness replied that
such system could only result in saturatlon of the
soil by noxious moisture, steps being taken to
prevent any other result. Such must result from
uucemented sewers and ceSSpooiS earth-DOtomed
drains, retention of eta in pits etc. Under the
germ theory the poison is carried i'll water,
aad if water is used will be carried to the htl-
man system. Red Bluff, Tehama, 0roville
Cousa Marysville, Nevada, Grass Valley, Auburn,
Plaeervile and other drain into the rivers or
the streams tributary to them. Typhoid fever has
preyailed in all these towns, he thought. If the
drinking water is taken from the river and such
fever prevails it may be s9id thaG the poison comes
from the water. Running water is supposed to
speedily purify itself. But it IS 4 mooted point as
to whether living germs are ever destroyed and SO
it may be that living germ from Marysvle or the
Folsom Prison may be drank at Sacramento and
produce filth disease. We do not know how long
the living germs live, or il they even die Some
think they do but that n rivers such poisons
are only diluted. Indeed, river pollution has at
tracted such attention Of late that in parts OF Eu.
rope they beginning to prevent the dep stion
OF sewage in the rivers.
Gross examination TO Mr.. Cadwaladerl-Am 50
years of age. Practiced at Timbuctoo till it was
nearly all washed away, and ther he went higher
up in the mountains. At Tmbuctoo he had no
typhoid fever only bilious remittent fever. When
he went down to the valley he encountered malaria
fevers. The disease in the velley had different
character Jimbuctoo was lower than SmartsviiIe
Don't know If it was less than 400 feet elevation
above the sea. Don't think fever runs into
another, but one may continue till a low state is
attained and another fever sets in. "What malaria
is I'd like to know myself. can tell OF its eff cts
but can't say what it is. tell the circumstances
under which it will develop" Left Timbuctoo in
April 1883 after much Of the soil was covered there
i.ricf that the fevers were maarial and of a
somewhat malignant type, but after the covering of
the sol there was Il SIS malignant but 10 the valley
the fever5 were found, aud to be malignant also
Soarle fever is zymotic disease and infectious but
zymotic and malarial are not SYNONYMOUS
is bad air then diphtheria is nalarial
as well as zymotic. Maarial fsvers are sup
posed to arise from germs coming in contact with
gland or the mucous membrane Stirring up the
dtraa= feN-eT am NOT afs-
cate of the germ theory. | never germ
only give you the theory. The advocates of that
theory hold that all diseases from germs taken
iuto the system. Others do not 70 50 far" II a
country at first settlement has its soil cultivated
there is usually malarial fevers Subsequently the
filing up by men and animals deposits filth and
fifth diseases come on. Disinfectants will destroy
germs Cultivation and habItation OF country
does not 10 away with the germs but the character
OF diseases are changed. Don't think maisrial
new country is rid OF it by, say twenty years c,,ti
vation and habtation, unless there is drainage
Every cssa of scarlet fever cnines from contagon-
is caught from some one already having it. Typhus
fever Is associated with impure air. filth surround.
ings poor or unwholesonle food, etc. fever 10 a
disease recognized as having hot and cod stage,
and elevation OF temperature above the normal
standard. All feverS arise from q poison taken
into the system AT hrt, very generally, there is
n sold stage and then an abnormal elevation of
temperature. WITNESS was examined at length as
to the characteristics Of typhoid and typhus fevers
EvacGations from the bowels of typhoid patients
carry the germs or poison wherever deposited
Question-Can typhoid germ come from Grass
Valley, via Wolf creek. Bear river, Feather river
and the Sacramento river, 10 Sacramento, be swsl-
lowed by water drinker here, develop the feyer
and kill the man in, say twenty days?
Auswer-rve never seen germ, but those who
have examined into it thoroughly say it can be car
red miles and miles, ard tar and then en- er
the system and produce ferment aud result in
death. Chicago discharges her drainage into a
river, ard thence to Lake Michigan New York il to
adjacent waters. Large cities have up to this time
drained into rivers but London has prohibited
drainage into the Thames to prevent its pollution
WITNESS was examined at great length as to the
germ theory-the propagation of disease by germs
Witness believed that the di sease germs are most
active in dry seasons, and then more easily in
hailed /; but in wet weather and saturation OF the
sill by wa er, germs are lessened In influence etc
therefore there hould be less typhoid than before
the filing up Of the streams II there are any
causes heTeabeuts that make the surroundings a
swamp, and you cannot dram the city thoroughly,
you have the conditions uuder which most favoraby
typhoid fevers and malariai diseases would be de.
veloped. Had heard. Ia part, DR.. Chipman's report
on debris dep sits and the sanitary results thereof
He did not deem II proper paper Tor medical So
ciety. Il read as prepared for purpose, and he
doubted Il Dr. Chapman wrote all OF it. He agreed
with no position taken By DIR. Chipm as to the de-
bris deposits. He believed the deposits, coming
down uncontaminated, would have Opposite ell
feet rather, and generally have no such eject Is