Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-04-06
SANITARY REGULATIONS FOR sAcRA-
MENFo.

The rainy season is practically over, and
it is time, therefore, to again urge upon the
city authorities the necessity of giving es.
pecial and immediate attention to the san
itary condition of the city. We need a
declaration of independence from prevent.
able diseases. Our local Board of Health
has pointed out, among many others, two
directions in which practical action may be
taken without a dollar of cost to the city
purse-the adoption Of regulations requir-
ing, under heavy penalties and within a
given period, all vaults containing matter
that will poison the ground by saturation,
to be thoroughly cleaned, and then either
filled or closely cemented, and requir.
ing all new pits to be constructed with
cement sides and bottoms. This should
be done the moment the river reaches its
low stage, and therefore it is time now to
give notice. This is reasonable regula.
ton, is an economic measure, is approved
by all sanitarians, and will do much to pre-
vent q recurrence of the disease and NOR
tality of last year. Another regulation
that should be adopted and rig
idly enforced by ordinance, and under
supervision of the Health Board, is
to require every cesspool ground drain
from house to be trapped, and a pipe ex-
tending into the upper air fitted between
the trap and the cesspool. This will cost
each HORSEPOWER but few shillings, but
the health officials declare that it will
prove one of the most beneficial of pro.
visions, since the gases will take the direc-
ton of the least resistance, and not enter
the houses. The adoption of such regula-
tions should not be delayed day longer
than is absolutely necessary. AT the meet.
ing of the Health Society of England, last
November, it was resolved that there
should never be any passage of air from
drains or waste pipes into any house. The
health department of Detroit has arrived
at similar conclusion. The Boston. Board
of Health has ordered every drain "to be
ventilated by four.inch straight pipe ex-
tended above the highest point of the roof
of the house in every instance, and ter
fninating at a distance from any chimney
or other ventilator." In Syracuse, New
York, all drains are ordered to have suita.
bic openings for escape of sewer and cess.
pool gases. DIR. o. w. Wright, Health
Officer of Detroit, who believes in dimin-
ishing sickness and mortality by cleanli.
ness, says if we wish to make town un.
healthy, an excellent plan is "to use I'M
trapped and unventilated drain pipes,
that volumes of putrefactive gas, laden
with invisible bacteria, may freely enter or
rise up about the habitations Of the cit
liens then dig great hole in the ground
to treasure up the vilest excreta for years,
and when it is nearly full throw in earth
and dig another, that the porous soil may
drain and drink up the putrescent
mass, and do more to poison
the ground than whole grave
yard full of corpses. In this way we
may be certain of having plenty of mala.
rial fever, typho malarial or typhoid fever,
diphtheria, dysentery and other filth dis
eases Colonel George E. Waring. Jr., a
reputable sanitary engineer of broad ex-
perience. declares that the flow of house
drainage through vertical into soil,imbedded |
pipes not trapped and ventilated is dan.
gerous TO the household. In New York, |
Brooklyn and Washington the sanitary |
regulation of all houses as to drains, ETC.,
has been eminently successful. The Amer.
can Public Health Association, in October, |