Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-12-18
Freventable Diseases.

The New York Tribune quotes DR..
JAMES b. TAYLOR. chief inspector OF the
Fourth sanitary division oil that city, as
saying:
"Experiepce has taught us that, like
cholera, diphtheria Il bred and fostered by
filth OF all kinds, particularly by sewer gas
where there Is bad plumbing. It's track lies
through the badly. constructed tenements.
fats. and private dwellings wherever they
are found. Proper sanitary precautions
ward 1t of as much as they do cholera
Some physicians contend that the only
certain protection against sewer gas Is to
have the water-closets outside Of the house
occupied by the family. The Duke OF AR
GYLL is SAID 10 have once described the
modern house as built upon q large gas
holder Of foul air as the chief foundation,
and the inmates as completely at the mercy
Of the secret foe that was always lurking
there. Our New York contemporary well
says that what renders the position of the
garrison still more dangerous is the fact
that the sappers and miners who are sum-
moned TO its aid are constantly facilitating
the approach OF that most insidlous OF all
foes, sewer gas, by ignorant and careless
plumbing.
We quote the Tribune as follows:
bad plumbing. defective drainage, and
dirt-these are the chief causes OF this ma
hgnant disease and it can be stamped out
precisely as cholera can be fought and con-
quered. There Is scarcely an intelligent
ply stefan who will Join issue with DIR.
Taylor on this question. DiphtherIa is
the natural oucome OF sewer gas in New
York. Just as cholera Is the product OF
filth and stenches in Cairo, Naples, Mar
settles, or Paris. Americans were quick to
recognize the cause Of the plague In France
or Italy. They said that Marseilles and
Naples were the dirtiest OF Mediterranean
cities, and that all the conditions were
favorable for the rapid spreading and de-
velopment OF the germs OF pestilcnce. They
are more deliberate in accepting fact that
l. equally plain namely, that in New York
and other American cities the conditions
for the prevalence Of diphtberia and other
notwithstanding contagious are in like man.
per favorable.
at Is the careless and ignorant plumber,
OF anu uDustuOiuti,
who opens the way for diphtheria. DR..
Taylor tells Of Harlem physician who has
lost six children In one week on account OF
d fective sewerage; and he also describesa
row Of tenements on the East Side where
the disease has passed from house TO house
and floor to floor, one season after another,
and where 1t has been completely stamped
out by tearing out the old plumbing andre.
noyating the cellars. Another inspector,
testifying before the Tenement-H Com.
mission. states that he alone has given 1870
notices for violations of the plumbing laws
in about 5000 houses; that there is great
ignorance among the plumbers, and that
sickness and death are frequently caused
by their handiwork; and that the job OF
altering the plumbing in old houses Is so
expensive that many landlords cannot
afford to undertake il and thereby to rem
der the tenements safe habitations. The
assertions of these two inspectors I'm sin-
gle issue OF the Tribune could be support
ed by great body of cumulative evidence
showing that bad plumbing is the common
est cause Of diphtheria and similar dis
cases."