Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-07-31
PUBLIC SANITATION.
AN IMPORTANT MEETING-SOME
STARTLING STATEMENTS.
The Need for Vigorous Action-Cess
pools-Drainage- Slough
Contemplated Action.

At O'Clock last evening, in accordance with
invitations sent out by the Citizens Association.
large number OF citizens assembled at Eldred
| Hail to discuss sanitary measures. Among those
present were members of the Board ofCity Trus-
| tees, Board of Health. Citizens Association.
Roard of Trade Police Judge, county and city
officials, members of the press, and many
prominent citizens.
| The meeting was called to order by Sparrow
Smith, President of the Citizens Association,
who also presided. He said the prevalence OF
cholera and yellow fever in various portions OF
the world, and the fear that our fair city might
be visited by one or both of those fatal scourges.
was an admonition that precautions should be
taken to prevent the same, and was sufficient
excuse for the calling of the meeting. He in
| troduced
DIR. W. r. CLCSESS
President of the Board of Health, who read the
1 following paper:
| Mr. President and Gentlemen: The object OF
| this meeting, stated, is the consideration OF
| means for self-protection. 1t is voluntary as
semblage of few of our citizens for the purpose
OF devising means for warding off disease.
The question naturally arises, what is there to
| guard against, and why?
We ali know that from the south we are liable
! at any moment to have brought into our midst q
| i
| infectious diseases which is known to us; and it
| is not doubted that those conditions which favor
its propagation exist in this city, as well as in
| several other populous centers of the Sacra-
| mento valley. Already Il case has been reported
| from Tucson, A. T., and although every possible
| precautiou is being taken to prevent the disease
from spreading and entering our State, yet 1t is
| an established fact that the disease under con-
sideration may reach US even without the sup
| posed necessary accompaniment of an infected
| individual. The clothing, bedding, or other
| baggage of an individual or family from an in
| fected region may carry the germs OF the dis
! ease, and if opened out or exposed in an atmos-
| phere favorable for their propagation, may be
| the means of starting the disease amongst us.
| The manifest duty therefore, of our citizens Is
| to make such preparation as will afford the least
possible opportunity for the spreading OF the
disease should it reach us, and that 1t Will do SO
ere long there is but little doubt, for it is now
| epidemic in Sonora, Mexico. 1t is therefore
| knocking at our doors, warning us of the dan
| ger that threatens US. Let us be up and doing.
| Let the saddening impress of the direful cpl
| demic of 1878 in our sister cities of the East
make manifest to all of us the importance of the
situation.
| Although, in the opinion OF the most compe-
| tent observers generally, it is not regarded
strictly as a filth disease, yet all recognize the
| fact that it is far more likely to become deve-
| oped, and reap its richest harvest where filthy
| or insanitary conditions exist The history and
spread of the disease in all countries in which it
has ever taken root attest this fact.
What has been said regarding yellow fever
applies with equal force TO that other disease
| cholera which threatens us from the East. In
| these days of rapid transit and speedy inter
| communication between the East and the West,
no country is safe from whatever contagious or
| infectious disease may exist in either
We are. therefore, in imminent danger from
| both Of those referred TO. and it becomes us to
| put our house in order and adopt such means
| for their prevention and restriction as expert
| ence and observation have taught us to be the
most efficient. That it is not necessary that an
injected individual should reach us to start this
| disease was well eXemplifed i'll the epidemic of
| cholera which spread devastation throughout
| portions of our country in 1873. 1t will, per-
haps, be recollected that in that year three dis
| tinct outbreaks of cholera took place almost
| simultaneously in as many different and widely
separated sections of the United States. Immi-
grants from Holland Sweden and Russia had
continued to enjoy good health upon their
voyage across the Atlantic, and until their per-
sonal effects were unpacked at Carthage, o.,
Crow River, Mimi, and at Yankton, d. r., re-
spectively. Within sc hours, however, after
their arrival at their destinations, the places
named, the germs of the disease having been
liberated by the unpacking of their personal
effects, the first cases of cholera were developed
and q large number of people were literally
swept from the face of the earth While. there
fore, it may be admitted that individual
affected with cholera may be able 10 reach our
Atlantic coast, much less our own state, there
is, nevertheless, at all times during the preva-
lence of this disease in Europe, great danger of
its importation by means of the personal effects,
bedding trunks and other luggage of tourists
and immigrants.
How best to treat the diseases under consider
alton, should they appear amongst US, does not
concern us at present, nor is it of especial i'm
portance to us to advocate the adoption OF spe-
cial means for their prevention from entering
| into our State, for these duties are being at
tended to by our General Government, and by
| those living nearest to their probable port OF
entry, to the extent OF their ability. But how
| best to mitigate their ravages, prevent their
| spread and render them as benign as possible,
| should they visit us, are questions which do
| concern us tonight. The time has come when
| the people should be informed of the dangers
| which threaten them, and of the sanitary
| means which should be adopted by them for
| their protection. There was one word used by
our daily papers recently which embraces all
| that is required, and which, if rigidly enforced
will accomplish the purpose, viz: cleanliness
| The adoption of proper means for the enforce.
| ment of cleanliness is your duty tonight. Iiv'
| ing as we are upon fiat surface, in a malarial
| region and in hot climate, there must of neces
| sity exist in our community many of those con
ditions which invite the diseases referred to-
| and tend to render them malignant should they
appear. The Board of Health, through its eff
| cient officer, Mr.. Ferrall, has been doing
all in its power, but it cannot do a 1.-THE
of that which is absolutely necessary
| to be done. l do not desire to be regarded as an
alarmist, for am fully conscious of the evil
effects and influences of fear upon people dur
| ing the prevalence of an epidemic, but ! do de
| sire that our people be advised of the dangers
| which threaten them, that they may be pre-
pared To be forearmed is to be forewarned
| in time of peace prapare for war, are axioms
| that apply with much force to us al present
| Let warming be taken form the direful fate which
befell poor Memphis few years ago. A few
| thousand dollars expended nOto will save us
many hundreds of thousands together with
that which is of intellectually more value. many
| human lives in the near future. That granG
| exponent and guide of public opinion, the press
| is with US, and has been doing good work in en-
| deaVOring to arouse the public mind to the
necessity of immediate and radical reform il
| sanitary measures The public am sure art
| ready to take action, but they must have
leader and it is your duty to furnish one.
But let me be practical and say what in my
opinion, is necessary TO be done: others are
| waiting TO have their say in the matter:
First-Let our sewage be pumped into the Sac
ramento river as soon as practicable, and let the
pestilence ditch, which now carries
it slowly away, be blotted out of existence
SecOnd-Lct our City Fathers purchase at once
| q sufficient number of odorless eXcavators with
| which to remove the contents of each and every
| cesspool. privy and other ilth-contaning re
ceptacle within the city limits in the shortcs
possible time. Not one should be passed by
| Immediately after being emptied the side.
and surfaces of each and every such
filth receptacle should be well washed with
| a solution of sulphate OF iron (copperas), using
about six pounds to the gallon Of water. Al
ounce of commercial sulphuric acid added t.
each bucketful of this solution will materially
| assist in destroying the germs, especially those
| of cholera. All low, damp places should bt
| filled with earth or sand, or where this is i'm
practicable liberal supply of the disiniectan
| referred to should be Systematically strewn Owe
the surface at stated intervals All sewers
house-drains and cellars should be treated il
the same manner. All stables, barns. alleys anC
streets should be thoroughly cleansed and KEEP
| as dry as possible.
Third-0ne or more thoroughly competent
| plumbers should be appointed, whose duty i
| shall be to make personal inspection of eacf
| and every piece of plumbing within the city
limits, with full power 10 enforce the correction
of all defects. or. if need be- the complete re
construction of the whole system in any house
or premises. This is regarded being of tn,
utmost importance, for II is fact that there are
| many houses in this city, as well ms elsewhere
in which it were far better that no plumbing
whatever existed. In fact, it would seem i
in many instances the plumbing was constructed
for the special purpose of conveying foul gases
and the products of decomposition generally
into the bedrooms and living apartments of the
dwellings. Let such officer be appointed
and the report will more than astonisf
all Of you. An incompetent person for this pc
cied security where none exists. The work
must be done Systematically and thoroughly
Many other suggestions might be offered bu
regarding these as being the most important
the key 10 the whole situation, they were Offered
for your consideration. One thing is certain
that epidemics of cholera and yellow fever cdi
be controlled by vigorous hpGienic measures. ant
that the true remedy fer both is prerentipe medi
cine. Applause.
WALTER B. FERRALL, HEALTH OFFICER.
Addressed the meeting, relating the trials ant
tribulations of the Health Officer He recounteC
the work he had accomplished during the tint
ably assisted by the press the Board of Trus
| fnas and tho R0ord Of Health He said N.