Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-19

| ease and ordcrcu tue CITY 70 oe tbViVuo"t
cleaned up In the middle OF summer. The
late DIR. HoUsroS, o. tins city. who was
at the time we speak OF practicing
physician In Wheeling, published here
when the cholera was last in this city the
| result OF the disastrous experiment, 50 far
AS one locsiIty in Wheeling was concerned.
The cleaning up effected good results as .
general thing, no doubt; but in one place,
fostering moss OF matter was uncovered,
and there followed an immediate outbreak
OF cholera all around the spot.
This fact was recalled 10 our mind by
reading what SIR RoBEET RAwLISsoN, an
expert, has said upon this subject OF clean
ing up cities IN the sumner season. Read (;
"Ueops of foul refuse may be covered
| ottr min Qrickiime II near human dne1-
| jn1s-as 10 STIR UP such refuse 10 Tsm0re
| II ,indcr a blazing sun loil only be Hl:e
poking up a sIambsrine set Of iVtdmma5ls
| cCnbaSti6ieS."
HENRY WARD BEECHER once said when
asked whether he believed in allopathy.
homeopathy. hydropathy, physiopathy,
or some other "pathy," replied that he did
| not believe in any 'patby" but in Doctor
| So-and-So. We commend BEEcHEE's eX-
ample TO universal imitation. Let us not
have any theories OF our own. but let US
consult the experts. One prescription that
| las gone the rounds Of the press is said by
distinguished physician to be a prescrip-
ton which it would be dangerous TO fol-
| low. Thank Heaven, we have no sIns OF that
sort 10 answer for. Let us all consult ex.
pcrts. Let US listen to the doctors. Where
can you find better authority than Sir
Robert RAwLISsON, an expert who lived
through the prevalence OF cholera in Eng
LAND IN 1882, 40. 'j3, and SO, and in the
! Crimea in 1855. Here is what he says:
How TO PREVENT CHOLERA. Il have lived
| through the prevalence Of choera in Eng
land in the years 1892, 1919, 1865. 1866, and
| in the Crimca, 1855. Having visited the
| officially inSpectcd seats OF cholera at home
and abroad. having also read up the litera-
| ture OF cholera and considered some OF the
| theories advanced as to The cause Of the dis
| ease, wish at The outset TO say that have
no theory Of my own, and | fall 10 recOg-
nize in any theory sufficient fact 10 induce
me 10 believe in speculation not based on
| establishtd principles. Many OF the rc3uted
causes OF cholera are ever present N crowd.
ed cities, towns, and yillageS-.uch rs pol
luted subsoils, polluted water, putrid or
semi.putrid meat, stale fish, unripc fruit,
and intoxicating drinks; there are also
foul cesspools, filthy and overcrOwdedtcne
ments. and unspeakably dirty peoplc-but
no cholera.
When cholera RACES as an epidemic it is
in sense arbitrary in only covering areas
capable Of being defined. and not spread
ing broadcast over continents. II, how
ever, strikes crowded seapOrts and travels
along lines Of greatest human intercourse;
low sites seem TO favor it, but elevation
does not exclude il, as both yellOw-iever
and cholera have prevailed occasionally mt
elevations up to 1000 feet. Stratiflcation
is not answcrable for cholera, as, II there
are human beings living in sufficient NUM-
beTS on granite, cholera may rage with rs
great yirulence as on the tertiarieS. The
first and prime element in a cholera cpl
dcmic is necessarily human life, which
10 generate the disease in its great
est intensity must be massed on swanpy
or low, undrained sites, having been long
occupied, increasingly fouled and densely
crowded. Seaports, and the banks OF
rivers, may thus be said to breed cholera,
but sewer and drain these sites, remove foul
privies and ce,spools, regulate the tene-
ments, and al short intervals cleanse, VEN
tllate, and limewash the slums. and cholers,
il introduced, will not spread. Since the
year 1S4S, the date Of the first public health
act, very many millions sterling have been
.aiu Uarip "a
draining, on establishing water-works and
on street improvements. have had some
thing TO do with this movement and must
plead guilty to some Of this expenditure.
/ have no reason to repudite this class
Of works, but | do wish 10 exat some
thing much simpler and cheaper-name-
ly, systematic and thorough scayeng-
ing, as, unless this is established and
attended TO-, the sanitary engineers
will to considerable extent have
worked in vain. The engineers must so
sewer as to ensble the entire abolition OF
cesspools and deposits TO take place; to
bring in an abundant and pure supply Of
water, TO be at constant service. and be
taken, by service pipe and tap, within the
walls OF every occupied house and single
room tenement. This, and this only, de-
serves the name OF 4 modern domestic wa
ter-supply. There must also be closet nc
commodat0n and drain to remove soil and
waste water. Do all this to the greatest
perfection, and then establish and MAINTAIN
unceasing scaVenging, as on the full and
proper execution OF understanding will
depend the browning results OF modern
sanitary measures. There must be no
backmail leyyiDg by dust carts, nor sulk-
ing neglect il their tribute is not freely
paid. There must be a waterman brigade,
every waterman being specially fitted to
flush sewers and drains Us required. The
absolute and sole control OF the waler-works
should be in the hands Of the municipality,
so that water at prime cost may be used
without stint for all sanitary purposes,
~ by hose and jet TO cleanse courts.
yards and passages, payementS and
footwalkS-equal TO that effected now
and then by a thunder howef-this will be
the ultimate aim Of sc1vcDging. Al that
water can remove must BIZ washed away;
all matter liable TO become putrid must be
consumed by fire. There must De 10 longer
huge heaps Of refuse stored and sorted TO
enable portions 10 be sold as manure, every |
pound sterling obtained for such manure
hdCiilg cost tlco pounds sterling or Up,oariS |
70 bring il TO any available market. Ia |
Liverpool, Dublin, and some other seaport |
towns this refuse either is or will be dis !
posed of by hOpper-barges into the sea; !
there can he no true economy in retaining |
refuse liable TO become offensive IN the |
midst OF populations waiting for a market. |
II these preceding remarks do not indi- |
cate in some degree what may be done to |
prevent spread Of cholera. the writer will |
have missed his mark and have written |
fooliSbly. In anticipation Of cholera on |
the shores OF Great Britain and ireland |
temporary shed-hospitals. rOomy and airy, |
may be erected IN opeD-tield spaces water |
tanks on wheeis-street WATERWAYS in |
iact-to take fresh water may be provided; |
heaps Of foul refuse may be covered OUer |
ariM QliictLime II near human dtoeLljngS. as |
to stir up such fuse, 10 renlOUe ii under q |
blazing sun uiA only 6e like pOIcing up
Siunterirg set Of infammd6te cODbuS-
h6ieS. Cleanse and wash crowded |
courts and alleys; cleanse, ventllate, |
and lime-wash by force il necessary |
all crowded tenements establish house
toulouse inspection, insist on instant re-
mOval OF the sick 10 hospitals, compel
burial of the dead at short intervals and
clothing and bedding. II there
are no means for public washing and dis
let such be established, as porta-
bic disinfecting apparatus is an easy thing
10 purchase. This work should be done
and gratuitously for the poor,
when they will aid the local authorities.
Let the poor be spoken TO by ministers OF