New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-12-12
DJpUTUERJA AND PLUMBING.

The names of diseases seem TO nave some
fines the magical properties of conJnring words
An outbreak of cholera in this city would create
terrible panic the announcement oil Il Single
death from yellow fever at New-Orleans womb
cause widespread apprehension ana smallpox
has not lost its traditional tcrrors, although the
disease has been cilcctually stamped out III the
large centres of population. The pubic mas
morbid dread of these and other diseases wlirii
NAV be named but singularly enough, 1t Is
Indifferent to some contagious diseases, which
from the beginning to the end of the year may
he constant in their ravagcs. malignant in type
and alarming from their increasing prevalence.
Take. for example. last weeks exhibit OF d'pli-
liberia in this city. There were seventy five
cases and forty three deaths; ana II the RECORD
were followed closely it would be asccrtaihcu
that for many months more than one-half OF
the steadily increasing number OF cases nave
proved fatal There is no other contagious
disease that equals it in malgnancy. and GER
to,nly not one that is equally dreaded by
intelligent physicians. Yet terrible as are ITS
r,voc.s. and msidious and sudden as are its
opproachcs. it creates no panic, and, indeed
attracts comparatively little attention.
Another singular fact connected with diph-
rhcria is the concurrent testimony ct sanitary
cxprlts and ply slclans respecting the common
est causes. DIR. James b. Taylor, chief inspector
of thc fourth sanitary division was quoted IN
Yesterdays TRIBuNE ~ saying: Experience
abas taught us that, like cholera, diphthcrla II
abrcl and fostered by filth Of all kinds, partc-
"ularly by sewer gas where there is bad plumb
ing. Its track lies through the badly con
4 Il.,fa al lN.tt,. Al ms
wherever they are found Proper sanitary
precautions ward it oil ms much rs they do
cholera" Bad plumbing, defective drainage
and ,lirt-these are the chief causes 81 TINS
malignant disease; and it can he stamped ont
urccisrly ~ clolcra can bc fought ami con
nurrct There il scarcely an intelligent phys-
elan who will Join issue with Dr. Taylor on this
unrstiun. Diphihrrin is the natural outcome oi
srvr, gas IN New York iust Ms cholera Is ~"
product If filth and stcnchcs In Cairo, Naples,
Mnispillrs nt Paris. Americans were quick 10
trrUgni9r the rnuar " the plague IN France or
linlN The, 9,i that MnisrillnR nhd Naples
Wpln The dillinsi oi Mediterranean cities, hhd
that al the cunilii,na Wci, favorable tut the
,apii arfnnimg hni dutulnrnrni al the germs ~
pestionee, lho, ale miit deliberate ~ accept
ing tact ilai T. equally PLAIN namely lhai
ia New Nolh aud either American cillcs the
conditions ioi che preN tiencr al dlphihciia ani
other blood -puisuniug cont si0na aio ~ like
manner tnXurIhlc.
A /, the curGlcs, and ignorant plnmbcr or the
negligent and crrdulois nous nholdor, VIII" opens
lhe way for diphthcra. Dr. Taylor tells OF
u Harlem ply stefan who has lost six children
in one wcei on a0oom, Of defective sewerage;
Il. of teu * a
East side where the disease has passed from
house to houso and iloor to floor, one season
after another. and where i. has been completely
stamped ont by tearing ont the old plumbing
and reuoyat,ng the collars. Another inspector,
tcstifying before The Tenement House Com
mission. states that he alone has given l,3IO
notices for violations Of the plumbing laws in
about 3, 900 houses that there Is great igno-
rance among plumbers, and that sickness and
death arc frequently caused by theu handi-
work and that tho job OF altering the plumb
inc in old houses j. expensive that many
landlords cannot afford to undertake 1t and
thereby 10 render the tcncmonts safe habta-
tons. The assertions Of these two inspectors
in single Issue Of TIE TRIBUNE could be
supported bv great body of cumulative cvi-'
dcncc showing that bad plumbing is the COM
MONIES; cause of dphthera and similar diseases.
The Duke of Argyll once described the
modern house as built upon 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. What
renders the position of the garrison still more
dangerous is the fact that the sappcrs and
miners who are summoned to its aid are
constantly facilitating the approach Of that
most insdious of all foes, sewer gas, by gno-
rant and careless plumbing
DONT talk NONSENSE, SENATOR.