Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-05

With the view of putting our
city into as healthy a condition as
possible, so as to be prepared for
! the cholera or any other contagious
or epidemic disease, should any
reach us, the Board of Health offer
the following:
WHAT THE HOUSEHOLDER SHOULD Do
| This is by far the most important part of the
work of defense from disease, the part. in fact
without which all else in most cases prove futile.
indoors, the cellars should first be looked after
all decaytng and terminating vegetables should
be removed therefrom with all Accommodations OF
rubbish of every kiud, and the whole should
be destroyed by burning or removed to the COM
post heap to be carted away. The cellar walls
should be whitewashed with fresh lime, and
every possible facility should be given for
the free entrance of fresh air and sunshine. II
it be not thoroughly dry and free from odors, the
draining must be carefully looked after and cor
rected, until dryness and purity of air is secured
The cellar is too often left damp. dark, and the
receptacle of many things that favor disease IN
the household because of mere thoughtless-
ness 1t is known that milk and many other arti-
Giles of food absorb odors and the germs of dis
ease very readily, and in this way the decaying
contents of the cellar may find entrance into
! the system of the jewellers in the house above.
The wood shed and all storage rooms extneed
| attention, and the same careful removal OF all
unhealthful rubbish that has been practlced IN
the case of the cellar is to be observed here also
! If in the house there are any rooms that are
, dark and damp let them be especially looked
! to. There are no purifiers or disintectans that
can take the place of fresh air and sunlight, and
no room from which they are excluded can be
healthful. Out of doors no less care should be
taken of the back yard than is taken of the front
yard; both should be made and KEPT CLEAN.
All accumulation of rubbish. filth, or refuse
should be removed from the premises wholly
and burned, or SO disposed of that no harm to
the neighbors can result therefrom,
The condition OF the drains should be exam
ined; care should be taken to see that they are
unrestricted, and that they are ventilated by
free opening into them OUTSIDE THE HOUSE.
pools should not be tolerated at ALL If it be
possible to avoid their use If they are absolute
" necessary, they should be SO constructed as to
be water tight SO that leakage into the surround
ing soil, and later, into the well, may be pre-
vented They should be often disinfected dur
ing the hot months. The contents of the privy
vault should be disinfected and removed, and
the vault should again be disineected after
cleansing. All other out buildings, such as
barns, stables, pig pens, COW sheds and the like,
need of course such careful attention to eleanli-
49, tn iUhf
and smell; fresh lime whitewasn should be
freely applied; the refuse should be so disposed
of daily as to create no offense.
But all these things being done, there yet re-
mains one other matter to be looked after with
most anxious care-the channel through which
it is believed that disease germs most Frequently
gain entrance to the system, and the unsuspeet-
ed source of many cases of sickness-the water
supply. In by lar the greater majority OF cases
the well is the reliance of the people of Nlscon-
sim and the condition that exists in most villages
and cities having no water supply is truthfully
described as follows: In the small area of the
hack ward there are three holes in the ground,
one for a cess pool, one for the privy-vault and
one for the we'll" Each of these drains the
ground for a certain distance around it, the area
of drainage differing in different soils ana with
the depth of the excavation. The well. pelhg
the deepest of these excavations, too frequently
receives the drainage of both the others, ana II
is a serious mistake to believe that such drainage
is purified by its passage through the soil. In
fact, the presumption in regard to the water
from wells in all cities and villages is, that 1t Is
unfit for use and the circumstances of its being
bright, clear and palatable afford no evidence to
the contrary. During the prevalence of any form
of diarrhoeal disease, and especially if there be
anything like cholera in the country, no water
from any well should be used without being
previously boiled. Good disinfectants for prlyy
vaults, cesspools, drains etc., are CoPPERAs' one
pound and half dissolved in gallon of water
and CHLORIDE of lime. which may be used IN
the form of dry powder by sprinkling, or by dis
solving one pound in four gallons of water. A
little of one of these should be used every day,
sufficient to keep down all bad orders.