St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-21
SOME MORE HEALTH SUGGESTIONS.

SOME MORE HEALTH SUGGESTIONS.
The suggestions made by the GLOBE some
days ago, calling the attention of the city
authorities to the necessity of providing sani-
tary precautions to protect our city against
an invasion of cholera, have been approved
by the people of the city as timely and
proper, and we are glad to see that the
authorities have been equally prompt in TAX
ing the matter under consideration. In this
mornings GLOBE are published the opinions
of the city health officer and Prof. WE'LL
BRIGHT, which indicate that cholera is not
the only danger that we have to provide
against. st. Paul is no longer village, nor
is it simply town, but, hard as it may be
for some of our people to realize it. the trad
ing village of few years ago has grown into
great city with dense population, increas-
ing each year by the thousands. The print
tive conditions which applied to the village
are not suited to the requirements of the
city. Among the institutions of our village
history which still remain, here and there,
are the wells which once afforded the only
supply of water to the population.
We have outgrown that institution
and while the old settler is 10th to give up the
dear old well around which cluster so many
pleasant memories and from whose depths he
has so often drawn the sparkling water to
cool the fever of his thirst, still the require
ments of a great city relentlessly demand
that the old landmark, or rather water mark,
of our primitive days shall be removed.
The first great essential of city is good
health. The facts detailed by DR.. HoYT and
Prof. WEILBRECHT 60 to show that wells are
the most prolific source of disease that exists
in our midst. The startling announcement
that 90 per cent. of the deaths resulting
from diphtheria are in families who use well
water is of itself sufficient argument in favor
OF abandoning these disease breeders. Diph-
liberia and typhoid fever are the two most
fatal scourges that can afflict a community
and wherever they appear in epidemic form
they are almost always traced to some local
cause and that cause is impure water. With
all these facts staring us in the face there
ought to be no hesitation on the part of the
authorities in promptly removing every cause
which menaces the health Of our city.
If necessary let every well in the city be
filled up. But it seems that wells are not the
only sources of danger. Prof. WEILBRECHT's
experiments show that the Phalen water is
becoming more impure each year. His sug-
gestion that the city should own the land
around the sources of its water supply, and
thus be in condition to keep out impurities,
is worthy the attention of our city rulers.
These are matters in which all the citizens Of
the city feel an interest. Their health, COM
fort and safety depend upon prompt and
vigorous action by the authorities, and they
have right to command the attention of the
health department to this important matter.
AS the process of publication has been be-
gun, let the good work go on until there is
no single nuisance or Judgment for disease
germs left within the limits of the city. Let
there be a general disnfecting and cleansing
of wells, stables, sewers, sinks, cess pools,
dirty streets, alleys, lanes, marshy lots and
foul hove Is. The danger is grave enough to
require the health department to take the
proper steps to avert it by putting the city in
the very best sanitary condition. And low
is the time to do it.