The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-07-28
DANGERS OF STREET SpRINKLING.
DR.. J. W. Compton Says the Moisture from
Sprinkling Propagates Disease Germs.

'Sprnkling the streets is certainly very popu-
lar" says DR. J. W. Compton, the ex-presdent
of the Indiana State Board of Health land in
its immediate effects very pleasant Older peo-
pie appear to take delight in holding the hose by
the hour and directing stream of water upon
every dry spot that appears in reach, and chill
dren clamor for the privilege of handling the
hose and squirting water until their childish
fancies for the sport are thoroughly satisfied,
gardess of the abuses to which their reckless use
of the water privilege may lead Some of these
abuses may be enumerated as follows: First,
the dsagreeable wetting of the street crossings,
by which pedestrians are compelled to walk
through mud in dry weather. Second, the ap-
pieaton OF inordinate quantities of water, by
which the street surface is rendered muddy; II
the surface be uneven and the drainage defective,
pools of dirty water will be found to make travel
unpleasant.
These abuses are also Justly chargeable to the
sprinkling wagons. especially that OF "ettihg
the street crosSings-they are abuses causing
inconvenience and discomfort Besides these.
there is a real danger attending the sprlnklng
Of streets door and side yards during the heat
of summer months and the dry weather, often
protracted at this season OF the year. Disease
germs which may have found Judgment in
the streets and around dwellings, in the dry
state are lfeess and may be blown away as
dust and carried to a safe distance from human
habtatlons. Another fact IN this connection is
worthy of consideration. In this dry state dis
ease germs are dormant lifeless and harmless,
incapable of multiplying themselves by propasa
ton, and may be so lnconslderable IN numbers
as to render them incapable of causing morbid
changes sufficient to create serious disease,
should they accidentally come in contact with
human being.
Heat and moisture are conditions indispensa-
bic to their activity and life, and Indispensable
to their propagation and rapid multiplication
sprinkling the heated surface OF the earth, daily
or oftener. furnishes the two conditions, heat
and moisture, when the disease germs are
warmed first into life, then motion, then activity,
when their almost unlimited powers of repro
duction have the most favorable conditions of
multiplying themselves into quantities sufficient
TO create disease. Add to this the burning heat
of a summers sum- and you have an artificial
hot house, with capacity for the reproduction and
unlimited multiplication of germs in quantities
most alarming, in quantities sufficient TO cause
an epidemic.
DIR Smith and others who have had oppor-
tunities to observe and make study of yellow
fever germs, agree that germs of this disease
propagate and spread from centers along sur
faces equally in all directions from given focl, as
often against air currents as with them, and, II
not transported by persons or fomltes along
streets and other lines of travel, the march OF
these germs by natural propagation and spread
is exceedingly slow, never exceeding eighty or
one hundred feet in twenty four hours. Should
they have many centers to spread from they
soon extend over a city. Iwould not interdict
the intelligent and iudicous sprnkling of streets
and dooryards, when the same may be done
without the danger of propagating disease germs.
The danger which / would have the people
more particularly guard against is that of
making the streets and premises around dwell
ings artificial hot beds for the propagation and
development of disease germs during the preva-
lence of an epidemic of cholera and other
infectious diseases.
'In cities permitting watertroughs to be
established at the various saloons, regardless of
the distance to the nearest sewer inlet, and also
regardless of the slight fall in the grade of street
cutters, there is great danger to be apprehended
from the overflow being INSTRUCTED in its passage
along the cutters and becoming filthy, green
line of stagnant water throughout its entire
' length where offensive impurities and the germs
OF disease may be- inhaled by every passer-by
who has to travel along streets cursed with the
nuisance above mentioned. | am aware that
reforms of this kind cannot be speedily realized,
but must come after much thought experience
and education on the subject. The popularity of
the immediate pleasant effect of the application
Of the water the additions to the revenues of
the water works derived from this source, and
the profits of the plumbers, have all to be over
come. If we convince the people that their
health and their lives are being endangered, that
they are furnishing the moisture where the heat
is already supplied, and that these are the
elements in which disease germs most
rapidly multiplied they will abstain from volun-
tarily creating indus for the cultivation of
disease germs"