Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-02-07

| than thew were with us. Even in 1868,
when the mortality here was but IL in
LOCO, as compared with So in 1S49, it
was still ever five times that of Lon
don, and over one hundred times that
of Glasgow where without greatly nit
igating the other conditions Of life,
they had taken the %precaution to purify
their drinking water. Even u own
cities OF New York and Brooklyn,
lying at the very gateway by which
cholera was let in upon us, suffered in
| 1866 to the extent of only one and
four-tenths and one and fve-tenths per
100 respectively, or less than one
tenth Of the mortality in st. Louis.
But when we learn that the number Of
wells per 1000 of population is 100
times as great here as in Brooklyn, and
further that they had the wisdom to
close many of their wells, whilst we
burnt tar barrels in the streets and left
| all of our wells open, only wonder
is that the difference in the two death
rates was not greater than it actually
was. = .
ITO the question, then, with which
we set out, we must return an answer
most decidedly in the negative. st.
Louis is not prepared for a visitation
of the Asiatic cholera; or, rather, we
are prepared for it in the same II
that a city built wholly of wood is pre-
pared for an outbreak of fire. 1t is,
indeed, doubtful whether our condi-
ton to receive cholera is any better
than it was in 1866. True, we have
many more miles of water-pipe and of
sewers, but we have also more CESS
pools and more wells. With very are
exceptions, wells that were open then
are open now, and many new ones
have been sunk. Mere than this, the
crowding of the population in the poor
er quarters of the city is no doubt
greater now than it was then. So that
if the cholera were to come now, its
old feeding grounds in Kerry Patch
and Frenchtown would, in all probable
ity, yield as rich a harvest a they did
in 1866.
PRACTICAL MEASURES.
''The practical conclusions from all
this are very obvious. A few Of the
more important may be stated, thus:
"1 Within the district supplied with
water pipe, all wells should be at once
and forever closed by filling them up.
Aside from the special invitation which
ed CITY are always unsafe. They are
the main sources of typhoid fever,
d%ysentery, and other diseases, and are
a standing II to the public health.
In this conclusion all authorities agree.
The recent conference of state boards
of health at Washington, in their
recommendations to cities of steps to
be taken in anticipation of cholera,
whose coming they consider almost
certain, place first of all the absolute
closing Of all surface wells. And the
city of Brooklyn, under the lead of its
very sagacious commissioner of health,
las already gone so far in this direc-
ton that a recent report shows the
total number OF wells in the city to be
but 10S, of which all but sixteen have
been formally condemned.
"Outside of the water pipe district
the wells should be subjected to a most
rigid inspection, and all which are con-
taminated, or greatly exposed thereto,
should be closed, Oh the sources Of con-
tamination removed. So "
'2. Within the district provided with
sewers all privy-vaults should be abol-
ished and water closets substituted, or, |
where this cannot be done, they should
be so reconstructed as to make the ac-
emulation or retention of fecal matter
impossible. Where the sewers are not
accessible nothing should be allowed
but earth closets, or shallow vaults so
constructed as to be water tight, and
rigidly guarded from any outside drain
age.
''In carrying out the foregoing policy
special attention should be directed to
those parts of the city where cholera
has chiefly prevailed in times past. In
these no water under any pretext
should be tolerated but that from the
city waterworks. and it might be we'll
in such districts to introduce a limited |
number of free public hydrants. In
time of cholera it would certainly be
cheaper to give the people water for
nothing than to let them drink from
wells. There should also be q thorough
cleaning up in such places Of all ac-
filth and the premises should
be SO reconstructed and pOliced as to
make such accumulations hereafter i'm
possible. All this will, of course, re-
quiIe much work, which should be be-
gun at once. Not very much can be
accomplished, however, without addl-
legislation, which shall make The
methods Of procedure against we'll and
cess pools more summary than they
are at present. And to this end there is
needed, more than anything else, the
of a widespread public sen
timent, which shall not only demand
the passage of the necessary ordi-
nances, but after their passage shall
support the authorities in carrying
them into effect. For we may rest as
sured that those interested in the con-
tinuance Of the present order of things,
whether from pecuniary motives or
s imply from habit, will fight hard
against any change. The customs of a
lifetime are not easily changed, and
no matter how the law may read, its
officers will be powerless unless they
are sustained by public sentiment. To-
ward the formation and diffusion of
such a sentiment in behalf OF the meas |
just indicated, the action of this
club and of all intelligent men should
be now specially directed. For, ifI
these measures can be carried ont,
will be shorn of its terrors and
st. Louis can look forward to its COM
ing with as much equanimity as any |
city in the world"
A N = - |