Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-06-26
IGNORANCE AND HYGIENE.
Some Reasons why Health AnsPec-
tors Should Now ssc Alert

Nature abhors filth, as we'll as vac
uum. In the famous law of "the survival
of the fittest' we have the exposition OF
the laws governing our existence. Ii
history teaches us any lessons, there are
none more pronounced than those which
are the result of ignorance and superstl-
ton. The Bible does not teach that man
should remain passive in the face of dan
ger and accept all scourges and calamities
as an evidence of his divine will, but, on
the contrary, it has taught that cleanli-
ness in mind and body is next to Godll-
ness, and absolutely essential to our
health and happiness. 1t is the peculiar
characteristic of every era to pronounce
itself the age of progress; but the student
of history smiles as he recalls the gran
deur of the past and compares it with the
struggling art and science of the present.
A cable special from London, of June
Goth, says:
"The people of Madrid are greatly agi-
| tated over the proposed visit of King AL
fonso to the cholera infected district of
Murcia, from which place even the author
ities-with the exception of a single project
have fled. While the authorities were
carrying out their precautionary measures,
mobs frequently gathered and attacked
them. The rioters are composed of the
lower classes, who are bitterly opposed to
all kinds of practical preventive measures
and rely on prayers to keep off the deadly
scourge. What can be expected of a people,
the lower classes of whom are brigands of
such religious fanaticism that they will
rob or murder with one hand while they fin
ger the beads of rosary with the otherW
That the authorities have fled is not
- Il.
have had the hardihood to remain is
much more singular. The people Of
civilized community do not expect the
authorities to make themselves very
prominent during the epidemic, but pre-
vl0us to At. When it is upon US the au-
thorlties will generally be found outside |
OF the injected region, while the physi- |
clans, the natural guardians of the public |
health, will be found diligently at work !
trying to combat the scourge, as we'll as
striving to correct conditions that should !
have been looked into previous to the
invasion of the epidemic. Unfortunately
these measures are delayed until the last
moment, when terror has been added to
the already existing dread, and thousands
succumb through the force of fear, re-
Elected to organs already weakened by
anxiety as well as mental and physical
strain. The reflex power of the mind, so
far as fear is concerned, is proportionate
to its resisting force. This may be re-
garded as an axiom, the truth of which
IS attested in conscious as well as uncon-
sclous cerebration.. When the will is
strong, external impressions are quickly
recognized and controlled by it's dominant
power; When it is weak, its fears are
quickly reflected to those organs which
have been watched with TIE greatest .
solicitude in the expectation of the devel-
opment OF some dreaded disease.
A Board of Health is not responsible !
Tor the Individual acts of, nor can it con-
troll the tendencies of those who are reck-
less as regards their habits, diet, medical
treatment, etc. Yet there are various
ways IN which it can protect them, not
50 much by advice as by healthy super :
VISION OF such matters as are clearly de-
lined IN their duties-Uigilance as to
cleanliness and the eradication of filth.
This can only be accomplished by strong
support from those who are interested in 7
.helr efforts. The authorities should =
give them power to select and appoint
suitable and competent assistants, who
VIII see that their regulations are en-
oIceu. a warning OF the approach of an
Epidemic is sufficient cause for the
'alarum" to be sounded. Every
louse and surroundings should be
examined by experts and
written report made on blanks-fur- L.
lIshed for this purpose-should be hand
q to the Chief Inspector Of each district,
Fho should endorse upon them whatever
recautlons he thinks it necessary to fol-
DIV, in relation to the cleaning of water
lnks, pipes, drains, cellars and closets. A
inch are especially liable to become foul
nd faint the drinking water and at
1osphere. The markets and small deal
RS In meats, fruits, fish, milk, etc., should
e under careful inspection. 1t is useless .
assert that any city is safe from an p
p!demic unless its inspectors are suf-
clent In number and fully reliable to
xamine into all of the above conditions.
well as many others that have not
cen enumerated.-Sa Francisco Alta
dIifOrni0. Ut