The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-05-13
The Plymouth Lesson,

The Asia,ic cholera is expected In this country dur
Ing the comm. summer. II may not come: but IL
coming Is more than %lrubablc, and not only great cit
les, but inland towns and villages, should take reason
nble precautions against II.
The lesson Of Plymouth is specially Instructive n
this time. A terrible pestilcncc Ia raging there, Ant
the cholera would be likely to do in n large measure o
fatality, hid Plymouth escaped its present scourgc
1t Is there because Plymouth has invited 1t by neg
lrct Of all sanitary laws; and the fact that n fcarlu
epidemic nItIrars there at this srason of the year !
notice that many of our Villages are in readiness t.
invite cholera In there midst MS soon 1t shall appear VI
our shores.
The general hea,thfnlncss Of inland villages make.
their citizens entirely ~furgetful OF The common SENS.
sanitary laws which nre essential to individual hrallf
even in the most favoriblo SEASONS. 1t is not at al
Uncommon for whole Villages to drink from their cess
pools. their stables, their pig-pens and other source.
Of filth and their wells nc often not cleaned fol
years. Under the most cleanly surroundings every
well used fnr drinking and culinary purposes shoult
be opened and cleaned ut lcnst once q year, aud thos,
who would have the assurance OF pure water, vii
cleanse them every sIrlng and fall; but tho rule In
villages Is to allow foul drainage to reach their wells
and cleansing them Is not thought of unless tile waite
becomes 81 offensive that 1t can't be used.
In view of the fact that the advent Of the deadly
cholera is pro'able this yeur. every inland village
should at once begin the most thorough cleansing OF
the streets. alleys and oil reccrtaclcs OF filth. and
especially look to the purity Of their wells. II I'M.
crmented GERS. pools and wells are on the same lot, II
is Sulc To assume tnnt the wei VIII urnln the IUul
waters from the ccss.poul aud give the poison to peo-
pie In their drinking water. The only safety Is In
carefully cemented c~esspoos where they are within
range Of wells. and 1t would be wise " tie regulations
Of every borough compelled 1t. The cost would be
triting; the safety to health would be incalculalle.
These are the chief CAUSES which invite the cholera
and other epideinics and often cause fatal Illness In
f1m!ltics without becoming epidemic; but there are
many other minor causes which breed disease and
death IN village and rural homes. Dark, DAMP. foul
cellars and ponds Of stngnant waste water, which are
often seen In the country, and certain to poisson the
mir and Impair the heulth Of ull within range Of them
Every cellar should be clransed and whitcwaslied
every season. and aired freely every day; aud sting
nnnt waste. water should be drained AVA until 1t can
be absorbed By the earth.
In 1852 the cholera became epidemic In several vii.
lagos In Pennsylvania, notably Chambersburg and
Mifllntown, and 1t will certainly extend TO inland
centres of population again If it shall become elide-
mic In the cities OF the coast. TO avert Its coming, 1t
Is now a necessity for citizens of villages to do what
they should do all the time to protect their health
that is. cleanse and purity their houses, streets, alleys
and reccptacles Of filth, and take the utmost lrecau-
tion to assure purity Of water. The Plymouth lesson
Is specially impressive to the whole country ut this
time, md all who would be assured nf safety from
threatened epidemic, will accept the Ammunition and
confront disease with pure wutcI aud cleanly hoInes.-
phiIu3e}DhiH Times,