Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-03-19

1851 to urge upon the counties.
towns and villages OF our State the
great desirability of local Sanitary
Societies, auxiliary to the State Asso-
citation. We believe that such local
societies can do a grand work. il they
will avail themselves of the recorded
experience of Sanitary Science, in pre-
venting or amellorating numerous dis
eases, and 10 this way adding to the
sum of human health and happiness.
We respectfully beg space IN your pa
per to press on your readers the vital
interests involved in this new Gospel
Of Humanity.
Who should be willing to join and
to operate such society, and why?-
All clergymen should be active in such
cause, for they we'll know that physi-
cal and moral uncleanliness are insepa-
rable-that Cleanliness Is akin to
Goodness that the first steps on the
ladder of moral purity are clean faces,
clean bodies, clean clothes. clean food,
clean houses, and clean surroundings.
All teachers should give it help
ing hand. They are in daily coumuni-
cation with children of al classes and
orders of society. They know how
pleasant it Is to teach clean, bright,
healty children; how unpleasant and
offensive are unwashed, the dirty, the
squalid. They know that dirt breds
sickness, that contagion Is the inevita-
BILE result, that the efficiency of their
school is in this way sadly obstructed,
and that clearly traceable to disobedi-
ence of sanitary laws may rob them of
their best and most promising schol-
ars
Philanthropists should be eager to
spread abroad whatever tends to make
their fellow.men healthier, happier,
more efficient workers in their allotted
station in life; to mitigate the terrors
of disease and death; to advance their
communinty to higher plane of we'll
being and well-doing.
LAWYERS should interest themselves.
Not simply because they are citizens,
but because of their peculiar relation
to the making and the execution of the
laws of the State.
Their counsel and influence are
greatly needed to bring about proper
and heathful sanitary legislation and
to assist sanitary officers in the per-
formance of their duties.
Capitalists would be surprised to
learn what good investments have
been made in practical sanitary re-
forms. Sanitary lodging houses have
displaced disease breeding and burg
lar-sheltering slums, changing the
whole aspect of a neighborhood. and
have paid good interest on the in
vestment. Sewage farms have proved
profitable beyond any reasonable ex-
pectations. Abattoirs have quickly
superseded the old offensive slaugh-
terhouses with good profits to the own
ers. A wide experience, now on rec
ord, proves that capital invested in
sanitary improvements pays.
Business men should take an inter-
est in sanitary reforms and in spread.
ing a knowledge of sanitary laws.
They know what one epidemic may
cost them in the way of loss of bust
ness and stagnatlon of trade. Small
pox, clearly preventable disease, is
said to have cost Philadelphia in one
epidemic between ten and twenty mil
lions of dollars, in loss of business
In 1879 the report of single case
of yellow fever in the South caused q
shrlnkage in the provision market, in
the city of Chicago alone, of more
than a million dollars within twenty.
four hours. The present epidemic of
cholera has cost Southern Europe not
less than one hundred million dollars.
10 take an interest in sanitary reform
is therefore clear duty as a matter
of business.
1t is hardly necessary to add that
the humane, the philanthropic, the
christian physician should take special
interest in sanitary reforms. No other
class of citizens can so fully realize
the necessity. The medical profession
has ever been in advance in all matters
pertaining to the health Of the people
and we appeal to the profession to-day
in special confidence.
How shall such societies be organ
ized2 Upon reading this circular, let
some interested party once call a meet
ing Of all'those. who are known to be
in sympathy with this movement for
sanitary reform, writing specia! invi'
tations if necessary Organize q So
ciety with proper officers, and hold
regular meetings for the purpose Of
mutual instruction in every
thing pertaining to sanitary science.
Read selections on appropriate topics.
Exhibit pictures or diagrams illustra-
ting the truths set forth. Discuss the
best methods Of accomplishing any
given problem. Write plain practi-
cal essays to be read before the
Society and then, if considered
suitable, let them be published in the
papers. Let organized effort be
brought to bear on City Councils, on
Superintendent of Public Buildings
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