Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-14
Cholera How To Fight IL Success.
fuIIV


State Board OF Health, the secretary,
Dr. j. T. Reeve presented paper on
the best and safest methods to b: en-
ployed in fighting cholera. TBe paper
first urges the utmost cleanliness in
all parts Of the house and surround
Ings, and adds:
q There yetremainS one other matter to be looked
after with most anxious care-the channel
through which it is believed that disease germ
most frequently gain entrance to the system, and
the unsupported source Of many cases OF sick
nesS,-the water supply. In by far the greater
majority Of cases the well is the reliance OF the
people of Wisconsin, and the condition that exists
in most villages and cities having no water sup
ply is truUhfully described as follows; In the
small area of the back yard there are three holes
in the ground, one for a ceSs-pool, one tor the
priYy vault and one for the WE'LL" Each or THESE
drains the ground for certain distance around IL,
the area OF drainage differing in different soils
and with the depth of the excavation. The well
being the deepest Of these excavations too fire.
quently receives the drainage of both the others
and it is serious mistake to believe that SUCH
drainage is purified by it's passage through the
soil. It may be freed from suspended matters
and thus rendered clear to the eye, but chemical
tests and disease resulting from its use, show
that the water into which it has found its way is
unsafe and dangerous. In fact the presumption
in regard to the water from wells in all cities
and villages is that it is unfit for use; and the cir
Cumstances of its being bright, clear and palat-
able afford no evidence to the contrary. During
the prevalence of any form of diarrhoel disease
and especially if there be anything like cholera in
the country, water from any well ShoHld be
used without being previously boiled Boiled
water is nspd to the taste, it is true, but it may
easily be rendered palatabe by the, addition Of
some acid or by being made into weak tea.
Finally, the private citizen, having thus cared
for his own premises, putting and keeping them
in conditions OF most ScrupulouS cleanliness, mas
only to insist that his neighbOr shall exercise
similar precautions, and to encourage and assist
the health authorities both local and general, in
the performance of the work committed to their
charge, in order to bring about the results Of
such work, which will be immunity from much
unnecessary sickness of all kinds, diminished
death-rate, and feeling of security that though
cholera or other disease may be brought to the
community wherein such work is done, it can (if
that work be supplemented by careful attention
to personal cIeanness) find no fitting soil for de-
velopment, and that hence its visitation will be
light and its duration brief.
WHAT LOCAL HEALTH BOARDS SHOULD DO.
The law specifically requires the organization
ofsuch board in every town, village and city OF
the state To this rule there are no exceptions,
and every board organized is required to appoint
health officer within ten days from the time Of
organization and to report his name and address
to the State Board of Health Immediately, thus
forming q medium of communication between
the state and local boards.
The law directs that whom practicable, the
health officer shall be a physician. but wisely
leaves it possible TO appoint some other person
when q physician cannot be appointed. a recent
statute emphasizes the relation between the
state board and the local boards of health, and
requires the latter to cooperate with the former
boards is that of efficiency organizing local
board OF health, and reporting the organization
with the and address of the health officer to
the state board Of health if this has not already
been done.
The work of all local health boards should be
comprehensive, and at this time of apparent dan
ger, especially thorough Slaughter houses and
oil other business establishments that produce
offensive refuse, should be looked after with par
ticJliar care; all stagnant ponds of water should
be drained if possible and filled up; defects in
public sewerage should be corrected, streets and
alleys and public thoroughfares should be
thoroughly cleaned, and comprehensive health
ordinances requiring the correction of all I'M
sanitary conditions on private premises should
health officer should be vested with ample powers
for these purposes, and in the exercise of these
powers he should be sustained not only by the
health board but by all good citizens.
DISTINCTION AND D1sINFEcTANTs
The term disinFection is used here rather in its
strict sense. For cleansing premises in the alb
Sence of any specific germs or disease the
of those germicides or true disinfectants which
would be recommended in the presence of such |
germs, is not necessary. To deodorize and suf- |
ficently to dsinfect priVy vaults, ceSspools |
drains and similar places as measure of cleanli
iron, OF chloride of lime las recommended by |
the committee disinfectants of the American |
public health association will be sufficient. The
copperas may be prepared for use by dssolVing /
and One-half pounds in a gallon OF water. |
The chloride of lime may be used either by /
Sprinkling the dry powder freely over any place |
or material which it is needful to disinfect or by
diSsolving one pound in four gallons of water. |
OF either solution, sufficient quantity to keep |
down all offensive odorS should be used daily or |
as often as occasion should require. Fresh lime |
should not be used. Should cholera or other viz /
ulent disease make its appearance, more power |
ful and Speclnc dlSlnfectantS VIII be required and
full directions for preparing such and for their |
safe and efficient use will be published in due sea-
son by this board
The duty of preparation whiGn devolves upon
local health boards, also devolgeS upon the off |
GERS and managers OF our state Institutions OF
every kind. Such officers should that a |
thorough examination of the buildings under |
their care is made, and that all unhealthfuI con-
ditions are removed. The water supply, the
sewerage, all matters relating to the disposition
of filth or refuse material of any kind should be
inspected with view to the removal of ali de-
fects and the maintenance of the highest and |
best sanitary conditions. The same duty is in |
cumbent on sheriffS and keepers OF JallS, upon !
the heads of reformatory institutions of every |
kind, to any one of which persons in the incipient
stages of diseases may be brought at any time
The power of these officers is ample and undoubt- |
ed for these purposes and there can be no reason
able excuse If, IN or about any Such institution |
there are at any time conditions which favor the |
developments of disease if it should unfortunate !
ly be brought to them.
The following experience as to the
cause Of stoves casing" is given by a |
correspondent Of the Journal: People |
who use coal stoves should exercise
care in preparing them for the night. |
Occasionally, when the atmosphere is
heavy, the stove does not draw well,
and the sudden shaking down of
large quantity of coal from the maya
zine results in the generation of more
gas than can escape by way of the
pipe, especially if the back hampers
are closed. In my stove (Which is an
excellent heater explosions from this
cause occur; the lid on top is partly
blown off and the gas escapes. and
were we sleeping all would be suffo-