Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-01-28
THE NORTHWEST
DRAINAGE
As Sanitary Measure in Cities, Towns
and villages.
BY DIR. T. c. HUNTER.

BY DIR. Il. e. HUNTER.
Tread before the Indiana Tile and Drainage
Association, held at Indianapolis Decem-
Der 9 and 10, 1851
"Pure air, pure water, and pure soil" "
was the great hygienic formula given
by Hippocrates, the father of medicine,
as prime necessaries for the preserva-
ton of health. 1t is as true to-day as it
was 5000 years ago. Theoretically, air
Ia a mixture of 70 parts of nitrogen and
81 parts of oxygen. Practically, how
ever, this is never true, as there is al
WAYS present q small quantity of car
bonic acid, also ammonia and other
gases deleterious to health. 1t also al
Ways contains more or less of the vapor
of water. The great aerial sea that sur
rounds US is always in motion. and thus
thoroughly dilutes and mixes its dele
terious contents. Thus, with the con-
slant oxidizlng Of oxidizable matter in
the air, very much reduces the danger
from this source. 1t is mainly when
the air is confined and this diluting and
oxidizing process is prevented that the
danger from this source is very great.
Water, when it falls upon the earth,
is sufficiently pure for sanitary purpos-
es. 1t only becomes impure after COM
ing in contact with the impurities in
the ground. How shall we secure pure
air and pure water? This can be done
to a great extent by removing all i'm
purities that may be on or near the sur
face of the ground, and preventing any
further accumulations. A very efficient
method of securing pure soil is by
means of thorough system of under
ground drainage, which will remove all
surface and ground water to the depth
to which the drains are laid. All soils
that are not underlaid by deep bed of
gravel need undertaking both for
economical and sanitary reasons. This
will secure the entrance of air to the
soil and the consequent oxidation of
the decaying animal and vegetable mat
ter contained in the soil. The air
that enters the soil as far down as
the surface ofthe ground water is sell
dom consider ed from q sanitary stand
point. Like the air above, it is always
In motion, and as it comes in contact
with the impurities contained in the
soil, it becomes mixed with the dele
terious gases. This poisoned air enters
our cellars from the adjacent soil, and
thence rises into our dwellings. 1t is
necessary then, if we wish to have none
but pure air in our houses, that we
shall keep the soil pure, or prevent the
entrance of this foul air into our cellars.
All the filth which necessarily results
from the confining of animals in barns,
etc., should be thrown into water-tight
receptacles and carried away at short
intervals and deposited at safe dis
tance from human habitations. until it
is ready to be restored to the ground as
manure. If, in addition to this,
that relic ofignorance and barbarism,
the privy-vault, should be abolished
and the dry-earth system universally
adopted, we might reasonably hope
that in time the earth would become
purified, and that the air and water
that came out of it would not carry the
germs of deadly disease. 1t is supposed
that the ground disinfects and renders
harmless any filth that comes in con-
tact with it. This is true only to limi-
ted extent. The earth that surrounds
q cess-pool or privy-vault soon becomes
saturated and loses entirely its disin-
fecting properties. This saturated area
extends further and further each year
until it finally reaches the well whence
is drawn the supply of water for family
use. The "Germ theory" that now oc-
cupies the attention of the best thinkers
of the world, teaches that all Zymotic ol
filth diseases have their origin in min.
ute animalcul@ that have their birth
place in filth. If FIVE assume this theory
Is true, and it is at least very plausible
we cannot help but perceive the abso.
lutte necessity of keeping the earth free
from all this impurity, at least in the
vicinity of our homes and places ol
business. While every other lot in
which are confined one or more ami
mails, while pig-styes abound, and while
every lot contains one or more privy'
vaults and cess-pools, containing tons
of the most dangerous filth known tc
science, these deadly diseases will con
tinue to prevail.
When one of our loved ones is strick
en- down by one of these diseases let u.
not thypocri tically say in high-soundinl
phrase that: 'In the inscrutable wis
dom of an all wise, just and kind Prov
idence it was found necessary to re
move the dear departed one from ou
midst,n but rather charge it directly t.
our ignorance, imbecility and avarice
for as long as we are willing to eat
drink and breath filth, the Lord will
continue to take away our loved one
by avoidable diseases. 1t is His meth
cd of teaching us the necessity of keep
ing clean. Experience is said to be
dear school, yet it is said that fools will
learn in no other. From all appear
ances there will be necessity for tn
school to continue for some time t.
come.
The millennium has not come, an,
: we cannot expect that the simple an
inexpensive methods mentioned abov
will be adopted to any great exten