Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-01-05
coMTAosouo DISEASES

WAAe Sooatoesoo c. - 2OWoe0 ~
vsatsax the 0atbrsah - Ep,asmics.
The Sanitarian Of lie present day
makes no less claim for his art than
that it is capsule Of preventing the oc-
currence of disease in . very great
degree. and whers it can not ac-
complish this, it SO diminishcs the
number and fatality of cases as al-
most to Danish epidemics. We arc
sometimes met with the assertion that
there are many of the communicable
diseases that arise independent of in
sanitary conditions, and therefore this
defense against them is only partial or
inconsiderable.
The first reply to this is that there is
reason to believe that most Of the COM
munic lble diseases that now arise from
contagion were originally produced by
insanitary conditions. The more we
look into the history of epidemics the
more it is found that the first recogni-
ton of the disease has been amid the
mcst insanitary surroundings. The
plague began amid scenes of squalid
wretchcdness. Typhus and typhoid
fevers have their beginning and their
chief residences in the fOulest locali-
ties. Cholera had its beginning amid
the crowded pilgrimages along the
Gangcs. Yellow fever is claimed by
many to have been born on African
ships and to be a mOngrcl formed
from the jungle fever of Africa and
the ship fever of foul holds. Scarlet
fever is SO intensified by proximity TO
slaughter-houses and accumulations of
foul animal matter that it has beer
claimed to originate therefrom. Diph-
liberia in its origin has been distinctly
traced to a foul system of dealing with
stored human odor.
While after disease has secured
such type as to become practically
new and permanent disease It is gen.
orally first introduced into a locality
by coatagion. this does not prove that
its very first existence was not de-
pendent on filth.
But still more important and prac-
teal point. for the present in the
actual management of diseases is, that
those diseases which now mostly occur
from a previous case depend for their
number and malignancy on the in
sanitary conditions which they find.
Like all plants and all animals.
they seek the places where they
can feed the best. or where their
existence is not imperiled. 1t is
we'll known that these low forms
of vegetable life which seemed
to be identified with disease
flourish best amid foul air and
the products of decay. The power
of air and ventilation is such
that these forms wither and
quickly perish. 1t has been proved
that in well-ventilatcd and clean
room scarlet fever is not transmissible
ten feet. There is good reason to be-
lieve that most of the contagia perish
upon free exposure to pure oxygen.
The fact of contagion often points to
some artificial mode of preservation of
the virus. Whore every advantage is
taken in the line of cleanliness and of
complete publication Of the air we are
constantly finding that our control of
epidemics is complete. We do not
always prevent individual cases, but
we do prevent epidemics.
There is such Il thing in sanitation
as removing the combustiblc materia!
and even of making the building fire.
proof This does not Danish fire but it
does make it imperative for the pur-
poses of general contlagration. just
so sanitary art may not destroy every
micro-organism, but the free air will
put out many spark and cause many
another one to light on surroundings
or on persons where no blaze will occur.
Depend upon it our power to put out
many diseases or to prevent their spread
and even to render them only a slight
scorch to those on whom they fall, is
fully equal to our modern methods of
preventing destruction or damage by
fire. But we must be ready beforehand.
We must deal with the locality in ad-
vance. We must make persons and
places dlsease-proof. If, as is often
the case. we fail to do SO completely
we must so far succeed as that we re-
strain. We must also be ready with
all our appliances in advance to meet
and limit attack. Where we find cities
that have adopted this plan We have a
lifc-saving brigade as effectual in that
direction as ever has been fire brig
ade to prevent or restrain fires. We
are constantly accommodating evidence
that many diseases are within the
range and duty # human control.
This duty devolves mostly and de-
ponds mostly on thorough sanitary
administration. 1t Is to this, supple
mented by prompt treatment. that we
are to trust for that control over pesti-
lential diseases which will enable US to
moot thop, NJ their fi,.~t ~purounh and