The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-10
THE CITY's GOOD HEALTH.
How the Sanitation is Looked After
The Use of Disinfectants

Oo~
A very general round Of the city shows
that its sanitary condition is very good.
This is particularly true Of the vaults which
have been the principal trouble. To insure
a rigorous inspection Of them police details
in al the districts of the city made a per-
sonal house TO house examination and re-
ported TO Mayor Lester. The latter, to in
sure an absolute knowledge OF the condition
OF the vaults, had the sergeants also to go
over the same ground, and from a compari-
| son of reports be was enabled to direct the
perfect sanitation of the unsanitary por-
tons of the city.
The rules are very rigid in regard to
street excavations. No excavations Of any
character are permitted unless authorized
by the health officer, and only then between
3 o'clock a. m. and o'clock p. M, with due
caution as to the use of lime and other
proper disinfectants. The city is as much
debarred from street excavations as thepri-
vate citizen except under the same pre-
cautiOnary rules.
than at present. This is due to variety Of
causes, which are assigned to be the system
of suburban drainage by the county COM
missioners, the general use of artesian water
by the city, the effective scavenger system
and the close inspection of unsanitary
localities and the application Of prompt
remedies,
Those who are in position to know say
that the scavenger work is being more
systematically attended to under the city's
immediate management than when the
garbage was removed by contract, and the
garbage is kept pretty well cleaned out Of
the lanes and alleys Tho city market is in
much better sanitary condition this sea-
son than last. A large receptacle lined
with galvanized iron and with hinge lid,
closely fitting, has been put in place at the
west end OF the market, fronting st.
Julian street, for receiving the refuse
or the market and the sewerage has been
improved, but it is generally conceded that
perfect sewerage Is Impossible until q new
sewer is completed from the market base
ment to the river, as the basement is not
high enough above the Broughton street
sewer for perfect drainage. The garbage of
the city is taken south, east and west Of the
city, varying in distance from two to four
miles, and is dumped on the ground. This
is not considered the best sanitary disposal
of it, and the proposition to have a crema-
tory erected for the incineration Of microbe
breeding stuff meets with favor, and is
likely to be adopted in the course of a year
or two, or as soon as the crematory system
reaches a reasonable degree of perfection.
Alderman Wells is very strong advocate
of the crematory plan.
The resignation of Dr. Duncan from the
board of aldermen has done much to en-
barrass the situation from a sanitary point
of view, as he was not only the chairman
of the health committee of the council, but
he was also member of the sanitary com
mission. He was the only physician in the
two bodies.
The city has purchased about COO barrels
of copperas, at cost of about l cent per
pound. which, with carbolic acid. is being
used for the disinfection of the Bilbo canal
and the city sewerage, quite a lot of the acid
and copperas having been dumped in the
canal at the mouth Of the sewer last week.
These disinfectants are also used in the
vaults, and in houses where there are any
disease traces the bi-chloride Of mercury,
reduced to ashes, in a close room under a
heat, is said to be the best agency for de-
stroying microbes.
A gentleman connected with the SANTA
ton of the city said yesterday TO a MORNING
NEWS reporter that in any dwelling where
there has been fever, d!phtheria or other
contagious disease, it is an absolute disin-
fectant to place bi-chloride of mercury on
an iron or tin plate, and after closing the
doors, to submit it to heat, the bi-chloride
burning at a white heat until consum ed.
The fumes of the burning mercury are de-
structive Of life, and the dwelling should
not be occupied until twelve hours after
ventilation. He also stated that for vault
disinfection, pound of copperas dissolved
in q gallon of water and poured into the
vault Is the best method. The copperas can
be obtained in the drug stores for about 5
cents per- pound, being both inexpensive
and efiicacfous.
Maj. SchwarE, chairman Of council, said
yesterday that the city's sanitation was never
better than at the present time. He spoke
not only from his official knowledge OF the
interest manifested by those connected with
sanitary affairs, but from general and fire.
quent tours Of the city's streets and lanes,
which he found in excellent sanitary condi-
ton, and constantly under the scrutiny of
the police and the sanitary officers.