, 1889-02-28
A SERIOUS QUESTION.
THAT RELATING TO THE PREsER-
WALTON OF HEALTH.

Sanitary Plumbing In the Large Cities
Rapid Progress Made In This Matter in
the Last Half Dozen Years-It Behooves
the Masses To Wake Up
Within the last ten or twelve years
this country has witnessed two distinct
eras in the method OF plumbing. About
1876 the plumbing done in the United
States, and perhaps might say especially
in Chicago. had become so bad, with
competition and other causes, that there
was n general movement all over the
country to effect something better. 1t
was our misfortune, however, to make
progress through mistakes. The pipes
then used were OF such light weight as
not 10 be of service, the traps failed of
their purpose. and the old drop pan
closets were practically worthless. Chi
cago today has any amount of that sort
of work, done just abou the time of the
great fire and prior. AS might nave
been expected, the correction Of these
evils led to mistakes 10 less grave in re-
gard to sanitation and unnecessary ex-
pensc.
AS the result of this call for improve
ment came the period of complicated
structure. Complex traps and fixtures
were invented and sent over the country,
where they found ready sale. and work
manship became more involved. Scores
of patents were taken out on this, that
and the other appliance, and in almost
every case the work failed of being eff
fective simply from its complicated
structure. That Is the great fault with
,,s,-t, - H., I,A,Is,. -. l.. .l.. H..
for about six years prior to 1882, and
even with many Of the c~ontrivances now
offered for sale in the market.
Theoretically there is no reason why
the reform instituted about 1876 should
nave resulted in a partial failure. The
principles on which inventors and engi-
neors went 10 work at the time were
doubtless right, barring only that the
lack Of simplicity necessitated frequent
repairs and gave frcer scope to defective
workmanship. Tho efforts toward i'm
provemcnt were honest enough, though
the means were i'll advised.
REAcTIoNARY MOVEMENT.
In 1889 n re~actionary movement wal
instituted in the interest of simplicity Of
structure and workmanship, md that
year marks the beginning Of what may
be termed the best era of plumbing and
house drainage. Involved, complex
work, though in some degree still prac-
ticed, is practically out Of date. The
main purpose now in view is to eliminate
overy unnecessary angle, to simplify
every trap or combination of traps, to
make all fixtures us little complicated as
possible. to use material on account of
its merits and not from traditional no.
tions as to its iitness-in n word, to put
the matter on n scientific basis. This re-
action, ] think, was a step in the right
direction, and inc results will doubtless
stand the test of actual use.
The sanitarian of to-day has more to
contend with than most people would
suppose. One of the greatest barriers to
progress is custom. Fallacies are daily
perpetuated. 1t is with house building,
sewerage, ventilation and the like rs 1t Is
with most businesses. People follow in
ruts from mere habit. A good sug-
gestion is made or Device invented and
irrespective of actual merits it is too
often thrust aside i'm Difference TO the old
time way of doing things.
PUBLIC CONSERVATISM.
People are naturally more or less
NNt9fi NhAlNt tNtD III Nllt IlltlGT Ol TGLn-
edy ing evils which entail sickness, an
noyance and expense. Sewers of deposit,
for instance, have no place in sanitary
work. Cities are growing Unfortunately
in comparison with rural districts. Thus
in every metropolitan city life becomes
more and more essentially artificial, and
no adequate provision is made to neu-
tralize this growing arti~ficiality in re-
spect to its influence on health. Thou
sands live in cramped quarters-two or
three rooms-with absolutely no regard
for light, ventilation, water supply,
house drainage or anything of the sort.
The one aim, apparently, Is to be with
the crowd. In the business portions of
this city, where land is very expensive,
buildings are run up excessively high,
and it is only in the newest and best
structures that adequate provision is
made for light. A smoke laden atmos-
pherc Is a constant menace, an evil In
the manufacturing and business districts
no less great than the vitiated, oft
hreathed air in many private dwellings.
And still the masses seem oblivious to
their needs.
In a large measure the preservation
of sanitary conditions must remain a
matter Of purely private interest and
r~recaution, and in a country like ours,
where the citizens ave such power in
getting laws enacted and enforced, it
behoovcs the masses TO wake up to a
realization of the needs of sanitation
and post themselves as to the best means
of accomplishing their purpose. Chi
cagO News
OilfnG the Waves