Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-02-11
CONDITIONS OF HEALTH.
PURE WATER AND PURE AIR AND
CLEANLINESS REQUIRED.

Progress It Has Mac England and
America Said to Lead in Contributions
to This Advancement.
water, air and cleanl ness are the chief
articles Of my pharmacopo ia" said Napoleon.
These trite words practically cover the entire
scope of sanitary science. To eliminate from
the air smoke and noxiotIs gases, to remove
from the water supply dele terious substances,
and to dispose of focal and refuse matter 30
as to minimize annoyance aud the possibility
of breeding contagious di seases is one of the
greatest problems of the age. How best to do
this is the question that sanitary science pro-
poses, and on the fullness and correctness
with which this question is answered depends
more of the well being and prosperity Of a
community than the casual observer is won't
to think
GLORIOUS WORK OF SANITARY SCIENCE.
Sanitation is a matter not less of finance
and economics than of rional comfort, con-
venience and longevity That health is, as
rule, the measure of use fulness, and, other
things being equal, of wages, needs no proof
That good sanitary conditions rank with COM
mercial facilities as one of the chief factors in
the growth of cities and that unsavory or
unhealthy neighborhoods in city are de-
pleted of population or turned over to the
poorer classes who have nc alternative but to
endure what others shun, is matter of COM
mon observation. The prevalence of sickness,
and especially contagious diseases, where san
itary requirements are not observed, the lack
of thrift and enterprise in such localities, and
the kinship of moral filth with unsanitary
conditions of person, have been themes for
innumerable lectures and homilies. Wher-
ever sanitary science has made strenuous ef-
forts to improve the physical conditions of a
locality there have resulted less prevalence of
disease, a gradual reduction of mortality, es-
pecially of infants, greater prosperity, and
more marked longevity, and even the spirit
ualizing Of the masses has advanced as de-
fects In material surroundings have been
remedied- 1t would seem hat such common
place matters as ventilation, light, plumbing,
heating and sewerage-in short, good or bad
sanitary conditions-are more Intimately
connected with the evils and excellences of
our cities than are many other things to
sanitation is a new science" said civil
engineer who was asked to give an outline Of
recent improvements in sanitation "Tt Is
only within the last fifty or sixty years that
pubic attention has been directed to the need
OF improved methods AMI contrivances for
the purposes of health and convenience in the
construction of buildings Until a compare
cb
spicuous by Its absence, and light was almost
equally disregarded. Adequate water supply
is a subject whose importanc be- n to be
felt, so to speak, but yesterday. London,
for instance, has not long sbandor its wells
and cesspools for syste of water works
and sewerage. How the great cities of the
ancient world managed without such sanitary
contrivances as we now have and survived Is
an enigma. The crude nakeshifts Of early
times have been held responsible for innumer-
able plaques, disorders and epidemics, and
the growing recognition that many diseases
of the present day are o. germ origin-the
direct result Of contaminated or poisoned
air, water or foods doubtless what has
made the last few years more productive of
sanitary literature than any other period Of
history.
INFLUENCE OF TIE PRESS.
Strangely enough, England and America
have produced the bulk of sanitary literature
and evolved the best schemes for freeing the
life sustaining agencies of noxious elements
England and America probably stand shoul-
der to shoulder in this respect, the former, by
common assent, being superior In the con-
struction Of sewers and the latter leading in
its sanitary fixtures. The publications of the
two countries bear witness to their respect
i've excellences German research, by tracing
out the germ origin of dise ases, has rendered
signal service and been a stimulus to Ameri-
can and English inventiveness.
Throughout these latter years Of develop
ment the influence of the press has been very
salutary. The newspapers have rather been
detectives than advisers, but they have
pointed out defects and commended excel
lences; they have shown the needs of the times
and often made suggestions that have been Of
material benefit to the wor iers on these lines.
Still it has largely been left to the sanitary
journals to chronicle the new steps of i'm
provement, and thus muc1 that is vital and
important on the subject of sanitation has
not found its way to tho general public.
What is more, 1t Is to be doubted If the ma
jority Of craftsmen who nave in hand the
building up and Improvement of our cities
keep abreast of the times and profit by the
steps Of progress that are constantly being
taken. The masses are lainentably ignorant
or criminally negligent of sanitary measures,
and they are pitiably dependent upon men
who are not much better inf ormed. Chicago
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