The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-04-29
CITY SANITATION.
DIT. Hunt on Drainage,
Street Cleaning and
Public Baths.
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TRENTON, April 20, 1S90.-In the report
Of the State Board of Health just issued
DR.. q. M. Hunt has an article on "Cities-
Their needs and their regulations for pro-
noting the health Of their inhabitants.
The doctor first takes up the subject
Of drainage. He says that most cities
need deep drainage. BY deep drainage
be means land, tile or other material Tor
drainage, placed from eight to hfteen feet
beneath the surface, sufficiently near to
secure circulation and having such grade
or descent as will secure How.
even IL the ground of a city is well To-
Gated and with, usual tillage and crop
page, would keep itself as n circulating
medium, excavations init, buildings upon
and streets shutting out much of sunlight
and wind and interfering with evapora-
ton complicate the original conditions.
Drainage is rendered necessary in order
to compensate for these artificial disturb
ances. Many q city would practice q
great economy, il, before turning its chief
attention 80 water supply and sewerage,
it would do this cheaper and valuable
preparatory work Of securing healthy
foundation for all other salutary and
health promoting efforts. Where there
are canals or feeders running through a
city these need special care, and gener-
ally deep drains should i~nterpose between
these and the built-up portion.
STEET CLEANING.
Much of the surface cleansing of streets
should be done at night, and even the
sidewalks should not be swept in the
faces OF those passing. Besides tine dis
comfort, it is not appreciated h dam
age to health occurs from city dust. 1t
y is made up Of dirty mud, of droppings of
iVarious kinds and of various forms OF de-
kayuble matter. This, in q finely ritura-
u state, mingles with the air n has to
hto the lungs and stomachs of the
yple. A very dusty city is always more
healthy. Water sprinkling in hot days
when there is much dust, Is much the
hoice Of the two evils. but if this has to
be carried to the excess OF causing undue
h~n0iSture, it too, becomes an evil. DIR.
Hunt emphasizes the righteousness OF
A city dust.
The only proper method OF collecting
garbage, DIR. Hunt thinks, is to put it in
~receptacses along the street, from which
It shall be taken at regular n
well known intervals. The collect
ors should be fined Ii not punctual
to the day or nearly to the hour. Boston
and other cities have shown how possible
Is such a demonstration it only it is or
ganized and enforced.
Al careful inspection of the markets
and slaughter houses is iii to be in
d~ispensable to the sanitary government
Of a city. They should be watched and
cutapSllcu 10 ODS6IY6 bue H6dlb0 laws.
The report of certain special contagious
diseases Is also important. Ii any ply
stefan has been inclined to regard his re-
lAtlon to his patiOnt a private matter, in
no case involving a special duty to So
elety, he Is simply behind the ethics of
his profession and thoughtless as to his
personal relations to the community.
PUBLIC BATHS.
Public baths are found greatly pro-
motive Of cleanliness and health and are
largely patronized. Parks and open
spaces are of the greatest importance to
the health of cities. Trees are often too
frequent in cities, which are too often
more than enough shaded by narrow
laws as to adulteration of foods, sale Of
kerosene, ETC., should receive attention
where any special occasion seems to call
Tor inquiry. Every case of alleged pois-
Dning by food or Of explosion Of lamps
Mould be Inquired into and reported. IL
need be, for fuller investigation. Acct
dents that may have arisen from careless
ness or imperfect construction should
often fall under the notice Of those look
Ing after the great interests of health and
life.
DR.. Hunt speaks of the great value Of
disinfection to prevent the spread of dis
ease. No city in England is considered as
having 9 competent disinfecting service
unless there is O place to which all soiled
clothing, not admitting of washing, can
be carried in tight BOXES and be there
subjected to such heat Or steaming as will
destroy all animal or vegetable life, or all
the particles related to disease. He re-
CARDS this matter as essential to good
sanitary provision against the spread of
contagious and epidemic diseases.