The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-12-04

tecting the water supply from pollution
Spade labor and cleansing would do most
that is required in small groups of popula-
ton.
The army sanitary commission says that
every death represents perhaps forty or
fifty cases of fever, and each attack lowers
the stamina and working ability of the
victims. and so tends TO impoverish tho
country Improved agriculture and drain
.ge is suggested as the remedy. Sheets of
water aud belts of trees between habita-
tious and the sources of malaria act as de-
fences 1t disappears with cultivation
and soil drainage, and it resumes its sway
when they. are left on.
In S0logne the land has been reclaimed
by canal irrigation, dressing the earth with
chalk and planting with woods.
Irrigation in excess is unhealthy, and
should not be allowed near habitations.
In southern Italy irrigated rice grounds are
not allowed within 1000 yards of small
towns.
Low elevations of 100 or 200 feet above a
malariOus surface are often more danger
GUS than lower lands, and the head of a
ravine up which the wind blows. from q
marsh is far from safe.
Humboldt observes that in the torrid
zone the smallest marshes are the most
dangerous, and we may understand that
small pools or The edges of marshes re-
Gently under water are more of the tenn
peraJure of the human blood than larger
tracts Of marsh or water. In fact. the i'm
pOrtance of draining small pools or sink
holes cannot be too greatly urged.
The rainy season and the drying up
season are very unhealthy in malarious
districts. The dust of a previously sodden
deposit carried up into the air probably in
PRODUCES the spores or germs into the
human system in great numbers.
SLEEP UP STAIRS.
It is important to sleep we'll above the
ground, and if possible in an upper story.
Mr.. Baikie says that on the african coast
perfect security from intermittent fever
is secured TO sleepers by wire gauze or even
mosquito curtains. Experiments on dew
show that a portion of the dew deposited
on a clear night actually comes forth as
vapor from below the surface of the earth;
and the process of distillation appears
capable of carrying up into the air the
minute seeds Of pathogenic microbes.
Therefore it is advisable Tor any one camp
ing out to cover the ground under the tent
with impervious material, India rubber or
cork II is thus easily understood why we
should sleep several feet above the ground;
also that il Is well to be screened at night
land whenever exposed to malarious ema-
nationsl fine gauze or muslin, so that the
enfeebied before being breathed in or
swallowed. This device is said by ex-
perience TO be efficacious.
The chance OF disease is also much dimin-
ished by wearing warm clothing. Scanty
and improper food and long continued ia
tigues predispose TO malarious attacks. All
houses should be well ventilated between
the lower floor and the ground by well win
dowed cellars, and all manure and all refuse
ought to be kept al distance.
a very curious suggestion is to improve
the neighborhood of small pools, ponds and
marshes by the use Of mineral or olive oil
TO coat the surface OF the water or marsh
at the highest level, so as TO leave film of
oil deposited on the soil when the waters
4 dressing of lime and SCOT on
marshy soil would undoubtedly have effect
in preventing the emanation of poisonous
germs. These hints are worthy OF atten-
ton, for it has been said before that
coating of kerosene oil on ponds will pre-
vent the breeding of mosquitoes. 1t is
worth anyone's trying, for immunity from
these pests would be cheaply bought by
the cost of abarrel of croton oil mingled
with the cheap oil of FIR and cedar, which
would be pleasant and improving to health.
II is not best to sueer at any suggestions
from scientific and practical men like the
English collector of the facts here con-
densed. SHIRLEY DARE.