The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-02-05
recommendations of Health Officer,
IL. ). Cox.

To the Honorable Supervisors and Board
of Mayor and Aldermen, COLUHt6id,
Tenn:
1t is my purpose in addressing you
this communication to call your at
teution to certain sanitary measures
that are of vital impoTta zee to the
health OF the citizens of our famous
little city. The first and most im-
portant point that [ wish to mention
is system OF sewerage, which is
much needed, although it is an awk-
ward aud veXed question just at this
time. But L most earnestly insist
that you make move in that dfrec-
ton at the earliest moment possIbie,
if you only put in a few yards at q
time. In the second place, L would
recommend that you abolish all
slaughter-pens within the corporate
limits and that you also prohibit the
Strengthening of fouls in large mum
bers for shipment. That street trash
and garbage o. all kinds not be al
lowed in the streets. Ia my opinion
wells and springs are fruitful 80 W
ces of disease and should be con-
demned, as they are often contain
mated by drainage aud surface 7eAp-
age, and are therefore daugerons.
wish also to bring to your notice a
pond situated Northeast Of the pub
lie square; also one Southeast, near
our public school. Both OF them
should be drainet and filled, as they
are neither healthful nor ornamental
to that part of the town.
Lastly, l wish to direct your special
attention to the renowned Helm =
branch and its tributaries, which Is
beset on all sides by privies and wash
es, and which can only be called all
open sewer. This branch collects all
of the filth and refuse from the sur
roundings through which it flows,
and empties itself above the source OF
our water supply. You must remem-
Der that the mouth of this bTanch IL
only a number of cesspOOls where all
of it's washirgs accumulate and empty.
Especially is this so at certain sea-
sons of the year. They there deoom-
pose and the stagnant pools swarm
with schools of bacteria and ger ms OF
the most fatal nature. The mud and
banks of the stream are constantly
saturated and infected with causes
that produce the most fatal disease.
At every little freshet this refuse and
iufectiVe material are constantly be-
ing washed out into the main stream
of the river where il more or less
polutes our water supply; for the
banks and b JttOmS OF the river al q
bound to be unwhOlesOme and there
fore hOt-beds for the multiplication
and propagation of germs that polute
and cOntaminate our drinking water
Almost all of our authorities assert
that we are directly respon Sible for
every case of typhoid fever that oc-
ours, and that this is the source from
which we get this special disease.
aim perfectly satisfied in my own
mind that this is the source from
which we get the disease (poiuted
drinking water, and l am sure that
have seen it produced from the en-
nations of dirty, foul privies.
Now l would respectfully ask that
your honorable body consider ia de
tail all the sanitary features that l
have mentioned; more particularly
our sewerage and the aforesaid
Helms branch. For [ assure you
that no town can expect to enjoy
health without a strict regard to
cleanliness, neither can. it become a
city without a system of sewerage.
With this 1 am very respectfully
YOUR obediant servant,
I Nj ~