The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-03-04
HEALTH PROBLEMS.
Subjects That Should Receive
Universal Attention.
The Essentials of Real Health and
Comfort = Sanitary Engineering,
Ventilation, Lighting and Heating.
Testing Water, Drainage and Sew
age Disposal, Food Tests and Sani-
tary Jurisprudence.

If life and health are really mans
choicest possessions, it seems strange that
he shouldn't have learned long ago to
take better care of them. For untold
centuries the human race knew no cure
for many of its commonest disorders,
until withIcomparativlye recent times has
come medicine, which as a science of cure
is still quite young. Naturally the next
step in the progress was to seek the
science of the prevention of disease, or
hygiene, and that is younger still. In
fact, it is so young that the first complete
laboratory III America for the study of
the laws of right living is just opening its
doors this month at the University of
Pennsylvania, and it will be watched
with considerable degree of interest, not
only by physicians, but by the public at
large.
The sad truth is that we Americans,
while justly proud of our reputation for
good living" are nevertheless, as q
race, ignorant of many of the essentials
OF real health and comfort. We have not
made a study of good living as science.
This is one point III which Europe Is far
dHestQ OI us, OuT SdlllIdtN lSlile6ES, Ii
as true, have done much to solve knotty
problems of some practical importance,
especially in the field of house drainage.
We have also much reason TO be proud OF
our achievements in bacteriology. Some
OF the work done IN recent years at Johns
Hopkins University, under DIR. w. Ii.
WEIGH; at the College Of Physicians and
Surgeons, New York, under Or. 7. Nj.
Pruden; at harvard, under DR.. ii. c.
Ernst; at Ann ArbOr, under Professor
ictor {. Vaughan, and at the UniVer-
sity OF Pennsylvania, will bear compari-
son with that OF the most celebrated of
European laboratories. But of hygiene,
as an applied science, the chemical and
physical investigation of foods, of cloth
ing, of ventilation, light, heat and drain
age; IN short, of hygiene as a subject for
careful laboratory research; OF this we
have known nothing, except what we
have learned from abroad.
Germany is unqueStlOnably the leader
in this most important branch OF study.
The laboratories of Professor Won PetJen-
koner IN Munich, Professor kubner in
Berlin, the Imperial Health Bureau in
the same city, the laboratory of Professor
tluge at Breslau, and that of Karl Fran
KEEL at Marburg, all these are known the
world over. 1hen, there are, besides,
Professor Won Esmarch at the University
OF konigsberg, and DR.. karl Lehman at
WurZberg, while France boasts the ia
nous Pasteur Institute, and England the
laboratory Of the Royal College of Physi-
clans, directed by DR.. @. Sims Wood
head. 1t is largely upon the lines already
laid down in these institutions that the
new school Of hygiene is modelled. Both in
the construction of the building and i'll
the formation OF the course the endeavor
has been to combine the best points of
the European schools, while at The same
time adapting them to our American con-
ditions. In equipment IL is doubtful
whether even the German laboratories
will surpass the plant of this school. The
building is plainly but substantially
built OF bricks and brown sandstone, the
dimensions being lI3x9l feet. The re-
suits of the personal experience of both
DIR. j. >. Billings and his assistant, DR..
Alexander Z. Abbott, in the laboratories
is apparent throughout. The building is
perfect object-lesson in the things to be
taught in it. This is impressed on the
visitor at every turn.
Even beauty or simple finish in the con-
Struction have sometimes been omitted
where a practical end could be served
thereby. For example, the pipes through
put have been brought several inches out
side the walls, and each painted a dis
sinctive color-a maroon pipe, wherever
found, being steam pipe, while red in
variably denotes hot water, blue shows
cold water, white means gas, and yellow
stands for drainage. The material adj
vantage OF this is at once apparent; each
system may be readily traced in all of its
qualifications, and tested at any point.
from the boiler to the steam coil. or from
the sewer connection to the roof. Indeed,
there is scarcely a yard of any sort OF pipe
in the building which cannot be easily
reached, so that practical sanitary plumb
ing may be studied as easily and as closely
as any other branch of engineering.
I'xrnFNy crr pf mr. nthar I1aiuaoa n
vice will be placed in position as soon
after being put on the market as is prac-
ticable and will be given a fair trial on
its merits for efficiency and economy.
In the departments of lighting, heating
and ventilation the same broad principle
will be applied. In the large laboratory
on the first floor there are now seven
steam radiators. and all different. They
are arranged TO be attached all at once, in
cold weather, but each may be used and
tested separately, or any one may be re-
moved and another put in its place. The
method OF setting these radiators, and all
others, except lew in the Railways, is
new and very interesting. They are
placed Immediately under the windows,
and each is inclosed in its own box, and
has its independent supply of cold air,
through a well-regulated opening in the
outer wall. The top of the box, where
the heat escapes into the room, is COM
posed of two wire gratings, an inch apart,
the space between being filled with
coarse cheese-cloth. or cotton batting
This will keep out the dust, and the air
admitted will therefore be very nearly
pure. Currents of air Will be directed
upward along the walls, as they should,
avoiding draughts directly upon the oc-
cupants of the room.
The radiators are thus made to play an
important part in the ventilation, which
is expected 10 be as near perfection as
modern science can make it. There are
many systems, each with its virtues when
used under the proper conditions, and
they will al be tried in the new school,
The main lecture-room is so fitted that
practical demonstration of two OF the
most approved methods may be made in
the presence of a class. These are known
as the aspiration" and the ''propulsion''
method, respectively The first consists
of a set Of ',robin's tubes" large wooden
channels which take warm air, or the
cold air from outside, and deliver it at the
ceiling, when it passes out of the room
through heated tlue. by the second
plan the air Is propelled into the room by
: means of a fan, and is also discharged
through the fiue. which extends from the
cellar to the roof. and is fitted with steam
coils for increasing its force of draught.
The aim has been to equip an institu-
ton where scientific methods may be
brought TO bear upon questions of uni
Versal interest. Its scope will be prslc-
teal to the last degree. The public health
and the public comfort are the chief con-
Germ Of all municipal government. Good
water, clean streets, ample sewers,
abundant light. proper ventilation for
schools and other public buildings-all
these are the chief public questions
everywhere, and every one is question
of hygiene That such a school as this
should be an important factor in the