The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-07-23
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION. ETC.

s. AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION, ETC
That pestilence treads closely at til
heels OF famine is abundantly evidence
by the rapid spreading Of cholera i
Europe. 1t has followed the line {
travel from the northern part of Asia int
the famine stricken districts OF Russii
sweeping through st. Petersburg an
g Moscow in its course and is now shown
8 itself in western Europe. Its rapi
t spreading is due to the increased numbe
of rapid transportation lines Throughout
5 the world. 1t now runs further in 81
. months than it did in three or four year
! a century or two ago and this fact lead
to the belief that it will soon find it
| way across the Atlantic into this countr,
> and over it where sanitary condition.
; invite it's presence.
The possibility of its appearance il
attracting the attention of the authori
ties in all the larger eastern cities anc
preparations are being made to meet it
Streets and alleys and yards are being
cleaned, the purity of the water supply
is closely examined and every known
sanitary precaution is being taken to
discourage it's presence. The disease
hourishes wherever bad water, bad
drainage and filthy streets and yards
exist, therefore health officers are exert.
ing themselves to correct those evils.
They accept as truth the old saw that
ian ounce Of prevention is worth a pound
of cure" and are acting accordingly.
1t is within range of possibilities
that the cholera in the course of its pro-
gress around the world may visit Great
Falls. 1t will depend to a large extent
upon her people whether the visit be
made or whether it will be a long or
short me-. Cholera finds a welcome
home and breeding place among foul
smells and bad odors and where impure
water abounds. Foul smells and bad
odors are found where streets and yards
are u~nclean and where bad drainage or
no drainage prevails. Cholera feeds up
on putrefaction and that unhealthy
process is carried on where heat and
moisture exist. We have had an unusual
amount of the latter during the past
few weeks and now we are promised a
due share of the former.
Experience teaches the best methods
to minimize the ravages of the disease.
IT is to make the city clean and keep it
clean. The water is as pure as flowing
water can be and no fault can be found
with it Filthy yards. dirty streets and
alleys; %stagnant pools of water and gar
bage heaps should not be allowed to ex-
list. They should be attended to at once,
for the old adage about the "ounce of
prevention" has a double significance
when the cholera is approaching with
swiftly running feet. The TRIBUNE
would not needlessly alarm the people of
Great Falls for fear kills more than the
disease itself. but it would be, IN the
face of this danger, recreant to its duty
as conservator of the
public veal if it did not
warn them of the deadly effects
of u~ncleanliness and impure water in the
presence of the death dealing cholera.
A few days may find the disease in
New York and Boston and New Orleans
and Chicago and then in st. Paul and
1t travels rapidly upon
railroad lines and when it has become a
visitor at the twin cities It's presence
here, if invited by favorable disease
breeding conditions, may soon afterward
be expected. The absence of sanitary
arrangements is the cause of it's pro-
Iracted stay in portions of Europe. Their
absence in Great Falls may provoke it's
presence here. Much depends upon the
municipal authorities in keeping the city
n a healthy condition but more rests
With the people themselves. They can
prevent the accumulation and putrefac-
of garbage within their premises and
n other ways do much to purify their
immediate surroundings. If this be done
the city does its full duty in the
direction noted the city of Great Falls
will escape cholera visitation. for its
altitude, dry, invigorating atmosphere,
md prevalent winds stand naturally to
'ar the advance of cholera in this direc.
ion. Let the city authorities and the
apply the ounce of prevention
low in the shape of purifying the city
nd the pound of cure will not be needed.
The act of the democratic party in