Milford chronicle., 1893-06-30
A Physiotau's Timely TAX
ro rHs MILroRp cHaoNIela.

To rHE MILFORD CHRONICLE:
Disease is common enemy, and the con.
ditions that favor and invite its presence are
inevitable wherever people are cougTegated
together. There should therefore be orga-
1ized effort 10 resist It, and this can only be
made efficiently and strong through tue
local boards Of health The laws Of this
state provide for the organization Of such
boards in all towns, villages and cities, and
gives them ample and even arbitrary powers
thus recognizing the fact that the FIRST duty
of the State is to preserve the lives of its
citizens. Every community should see thst
the provisions OF the law are fully complied
With both ia letter and in spirit, and that its
health bosrd IS composed of men selected
fti their intelligent acquaintance with and
interest in the important work eommitbed to
their hands.
These men should be supplied with the
means to pay for all needful sanitary work
and they should themselves be compensated
for their services, their labors being regard
ed as for the mutual insurance Of the COM
munitv against disease and death. As no
msu would expect to have thing requiring
skilled labor throughout done without the
supervision Of some one competent 70 do and
oversee the work ia that particular line, so
no community should expect sanitary work
10 he well done without the intelligent over
sight Of an official selected with special refer
ence 10 his fitness for that service.
Boards Of health organized on the princi-
pies Just INDICATED can do much, but they
must have the cooperation efprivate citizens.
The health board in any given place may
keep all public buildings, thoroughfares and
other places in the cleanest and best possi=
Bile condition, but ifprivale residents neglect
the duty Of keeping their personal premises
in order the work of the board will be of
little avail The duties Of the private citi-
zen can be performed by himself only, and
he has no right to censure tie health officer
OF she local board Of health for the presence
of sickness directly invited by conditions for
which he and he only is responsible. Boards
Of health have their own peculiar duties and
private citizens have theirs also; these duties
do not conflict and each class can and should
be helpful to the other. Zach class should
for its own protection see that the other
leaves no part Of its work slighled or undone
Further, the citizen, FIRST seeing that his
own premises are in good sanitary condition,
has an indispuiable right 10 require that his
ueighbOris premises. also be put aud kept in
like state and TO invoke the municipal power
If necessary to obtain that result. Foul odors
and polluted water supplies are no respector
Of persons, and no virtue or care on ones
own part can save him from the consequences
Of his neghbor's neglect. The householdef's
work should therefore be systematic, thorough
and continuous For himself and his family
this is by tar the most important part Of the
work Of defence against disease, the part in
fact without which all else will ia the ma
jority Of gases prove futile Indoors, the
cellar should be first looked aferI all decay.
ing or sprouting vegetables should be re-
moved iherefrom, together with all accumu-
latious Of rubbish Of every kind and the
whole should be burned if possible, or at
least removed to the compos heap 10 be cart
ed away, The cellar walls should be white
washed with fresh lime, and every possible
facility should be given for the entrance Of
fresh aiT and sunshine. lit be not thorough
ly dry and fee from odor the dTaiuage must
be carefully looked after aad corrected until
dfYness aud purity Of air are secured The
cellar is too often left dark aud daiup, and
is made the receptacle Of many things that
favor disease in the household simply by
reason Of thOug ghtlessness. It is well known
that milk and many other articles Of food
absorb odors and the germs of disease very
readily aud in ibis way foul or decaying
matter in the cellar NAV fad entrance into
the systems Of the dwellers in the house
above. A knowledge of these facts should
lead to great care in securing cleanliness
in the cellar and lower parts ofthe house.
CITIZEN
ITO BE CONTINUED.)