The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1893-04-28
1t is historically true that since the

| LII is historically TRUE UudU since UQo
thorough cleansing and securing of
pure water supply by Memphis that
| the danger from another ScOurge of
yellow fever in that city is materially
lessened. 1t has been demonstrated
that typhoid fever is more prevalent
in towns and cities that depend upon
their water supply from wells, than
where they have a good water system
and supply the people with pure
water; also more prevalent in country
districts where their wells are low,
especially if they are shallow. and
least where they are high. These
two facts, among others that might
be given, seem to be established, and
show correlation between foul
water and those malignant diseases.
In so far as it can be done it is the
duty of every community to ward off
the danger, to prevent the production
of the causes and prevent their trans
mission. In our case it is our duty to
urge our people to use city water
wherever they can, instead of well
water, as we have good system and
excellent water, and in so doing they
will greatly lessen the probability of
sickness and death among members
of their households. / think their
duty and ours is perfectly plain in
this matter, for as the years 60 by
and our population increases and be-
comes more compact the liability of
the water in our wells being cOntami-
mated increases in the same ratio.
Without wishing to be an alarmiSt,
yet | cannot conceal the fact if l
would, that the ASiatlc scOurge is
slowly but surely, stealthily but GER
tainly, creeping across the continent
to our shores, and we should set our
city and homes in order to meet it.
Skepticism may scott down the fact
that these epidemicS riot on filth and
thrive on cesspOolS. What shall be
done about it? Do / advise invading
private houses, and storm what the
AnglO-SaXOn has for centuries boast
ingly called his caStle-niS home?
! Why not, if that private house, that
home is the factor of disease germs?
1t is true that under the law man is
privileged to live like hog in his
own sly, if he choose, but when he
puts his filthy carcass outside of the
door, we would advise turning the
hose on him, law or no law, and abate
his Sty or palace as nuisance as soon
as it's OdOrs Cross his line fence or it's
turbid filth endanger the health of
his neighbOr or community.
| Every organized community has the
| right to abate everything that works
to it's injury, and all over this land
public attention should be called to
be more vigilant in cleaning up and
keeping clean our bones within and
with out.
w edrift along as did our fathers
before US, forgetting that we are ten
| to one as compared to them-that
yearly we are herding together in
larger or smaller cities, that single
railroad train can transmit malig-
nant disease over more territory in
one day than all the immigrant wag-
on S of yore could in year.
Among the many gratifying achieve
mentS of scientists in my profession
during the past few years, none re-
| fleet greater luster on them or great
er boon to humanity than the proven
ton of disease.
If we Can ward off the attacks of
the enemy, if he can be kept out of
the fort, and SO long as he is kept out
the garrison is safe, from this class OF
enemies at least, hence it is the part
of wisdom to heed the warnings of
danger signals. 1t is made our i'm
| perative duty as a community, to
clean the streets and keep them
clean, open up the drains, supply the
people with an abundance OF pure
water, drain the low wet places, swash
out the sewers, fill up cesspoOls, and
| not count the dollars on our fingers;
| to us as individual, to renovate our
cellars, to remove and keep removed
all filth from our premises, to cen
Struct the drains before we finish the
drawing room, to look well to the
Out-hOuSeS, il we use them instead of
water closets, with sewerage cOnnec-
| tiOnS, and see that their poison does
not get into the water bucket or ice
| pitcher.
These warnings should be needed,
| for if they are not,as surely as science
and experience can demonstrate and
prognOsticate anything, you will find
| ONE hot summer day, when the wells
re low, and the spores of disease are
| thick in their filthy sediment, that
they have found Judgment, and loved
ones in your household are taken sick.
| Then the doctor is called and his ad
vice eagerly sought and followed, it
may be too late, for the fearful day is
near at hand, but charge it not to
this often much abused man or to
Providence, but admit that you have
contributed by your own negligence
and Indifference to the dire result
The discussion was opened by Prof.
Cox, of the Normal school, who COM
mented upon the Importance of var
ious suggestions which DR.. Davis had
made. He believed that while the
cleanliness of homes and surround
ings was important, it was matter
of greater Importance that our water
supply be absolutely pure. He gave
Illustrations showing that filtered
water was not always pure, that the