The morning call., 1893-05-20
HEALTHY HOMES.
Marsden Manson's Ideal
City.
Members of the County Medical So
ciety Meet the Technical Society
on the Sanitary Proposition.

"Are California homes as healthful as
they shohld be?" was the question which
Marsden Manson of the sewer commission
prOpounded TO a joint meeting of the
County Medical and Technical Societies
last night. Some fifty or sixty gentlemen
were present. with sprinkling of ladies'.
In opening the question for discussion
Mr.. Manson remarked that the query he
had propounded must be answered in the
negative, for the prevalence of filth dis
eases in city. village and country homes
in California. in the presence of natural
conditions which are a guarantee of the
purest health, force the conclusion that
we are not maintaining the healthful con-
dltions which naturally exist.
"The simple and vigorous methods Of
analysis which micro biology brings 10 the
aid of chemistry makes the detection of
the cause and the course of filth diseases
absolutely certain. They are traced from
patient TO patient through the water, food
or clothing with certainty which, if gen.
orally known, would make every intelli-
gent human being an expert in sanitation.
mo Nth disease naturally prevails in
California except chills and fever In GER
tain lowlands in the great valley and in
similar localities elsewhere. Even in these
localities the disease is easily escaped by
avoiding the use of surface water. This
fact was first brought to notice by Colonel
Mendell of the Engineer Corps, United
States army"
Mr.. Manson gave numerous illustrations
OF cases where in proverbially malarious
| districts the cOttagers who used deep wells
escaped, while the families using surface
wells all implanted of chills and fever.
The dangerous and fetd cesspool sys-
TO - al Inn CT Ar1iy sol haa as,i
replaced by the construction of sanitary
arrangements on well-Shedded mound
and the use of little dry earth. With or
binary attention this simple expadient
makes the surroundings entirely pure.
at is in the villages and small towns
| that the disposition of harmful matter
reaches lis maximum point of danger to
health and life. This fact is distinctly
recorded in outbreaks of diphthera,
! typhoid and other filth diseases, which
could find no Judgment were the natural
healthful conditions maintained by the
! adonton OF proper measures.
''The city of Sacramento is particularly
exposed to the pollution of the soil. In
the hotels and public schools, in the vii
lagos and smaller towns without proper
sewerage systems, the arrangements are
generally of the most primitive kind ana
foul to nauseatng degree. The simple
measures suggested for country towns
:
health of those exposed TO this source of
disease"
Mr.. Manson proceeded to point out the
progressive contamination of the water
supply of Mountain Lake and Lobos
Creek, and said the same causes at work
there would force the ultimate abandon
meDt of Alameda Creek as water supply
He spoke of the ciry of Stockton as
| affording a very marked example of the
effect of the water supply upon chills and
fever In the earlier history of the city
water was obtained from wells generally
shallow. After the introduction of water
from deep wells the disease began to dis
appear, and is nov as rare as it was for
merlY prevalent.
Water is the most active disease-dis
tributor imagin able, and to paraphrase the
words of a celebrated authority, NO
pawer upon earth could save San
Francisco from the scourge of cholera or
typhus we're single case TO occur or sim
gle infected garment to be washed in one
of the watersheds supplying the city with
water"
Doctors Stallard, Buckley, McNutt and
others indorseu Mr.. Manson's views and
added number OF practical suggestions to
the problem of the sewerage of San
Francisco.