The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-19

Systematic the health department, evoke
the aid and advice OF the most experienced
professional senitnrians; inaugurate a
system of house drainage with
closed drains 20 the point of discharge, =
which should be as far from the city as pos
sible; I'll up all dry wells;+ abolish privy
vaults, and substitute either water closets
or the pail system;+ restore and maintain
the relative levels Of the lots and the lanes /;
inspect plumbing; keep the sewer traps
clean; suppress the canal nuisance; inspect
all cellars, and the houses Of the lower
classes; drain all wet and soboy lands; iso-
late cases of infectious diseases, and keep
physicians informed Of the location and
character Of al! occurring in the city. All
OK TINS has been said time and again by
others during the past decade or two, but
without effect
As ignorance is no doubt the principal
cause OF sanitary mistakes, educate the
people; let ths principles of sanitation be
taught In the public schools and encourage
private sanitary associations. When every
person Is skilled sanita-ian, and appreci-
ates the danger, the anxiety and the suffer
ing resulting from sanitary sins, then there
Will he less use for constant watchfuIness
on the part Of the authorities. This will
be in the long run vast saving to the city.
A word touching the health OF the COM
ing summer 1888
period OF cholera epidemic, put it at three
years from the time of its appearance in
the east TO its ultimate Disappearance. The
epidemic which has touched our shores, be-
gan IN 1891 and has expended the violence
OF It's second year IN Europe, having barely
shown itself IN America, but having
reached this side of the Atlantic and
having another yenT to run, it is safe to
say that it is exceedingly probable that it
Will spread in America in 1888 With
measures to be adopted to keep out cholera,
TINS letter has nothing TO do, but desire to
say that the line of sanitation just indicated
thoroughly and intelligently carried out.
while stamping out other filth Diseases will
also place the city in the best possible con-
dltion to prevent the spread OF cholera
within it's limits
The want OF a properly organized health
department. as a portion of the city gov
ernment has been the subject of SO much
comment on the part Of ths citizens that an
explanation of the situation for the benefit
OF this generation may hot be misplaced,
although it might be fairly argued that in
this respect the city is in advance of the
state.
Up to the SOS the necessity for a health
department did not exist 50 we'll did the
immense filter bed just alluded to do its
work. At the time alluded to three citizens
Ia each ward were appointed by the mayor
to see that the yards were kept clean,
and that was all there was to do.
Nature did the rest. Closets were all on
the lanes. forty or more feet from the
houses. Sewers there were none, conse-
quently there was no sewer gas laden with
a dozen or more varieties of disease germs
There were no water works, and hence
there was. no plumbing to be defect.
i've nor water mains to lay. The streets
were not yet covered up with impervtous
coating of different kinds, and as q conse-
quence there was no pavements to repair
The legislature had not yet given private
corporations the right to dig up the streets
when and where they desired, nor had It
then begun to cut up the streets and dispose
OF them to private citizens or societies. and
the importance and value of the shade
trees was appreciated, and they were pre~
served and cultivated.
Savannah was a village then compare
lively, and may have had what would now
be called primitive village ways, but they
suited admirably to keep out filth diseases.
GRADUALLY, unconsolously this has been
changed. Water works came, bringing the
water closets into the houses with defective
plumbing. Sewers came with their at
tendant sewer gas and filth diseases.
Impervious pavsments came, shutting
off tbs filter. The Odorless excavatin2 ma
chine came wish osEnanted vaults, again
hhhPPAAtk lAAhAGAtlOu fAAte GG7lFAluR QlS6aSS DIV
increasing the chances of fermentation.
The shade trees were cut down and the
hot sun allowed full play, and SO on. The
hand OF improvement is upon us, and the
modern city with its typhoid fever, scarlet
fever, diphtheris, membrRnous Group and
other filth diseases is here before we know
1t, and, as a consequence, the organization
Of the health department has not kept
pace with the increasing requirements of
the city.
The experience Of 1892 will perhaps change
all this. Filth diseases have invaded the
houses OF a class OF citizens who will make
themselves heard when they themselves are
touched, but who have sat idly by for years
nor needed the warning Of the coming evil
until now it is beside them at their own
hearths and firesides. CassandrA protested,
but none gave ear TO her prophecy.
The fever of 1899 will surely eventuate in
good 70 the people. Such result is not
unusual; in fact, it is always 80. 1t is the
law OF compensation.
But the history of the outbreak OF filth
diseases in 1892 has a still deeper lesson to
teach, which, If properly learned, may not
be too costly, even though 1t be at the ex-
pense of many valuable citizens sacrificed
to typhoid fever of time lost, of suffering
endured and Of expense incurred by those
who recovered, Of numbers Of innocent chill
dren made victims TO scarlet fever, diph-
liberia and other filth diseases, of terrified
mothers, aud families driven from their
homes, and business lost by rumors Of dis
case within our walls, which is, that the
persistent negligence of sanitation on the
part of the authorities is gradually intensi-
Tying the Virulenoe Of filth diseases which
they tolerate. and is preparing the people
for repetition OF the experiences of 1876.
*The bottom of the new Casey canal will
present an exceptionally cheap aad prac>
ticable bed upon which to lay a pipe
through which the house drainage may
reach salt water ak miles from the city and
at the point OF exit it may be mixed with
all the fresh water coming from this drain
age of the southeastern swamps, in which
it would be lost, 50 great would be the dilu-
ton.
had hoped to be able to give the esti-
mates OF the cost OF this and other routes,
besides other interesting data, but l have
been unable to obtain them in tims for this
publication.
+The number Of dry wells is about 300
QS9ll In October and November, 1891 notices
were served on the owners OK the properties
on which the dry wells exist and executions
were issued go that these dry wells could be
filed up before the summer Of 1892. but in
or about December, 1891 a petition from
the owners was presented to council asking
that the ordinance be not enforced, and
council theroupon ordered that the ordi-
nance should not be enforced, and therefore