The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-23
.,rcvss,ry OF CLEANING UP.

=
The Northern cities have begun the
work Of thoroughly cleaning up their
s,ree,s alleys and slums in view OF the
hot weather, and in anticipation Of a
,.,.,.a,ion from the dread disease, cholera,
and Richmond should not be slow in
following their example. 1t has been
abundantly proven that our city Is by
No means I'm the sanitary condition 1t
should be. II is well known that typhoid
fever and diphtheria are diseases which
have their origin in filth and dirt, which
causa foul gases that poison the sys-
Tom and make It liable TO the attack OF
these ins.dlous foes. During the past
v,inter DESPITE the unusual cold when
keeps such gases down, typhoid 1eVer
has been almost epidemic in Richmond
,,.h,,a q number Of cases Of diphtheria'
more or less fatal. have been developed
This shows most plainly that Richmond
ts not Clearly. and If the foulness Of the
atmosphere due to a lack Of proper SAM
tarv precautions. caused so much sickness
during the cold. ice-bound days Of winter
what must we expect in the long hot
sweltering days Of summer that are al
ready upon US?
II is confidently anticipated that cholera
will make its visit TO the United states
this summer. as IT has already made It's
appearance in Europe. Therefore a thor-
ough cleansing Of the city's streets Is
absolutely necessary as measure TOT
wardlng off that dread disease; butreVeh
- there were not the slightest danger
from that source. there is imminent dan
ger from the diseases we have already
mentioned. and which have already made
their home with us. In fact, diphtheria
has been one Of the filth diseases from
which we have suffered for a long time.
Two years ago. II will be remembered
q considerable number Of little ones were
stricken down with il during the summer,
and its ravages continued late In the win
ter. At that time it was almost, If not
quite. epidemic. and the cases Of that
and its companion, typhoid fever, which
appeared last winter, showed, beyond any
doubt, that the city has been in an un-
healthy condition for at least two years
past. and. as far as has been seen. no
very active efforts have been made to
drive out from it, by cleanliness, these
diseases, which have brought so much
sorrow to many a Richmond home
The streets, alleys and many dirty
homes of Richmond. should, therefore,
be put in good order without delay. All
the forbidding parts Of the city should be
thoroughly cleansed, and having been
cleaned, should be given an abundant
coating of white-wash, while lime, that
great disinfectant Of disease germs, should
be freely used.
A Philadelphia contemporary, writing on
the possible appearance Of cholera, gives
some very good advice on the subject OF
cleanliness which is worthy Of reproduc-
ton. 1t says:
THE public health is. or should be- the
very first consideration Of those in au-
thority; and IL is gratifying to perceive
that this is the opinion Of so many pub
lic-spirited citizens who are using their
influence to make the sanitary conditions
of the city better than they have been for
a good many years. The room for inn
provement is great, and the work Of I'M
provement cannot be begun too soon, nor
too vigorously prosecuted. If the cholera
should come. It would find plenty Of vic
tins TO prey upon under existing circum-
stances; and If it should not come there
are other dangerous or so frequently fatal
diseases TO take it's place and do their
deadly work. as they have done summer
after summer, especially among the little
children. The authorities, men and wo-
men of public spirit and medical scien-
lists. can find no work more necessary
10 be done than that in which they are
now Interested. Of giving the city a thor
ough cleansing and radiance Of the foul
ness which invests It, Clean streets and
clean homes are things which are Of the
very first importance"
We heartily commend this extract TO our
city authorities in the hope that they
may be induced thereby to act I'm this
matter of sanitation as the public health
absolutely demands.