Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-07

lhe citles OF Spain, Italy, Russia and Mex
leo, where the sewerage systems are less
complete, the diminution has not taken
place.
The history of Munich offers the
strongest evidence on this point
From 1854 TO 1889 when no means existed
10 prevent the fouling of the soil the NOR
talty was p to 10000 inha bitants.
From lsG0-65 the sides and bottoms of
the pits of the privies were cemented. and
the mortality fell to 16S0.
From 1S66-13 with partial sewerage. II
was 1890; from 1874 to 1880, with improved
sewerage it was 9.26. and from 1881 to 1884.
with still greater improvements. II fell to
1.I5 to 10000 inhabitants.
The experience of Berlin is very instruc-
i've TO Washington, as showing the differ
ence in mortality in houses with sewer con-
hectlons and in houses without them where
privies were used.
l. In houses with sewer connections
there were 15.5 cases and AS deaths to
10000 population.
In houses without sewer connections
there We're $50 cases and 1I.9 deaths.
l. In severed houses there was one case
houses.
In non-sewered houses there was 1
case tc each 9.3 houses and one death to
43 houses.
In Dantzic, with wretched system of
privies, there were 10 deaths to 700 inhab-
l.ants' Inc introduction of an abundant
water supply in 1865 produced no effect ON
me death rate The city was severed in
lsI2 In the following twelve years the
average mortality "a and in the last
nve years was only 1.5. In Breslau in 1866
without sewers, the mortality was 1872; in
1876 with sewers. ii dropped to 5.5 TO IOOOO
Inhabitants. In the cities of England he
lore any extensive sewerage systems Were
introduced. from 1850 to 1871, the mortality
was 30; from 1876 TO 1854 II was 36 the
change following upon general INTRODUCE
ton of sewer drainage
Brooklyn and New York have the best
- IN
York has 300 miles of sewers but Rrooklvn
Is perhaps the best severed large city. New
York has mortality of 80 and BROOKLYN
Id The mortality of Brooklyn. our best
severed city, is lower than Munich Berlin,
Hamburg, London, Vienna, which are the
best severed cities of Europe And when a
city is said to be severed, this means that
water closets are substituted for priyies
and the soil is kept free from contamina-
ton.
TO turn now to other cities In this coun-
try, Baltimore, as Osler in his excellent re-
port says, has practically only surface
sewerage. The excreta pass for the
most part. into privy pits. of which IL has
been estima ted there are from 10000 TO
$1,000, occupying one-twentieth of the entire
surface of the city. exclusive of streets and
PARKS Lea kage. he says, unquestiona bly,
occurs in very large number. with satura-
ton OF the ground in the vicinity. Balti-
more has a mortality of As, more than
three times that of Brooklyn.
Washington, whose sewerage system Is
very good In most respects, but with fatal
defects which diminish its efficiency and
with that equally great danger from soil
pollution from its 1900 privies. has an aver
age annual mortalty Of 60 in the last thir-
teen years. THIS is four times the death
rate OF BROOKLYN, twice that of New York,
and the same as that of Philadelphia
The daily pollution Of tue soil by the focal
discharges of our patients suffering from
typhoid fever, with the resulting contamina-
tlon or well water, must be recognized as the
CHIEF source Of the diffusion of the disease
IL Is case of auto-infection We are daily
breeding the poison which poisons us ana
the inevitable round from intestine TO soil
from soil to well and from well back to in
lestine. goes on and on with the most tragic
uniformity. We sustain all the condItions
favorable to rapid and perfect propagat
OF the bacilli Branches and Deschamps
have experimentally shown that typhoid
germs placed on the surface of frequently
moistened ground will penetrate nearly two
feet into the soil, and will there retain NE
Tor hve and a half months They multfnly
rapidly in lily drained soil, live for an in
dennite time in privy vaults, and have a
much longer existence in cisterns and wells
than in running water.
In washington we supply al these neces-
sary conditions-leaking priyfes for the re-
ception OF the excreta and their contained
germs.a damp and lily drained soil for their
reception and rapid growth, neighbortng
wells for the resuiting-the inevitably re-
sulting-contamination of drinking water
eohsumed oy a thirsty population. What
more conveniences can We supply? What
more successful means can We adopt to
raise our mortality to a point higher than
mat OF Brooklyn. New York, Baltimore and
session! We are among the most success
iul cultivators Of the deadly bacillary plant
in this country.
Recommen
The committee would urge upon the Medi-
cal Society the Importance Of taking the
initiative in the effort TO control the spread
of this destructive but preventable disease
by urging upon our municipal government
and upon Congress the prompt adoption OF
measures TO remove the causes to which
this report has drawn attention
The measures to be recommended are.
L. The immediate abandonment of all
wells within the city limits, exception only
20 be made in case of the absence of the
Potomac supply, and where the wells, after
repeated chemical and METEOROLOGICAL exam
nations have been found to be free from
all possible sources of danger. But even
these to be abandoned as rapidly as posi-
ble
.. Publication Of the sewerage system al |
ready existing, by replacing as RAPIDLY as
possible all damaged or defective drains.
D. Inc Introduction of new sewers in ad- |
vance OF other improvements in parts of |
the city not now supplied with drainage. !
and the extension of the system as far out
side OF the city limits as the rapidly grow |
ing population demands, so as to prevent l
4. The adoption of some system by which !
the lower sections OF the city can be more
completely drained, and the risks arising
from the backing up Of tide water and sew
age prevented.
.. The final and safe disposal of the sew
age.
q. The early completion of the plans rec
commended by Col Elliot, in charge of the |
Washington aqueduct and now in course
OF execution. which have in view the sedI-
mentation OF the Potomac water, and ulti-
mately the completion of works for filtra-
ton, the only proper method of purifca-
ton.
Z. The suppression of all privies and the
enforcing OF the law to make sewer connec- 1
tions.
s. Careful inspection Of all diaries I'm the
D1strict from which our milk supply is
drawn and the enactment of a law by which
no milk shall be sold in the District with
out a permit from the health office The
Inspection should cover an examination AT
the dairies of all possible sources of infec-
ton, including the water supply
y. The urging upon the members of the
profession of a careful collation. of all facts
bearing upon the mode of infection In each
case, and the advantage of reporting such
iacts to the society, and the propagation Of
the doctrine that immediate disnfection OF
the stools is the first duty of the physician
as guardian OF the health of the commu-
nifty.
g. L. MAGRUDER,
w. w. JOHNSTON,