The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-03-09

infected virulence, catch up the
emanation which goes dancing on, I'M
seen and uncared for, to light in
some human soil, the throat and
lungs generally, there to incubate
and cause immense pain and ,Often
death.
The Canada thistle has been fought
in the States by fire and Scythe, hoe
and law, to keep it from taking root
and spreading itself over fair fields.
There is now bill before congress,
has passed the senate, apprOpriating a
million dollars to be used for eradicat-
ing the Russian thistle from the state
of North Dakota. A 1.-THE of this sum
of money has never yet been apprO-
priated by congress except in emer-
gencies for sanitary purposes. From
these instances, and others that might
be mentioned, would it not be well
for us to fight, if needs be, filth with
spade, fire, water, law and money?
Is filth necessary thing? Can not
society exist without it? Is it
nemesis which must haunt our life to
our dying day? | will briefly answer
these questions by noting some of the
origins of filth. Usually filth Origi-
ignorance, inattentiOn to sound COM
mon sense rules of sanitation, and oc-
casionally in willful negligence. l
can not think that it is a blessing or
necessity 1t is always an evidence
that some one of natures laws have
been violated.
The places of filth are numerous,
the catalogue is startling. Unclean, I'M
ri = N of a
cellars, where remains of vegetables are
left to rot, and vermin breed and null
tiDly. and vile things may thrive, is
place of filth. So also the space in
dwelling houses between the ground
and the floor where neither sunlight
nor fresh air ever come; and where
cObwebS are spun, rats and mice make
nests, and mould and mildew abound,
and offensive gaSSes originate. I'm
kept, poorly lighted and poorly ven
tilated rooms, into which a clear ray
of Gods sunlight never comes. Cup
boards where bits of stale food are
allowed to gather, and bread mould to
grow, and cheeSe-miteS and name
less things to accumulate to poison
the air. Clothes presses and closets,
where soiled linen and garments unfit
for even tramp to Wearare scattered
around and hung, not to air, but to
rot, and cast off boots, shoes and rub
oers become yellow and gray with the
growth of foul things. CiSternS I'M
cleaned for decade. Foul wells, con-
5aminated by drainage from privieS
md ceSSpOOlS, also corrupted from
sloughs and marsh drainage and the
more foul drainage from door yards
md barn yards. Our city water is not
liable to pollution from any such
source, is an excellent quality of
water, entirely free from any possible
germs of disease, hence perfectly safe,
md ought to be more generally used
oy our people than it is. There are
three essentials for the water supply
of a community, first, purity; second,
4 sufficientQuantity; and third, cheap
ness, so that it may be within the
reach of all. This can only be attain
ed here by all living within proximity
Of the mains using it. CesSpOolS near
the house where the family Stops are
thrown into it to tester and become
reeking with live things and germs of
live things, sending up OdOrS more
powerful than the balm Of a thousand
flowers, the drainage Of which perco-
lates through the soil to the cOntig
uous well or spring, to be drank by THE
family. We hope that the attempt
made last summer to collect the gar
bage in our city, will be renewed, and
that the board of health will receive
the cordial support Of our people" in
this important work.
Priyy vaults, without being stoned
or bricked and cemented, not even
boarded up, simply a hole in the
ground, and not cleaned or dis
infected since the flood, in
to which the eXcreta of all
manner of contagious diseases have
been thrown. In many instances these
privies are so situated that an extra
ordinary rainfall will cause them to
overflow, washing out their contents
upon dooryards and into cellars, els
terms and wells poisoning the water
and loading the atmosphere with
dangerous matter. Their use ought
to be abolished wherever sewerage
connections can be made, because
water closets are more comfortable