The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-03-10
The SANITARY BLESSINGS
Of Sewerage From A Physi-
clans Standpoint.
How it Adds to Vigorous Health-Pro-
lengs Life-Reduees the Death
Rate and Makes General
rau,farf


How it Adds to Vigorous HeaItb-Pro.
lcngs Life-Reduces the Death
Rate and Makes General
Comfort.
We are now confronted with the
most important sanitary problem
that can effect our community. Since
many centuries before Christ the
problem of the health of individuals
and communities engaged the earn
est attention of men; they early saw
the effect on the health of different
kinds of water, air, food, soils, exer-
else, rest, repletion, as well as the
emotions and affections of the mind,
and wrought with a spirit aud ener-
gy worthy of imitation and emulation
to make health more certain, decay
less rapid, life more vigorous, death
more remote. However far we NAV
be from knowledge of perfect sys-
TEN of laws of health, or whether
such an art will ever become our
heritage no man can say; but the ex-
perience of the long line of ages gone
by teaches in a cogent way that in
the midst of all our weaknesses and
many errors we are growing in knowl-
edge, which tells us in no doubtful
terms that our fate is in our own
hands and it is unquestionably true
that even now we can choose between
health and disease. Will we use
this knowledge and vote for an ideal
and complete system of sewerage and
embrace for our community the gol
den hope of cleanliness and happi
ness in health, or will we visit the
sins of our indifference and negIi-
genee on our fellow citizens and our
selves alike, and he chained down to
abasement Tin healthy suffering sor-
row, disease and painful death? Now
is the time for us to put aside@sel
| fishness, and carelessness and reck
lessness and indifference We must
not as we are wont commonly to do,
forget that we should have at heart
the interest of the whole community.
The painful experiences Of the past
summer should be a warning to us
and should beget a desire in every
voter in Morgantown to use the pow
er he has to insure for us all fair
promise of prosperity and health.
STATEMENTS In FACTS.
To the Inefficient modes of remov-
ing the excreta of men and animals
can be traced the great prevalence of
the scourges of the Middle Ages
and many of the diseases now pre-
vailing are due to the same cause.
In thinly populated districts the
sewerage matter returns at once to
that great deodorfzer, the soil, and
! by fertilizing it becomes a benefit
and not danger. IL populous com
munities however the disposal Of the
excreta becomes literally a matter of
life and DEATH
Attention should be pointed to the
fact that from a community OF 1000
persons, % tons of solid, and 81, $50
gallons of liquid matter are discharg
ed annually.
llpH 10 bulo w OC lCihoNC o.
We all agree that it should be re-
moved from the premises immediate
ly. But the question is, how is it to
be removed? There are two grand
plans for accomplishing 1t.
L. The water method.
2. The dry method.
1t is unnecessary to give descrip-
ton Of sewers. Enough of that APP
pears in the report of the engineer
addressed to the Mayor and Council
Suffice it to say that on the kind of
sewer and it's construction depends
whether it will bless or curse a com
munity All this will certainly be
considered and thoroughly examined
into by those in authority, should
our voters authorize them to act.
The water method is the cleanest,
! quickest, readiest, most inexpensive
method; and the construction of sew
ers, water closets, troughs, arrange
ment of house pipes and drains and
their connections, are matters to be
considered by the authorized parties.
20 gallons per head per diem is
abundant water. We have it and
more. The composition of sewer
water and the disposal of sewer wa
ter are unimportant considerations
for us. We will discharge at once
into running water, and are not both
cred with considering the difficulties
encountered by towns less fortunate
ly situated. Our situation is happy.
Now | wish to say few words on
objections, and on the influence sew
ers have had on the death rate of
towns.
SOME OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
Some claim that sewers are under
ground channels connecting houses
and allow transference of effiuvia
from house to house This is an
objection against error of construc-
ton and not against the plan proper
ly carried out
The water supply is in danger of
contamination, it is said This can
only be true when overflow pipes
from any source are carried into sew
ers and builders are not careful to
make complete separation between
water pipes. But again, this is
clearly an objection to constructive
detail and is no argument against a
proper arrangement.
DEATH RATE.
state as the result of examina-
ton into the total death rate from
all causes, and the death rate from
some particular diseases in % rep
resentative towns before and after
sanitary improvements, which sani-
tation consisted in better water sup
ply, sewerage, and town conservancy,
1.-THE former and latter we have, the
other we need }, that these sanitary
improvements lowered the death
rate in 10 out of 25 towns, the re-
duction being l0.5 per cent The
reduction of death from typhoid few
er was extremely marked and occur
red in 81 out of "a towns, the re-
duction being 45.4 per cent. l mere
ly select this disease because we
have so recently learned its nature
by experience The same reductions