The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-11-26
SUSTAINED FIRST REPORT.
Continued From First Page.

said the trough system was in his opinion
better on the whole. for all pupils and all
janltors, than any other. The individual
water closets did not work we'll even in
the High school. In the Chestnut street
school the working was particularly bad
Ex-Alderman Stevens asked DR.. Cum
mings if the two cases of diphtheria in
the Butler school could be traced to the
school house.
DR.. Cummings said that the later
authorities in diphtheria claim now that
no school houses generate diphtheria The
disease does not, in the general opinion
of authorities, come from drains But
diDhtheria comes from another case, as
small pox does. People are prone to lay
it to the school houses, but contagion
is the cause. If poor drains caused these
diseases, why were plumbers so healthy:
Why We're the Jews SO Healthy? They
lived generally in undrained cities?
Alderman Randall-Then why spend SO
much for sanitation.
DE- Cummings-It is a question.
DIR. Cummings did say, however, that
poor drainage and initiated air undouhted.
ly lowered the physical health, and made
one more susceptible to disease But they
were no source of contagion.
Mr.. Mitchell repeated to DR.. Cummings
the question asked Mr.. Jordan, and the
doctor replied that in his jugement the
Butler school ranked next to the High
school in good sanitary arrangements,
and that with the correction of the air
ducts there was not the slightest uestion
that it would be in good condition as
regards its sanitary arran gements.
Mr.. Sidney W. Thaxter next spoke. He
said he thought the Butler school was in
excellent shape. The agitation had been
started chiefly by some of the good ladies
of that neighhorhood, who had been
stirred up by the doctors He thought
some of them wanted the agitation
quieted. But Monument street school
was in bad shape. as he had found, and
If he were representative of Ward One
he would not vote dollar of money for
Butler school until Monument street
school was arranged Mr.. Thaxter also
took issue with Mr.. Libby theory about
foul odors being drawn into the airducts
of Butler school If the modern theory
set 9th by DR.. Cummings be true, then
we oughs to pay less attention to drain.
age, etc., and go to fumigating the six
hundred scholars daily in order that the
invasion of contagion may be prevented.
Naughter) Mr.. Thaxter then urged the
immediate opening of Butler school.
Mr.. Edgar E. Rounds took up the
battle for the Chestnut street urinals
which had been put in under his direo-
ton.
DIR. Way said that the people who sent
their children to the Chestnut street
shool wanted that school attended to
first, as its condition was admittedly
worse than that of the Butler school.
DR.. Cummings said the Board of Health
adireported the Chestnut street school
in bad condition.
DR.. Way said the water closets in use
in that school had been put in against
the judgment of the board of health and
the plumber.
Mr.. Theodore Woodbury. said he had
a boy in the Butler school. He wanted
the school made safe. There was variety
of opinions expressed about the present
arrangements of the school, He
thought the best way to settle the mat
ter was to summon Prof. Woodbridge
and get his opinion. If. Prof. Woodbridge
said the present arrangements were safe
be should be satisfied. If defects were
found dangerous to health, he wanted
them all remedied before the school was
opened
Mr.. Stevens-Mr. Woodbury. you send
your child to private tutor. do you not?
Mr.. Woodbury-Yes, but don't see as
that has anything to do with the case.
Mr.. Stevens-It has this to do with it.
that there are 400 children in that scho5
whose parents are not able to send their
children to private tutors and they do
not want the school closed indefinitely.
Alderman Randall reviewed the history
If the recommendations and the differen
and claimed that the committee
IN public buildings had acted consistently
md followed the recommendations of the
BOARD OF health.
Mr.. A. K. Wright said he had been into
he cellar of the Butler school and under
he trough had found some filthy earth
The con yention then dissolved.
When the Board of Aldermen had re-
onvened. the Mayor presented the
eport of the board of health
which was ordered referred to the COM
nittee on public buildings:
recommend that the present drains be
eplaced with extra heavy iron pipe; that |
he soil under the leaking joints be re-
moved that the drains be laid in brick |
roughs with slate tops, SO that they can
70 inspected at any time; that new water
losets and urinals like those in the High |
chool be put in on both the boys and |
iris sides, that window be placed at |
he head of the basement stairs; that the |
Id vault in the rear of the building be |
ug up and replaced with new earth.
Alderman Randall called up the report
the committee on public buildings,
n the Butler school buildingsand moved