The evening times., 1896-10-12

Health Officer Woodward is especially
| Interested III the establishment in WASH
| tngton OF u public disinrecting service that
| is TO say, service paid for by the gov
ernment and maintained under the super
| vision or the health officials, the value OF
Which, lie THINKS, cannot be too highly es-
| tiInated.
In discussing this matter with a Times
| reporter DR.. Woodw ard advanced a good
many arguments in favor OF the project
1T VIII be remembered" he sad, by
| the unfortunate persons wno had experience
With smallpox during the recent outbreak
| that The disinfcctions were in charge OF
the health department.
This was by special arrangement, for
| the reason Cnat IL the worK OF ,iisiDfecting
an Infected room is done by the members
OF the nousehOid VINO nave not nau the uis
ease 1t means additional exposure, a nd, be-
sides, even though members of the Fam
ily are willins to take the risk OF such cx
pusure they have not had training in The
technique OF disinfection, and are, there
fore, not qualified to do the work with
thorou ughness.
COLLECTING DISEASE GERMS.
"Disinfcctiou, as It may be regarded in
the light OF the revelation OF bacteriology,
is essentially process of collecting the dis
ease germs from infected premises aud de-
stroying them, but such obstruction may
Oe accomplished either before or after col
lection. To he done properly 1T must he
done by persons who have some kno wledgc
of meteorological technique or uuder the
supervision OF competent officials.
.Phys;cians are qualified, by training
and otherwise, to discharge the duty iu-
teiliGently, but the ordinary layman can
only acquire knowledge by special study
or experience, and the more the expert
euce or study the greater the ability.
In the lifetime OF the average person, en-
gagged, we VIII say, IN trade, or mercantile
pursuits he VIII be called upon to disinfect
his own premises once or twice only. His
knowledge OF the duty may be gaugcd by
his limited experience.
"On tie other hand, when the work is
done by the health department, whose off
ciaIs are constantly engaged III its details,
the disinfection would OF course be done
in accordance with scientific rules and with
all the skill acquired by extended expert
ence
MATTER OF PUBLIC CONCERN.
This is a matter in which the public is
profoundly concerned. Infection may be
carried from the sick chamber into public
conveyances Of all kinds and into stores,
theatcrs and other pull places, whereby
PERSONS who are unsuspiclOus Of canger are
exposed to the disease. This must bc the
condition, SO long a s the premises remain
in an infected state. which, in many cases.
IL the disinfection is to remain in the ha nds
Of the householder, may continue an almost
indefinite period.
1t is believed the people OF Washington
will gladly ipdorse an appropriation for
the purpose of providing for the mainten-
aDce OF the service"
DR.. Woodward il also heartily In favor
Of the propnsitionto establish 4 crcmatOry
for the incineration of the pauper dead. He
made a RECOMMENDATION over year ago,
and this IL s understood. was supplemental
to previous suggestion, made several years
before, by DR.. TownsEend, soliciting the
favorable action of the nmissicners and
Of Congress.
In discussing this subject there have
been objections made by some District
officials to the location of the city morgue
on the same premises with the crcm;tory
1t is believed TO be too far from the center
of the city.
REVISION OF THE PLANS.
With this objection in view, design
recently prepared by S. II. Brown OF
proposed sau:tarium,' embodying the plan
of incine-ation in detail, provides Tor
receiving vault or room only, provided
with the equipments OF morgue, where
bodies of deceased persons may be placed
until claimed by their friends, in cases
where it is desired to have private burial
instead OF inCineration.
These two proposi itions, 1t is under
stood, have the Endorsement of the Com
lnissioncrs, and both will be urged upon
Congress at its next session.