Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-02-09
cnuntx Haalth AuthptltIas.

i Despite the Indictment weather. quite ar
i audience was present at the meeting of the
/ Associated Health authorities, which wal
held at Paulsboro Monday afternoon.
In the absence of the President and Vict
President, James j. Cowgirl, of Paulsbor0
presided. DIR. A. G. Hunt, State Sanitary
| Inspector. gave an interesting and instruc-
tive talk ON water drainage and the dis.
posal of household waste. Pure water, be
! said. is of a absolute importance, and with
out it disease will surely follow.
The fact that certain water has been used
for year does not prove that it is free from
danger
Some people having good and healthy
ancestrape can withstand the dangers lurk-
ing in bad water. while others place them
selves in great danger. Bad water lowers
the vitality, and renders the person
more liable to diseases.
He cited a case where l44 people out Of
population of $50 were stricken with
typhoid fever, caused by drinking certain
water that had become polluted.
Another case where 81 out OF % that drank
water from certain pump died of cholera.
The best and purest water comes from
springs then in order wells and upland
streams, suspicious waters are rain water
and surface water, coming off of cul-
tivated fields. Dangerous waters are those
from uItace wells and from rivers that are
contaminated by sewers Water that has
a pleasant taste is not always pure,
chemical ANALYSIS does not always discover
the danger.
The sand filter is best for use in large
cities.
All sewage must be removed, for cities
the house sewers should be seperate from
the rain water sewers.
Some cities in New Jersey have sewers
where the liquid parts are allowed to soak
away, and the solid matter is gathered for
fertilizer or burned These work we'll if
skillfully managed.
The pratice so common in villages and
small towns of using surface cutters should
never be encouraged.
Cesspools must be water tight and
emptied often. The cesspool should be at
least 100 feet from any veil used for drink
ing purposes.
A fissure in week may convey pollution
great distance.
The dry sink cloEet is used 10 some
places but is not very satisfactory Inc
latest method is what is known as the
septic tank where the sewage is collected
in tight tanks and allowed TO stand from
twenty-four to forty eight hours, the
bacterial change that will take place will
destroy the organic growth and lessen the
danger.
The collection and disposal of garbage
and rubbish is of vital interest TO every
one, and ways aud means must be devised
to dispose of them.
Burning garbage in kitchen stove an
noys the neighbors.
Ga call for reports from local
boards as to the condition of the
health of the county, it was found to be
very free from all contagious diseases, but
all parts have suffered from the prevailing
experience of grip.
DR.. George G. Laws being called upon,
gave q graphic account of the sanitary con-
dition of the Almshouse, and said that 1T
is generally free from disease, and the
water and drainage is the best that can be
found, which protects the inmates and
illustrates the beneficial results coming
from proper sanitation. One inmate, if he
lives to January of next year, will have
lived in there centuries, having been born
on Palm Sunday, 1893 The DR.. also
spoks of the improvement in the general
health of the county within the last twenty
five years. Erysipelas, lock-jaw and
typhoid were common and expected, now
they are rare. One of these diseases would
enter the county and would traverse across
it on almost schedule time. All the pre-
ventatiye diseases are growing less con-
mon, ard with proper co operation can be
still lessoned.
The school trustees, teachers, physicians
and Boards of Health can By corporation
do great deal to lesson the number of
cases. 1t is best not 10 close the schools.
VIM. M. Carter. to whom was referred
the question, " What amount of money
can Boards of Health expend," quoted the
law governing it, as also did VIM. G.
Cattell, as to the reporting Of contagious
diseases.
The next meeting will be held in Wood
bury about the last of April.