New-York tribune., 1901-04-07
CITY DUST AND MUD.
ENrEcToRAToN THE CHIEF SOURCE or PUBLIC

streets for many reasons. They render walking
difficult and endanger ones headgear. They
facilitate takiI.g cold hy chilling person before
he knows it, and they ill the air with dust
which il is impossible to exclude from the eyes
nose and mouth This. perhaps is the most
serious of all the rawbacks. although its sig
nitcance has probably been overrated.
Dust, i is needless to remark is dry and pull
rcri"ed nui and. matter how thoroughly
certain streets Of city are cleaned. mud in Wet
weather and dust under other conditions inn
ported with astonishing facility from other
streets which not well kept. For this
reason dty mud is much more homogeneous
material than one might imagine. Locality has
much t" do with the general appearance of a
street some swept much frequently /
and thoroughly than others. But the filth that
accommodates in any Of them undergoes SO elab-
orate 4 communion and intermiNture that it
soon assumes something like a standard compo-
siIion.
The ciief ingredients are metal from horses
shoes md wagon tires. grit from the granite
paving blocks asphalt, particles OF iron ana
steel 81 frte from the street railway tracks and /
wheels. elevated and surface. horse manure.
human cXpectoration Cnlors from the elevated
road. scot from smoky chnneys. coal ashes
from ASH barrels. garbage from Lack streets.
paper and minute quantities II rubber from
bicycles and automobile tires. \ limited por-
ton If the sand Tor building purposes dust from
llioh and tile wagons ana the contents Of the /
city ash carts is jotvi oI the vehicles that
caIry them: aal small contributions to the stock /
in trade made al the piers whore coal is /
unloade 81. and q The door where il Is delivered /
TO customers.
TUsEU-r-i.ojs GERMS THE MOST COMMON. |
Dr y Il Park If the haoterioIogical staff of
the Sew 'rl Board Il Health. was interrosated
regarding this unpleasant cpnpound one day last |
week. He expressed The opinion mat street
dust did comparatively little harm aside from
its irritating effect such moist membranes
il could find a breezy day. Bacteria there /
are. no doubt. in both mud ana with dust. 1
The ccon bacillus. from horses. is very common. !
but not To be feared particularly. Then there /
ale the organisms associated with skin diseases /
and suppuration. These arr not desirabl" guests 4
10 entertain but arr rather scarce. Perhaps the
9, rms Of tIDerculosis arr tn most common bac-
1olia in CITY mui. and ar result of the almost
universal spittine habit but even the mem
bers Of This IA nily OF organisms do not survive
lc..a, after .Xle ,:oratICn. Dr Park is inclined 10
think that aIhrtera, tuberculosis, grip and
Other disease producing microbes ate coinmuni-
Gated from person 10 another more ire
ol.oi.t!y by mans Of tn breath than indirectly
through mud and dust. Typhoid germs not in
fr.9l-fltIy find their Way into the soil Of rural
communities. where pro per s-waee systems are
lacking bat they are practically never found in
saay streets.
q ghe enforcement Of the rule against cxpec-
tn,5;ion in str.ctcats is mu u more vigorous on
rarfan lines than 81 others. Where the rule Is
strictly observed no doubt a distinct benefit
10 the community results ON the other hand,
The laxiiy nith which The mandate If th- health
authorities Is ehforctl j elsewhere Is not without
its risks Th-r- are lines Of cars where splitting
is fraquent ana cleaning is deferred for hours
Even SO conservative an expert as Dr. Park IS
willing 20 admit that travel these lines is
more than Simply disagreeable. some day, per
han: th- r,artic, viii b" - ppped, not only IN
lnit5ic vehicles but % sidewalks as well. and
The public viii undoubtedly derive distinct
advantage from the reform. from a sanitary
po.nt IF view.
INDOOR DUST
Indoor dust differs from outdoor dust but
little. still whore there carpets which are
Frequently sHt. II lint is detached from them
ly the operation. Thus ~oO.en and other tex
lie dlr.s freed in th~ household. supplement
The aust that is brought from the stTeeet on
l,,.,tlo's Cl,1hing or that blows in Through open
doors and wind VS.. The fanility with which
s.ot :,.ts into "A house Wn-n soft coal is used il
the r,ighborhDol is another factor in th" case
s'flrth.s hotels and the theatres resemble pm
Afa J yelling houses in these respects. whereas
th.ir A. aiIbules and Hobbies are circulnstanced