The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-03-31
gthe Merall anG Wews
THE PUBLIC HEALTH.
Il. II. AUI.I.. EDITOR.

The board of health should adopt
rules requiring owners of property to
put in connection with the sewerage sys-
TEN in localities where the health of
the community is endangered by the
old system. The fact is the owners OF
property where such conditions exist
should have sufficient regard for the
health of their neighbors, if they are
indifferent to their own, to make the
connection without rules forcing them
to do it.. Unfortunately, however, there
are people who are too selfish to put
themselves in the other fellows posi-
ton, and as long as they are not annoyed
or inconvcuenced and the health of
themselves and their families not jeo-
pardized, they are Indifferent and will
let the expenditure Of few dollars
keep them from doing what they should
do and what they would raise a row
about if the shoe was on their foot. 1t
is nothing more nor less than criminal,
and to reach such there should be law
adopted and enforced
Since the sewerage has been put in
there is no excuse for maintaining a
yard-a back yard-that is offensive
and that is not only offensive, but
places in jeopardy the health and the
lives Of the community in which it is
located.
The summer is coming on and we
should take every prccautlon to pre-
serve the health Of the town and the
cleaning out Of small places and lots
where stables and COWS are kept, and
other places that are not in good san-
tary condition should have the attcn-
tion Of the health officer.
Another matter that should have the
attention Of the board Of health is the
flushing occasionally of the hydrants.
These were not flushed ut all last sum-
mrr, and have not been since the pres
cnt superintendent has been in charge,
though the water in some Of them at
least becomes at times offensive and is
at all times stagnant and impure. The
suprrintcndcnt holds to the position
that it matters not how impure and
poisonous the water in the hydrant be-
comes it would not affect the water in
the mains because there is Il constant
current. That may be true, but we
would not undertake. to convince the
public of the correctness Of the posi-
ton, and we think the safe plan is TO
have the hydrantS regularly and frc
Uucntly flushed. The health of the
community is too important 10 be tri-
fled WITH The commissioners of pub
he works, we presume, could do this
with the permission Of the Supcrintcn-
dent, or the board Of health could re-
quirc it, In most if not all towns with
systems of water works this is required
by 4 regulation "f the board of health.
All Of us, officials and citizens, need
to pull together and cooperate in every
effort for the health Of the community.
Water works and sewerage are both
convenient, but the burden Of the arlrll-
mcnt for their establishment was that
''i'N "oul' prove lltitlIn promoters.
This they cannot be of themselves.
Those in charge Of the systems should
do their part in seeing that they are
property managed, and in order to ben
eft the people, the people must take
advantage OF them. The systems also
belong to the people and not to an ndi-
viduaI and should be managed for the
public good and with the public health
in view.