New-York tribune., 1903-05-05

IRE Bt4fG HEALTH. With Special kefer
ence tc the Causation and Prevention of lnfec
uous Diseases. BY William T. Sedgwfck, Phi ID.
stitute Of Technoiesy. = svo. s1e Pp s6S: The Mac
milan Company
The authors former connection with the Mas
eachusetts State Board of Health, together with
the exceptionally progressive and enlightened
policies for which that organization has been
famous create favorable anticipations concern
ing the value of this work; nor are these hopes
disappointed by examination While DR.. Sedg-
wicks aim has been to lay down principles
rather than 20 supply the detail in every branch
Of sanitary reform he has accomplished both
purposes in a fairly comprehensive and thor
oughy modern fashion So far personal hy-
giene is concerned. there are many such matters
climatology. clothing diet and ventilation
which cannot yet be standardized But the gen.
eral control of infectious communicable dis
eases is question Of engineering. for which suf-
fcient data available. This control
must be exercised by public officials: but their
duties viii be the easily executed If the
mass Of the people properly enlightened on
this subject With Lord Derby. DR.. Sedgwick
holds that sanitary instruction is even more
important than sanitary legislation
All Intelligent action for the prevention OF
those diseases which may be conveyed from one
person TO another must depend upon a famili-
arfty with both the immediate agents OF mis-
transmitted It is Necessary, first TO understand
that these Ills are due primarily to poisOns Sc
c-eted and liberated in the system by microbes
OF various species and then to know how the
organisms are able to invade the system. Tet-
anus, for instance, is essentially dirt disease,
and its germs ere liable to enter any wound no
zaatter how slight. that is not dressed in
rlsariy manner. In like manner malaria, yell
Dow fever and smallpox often gain access
Through punctures and abrasions so insignif-
cant not 90 be recognized The seeds of
k1berculosis and another group OF disorders
etr horne. and usually enter through the mouth
and nostrtls by which routes they reach the
Throat and lungs Finally. the origin Of typhoid
Fever cholera and ether troubles is attributable
10 organisms which have IN some manner got in
ko ones food and drink II is mainly with the last
group that the csvl authorities try to contend |
Etnce 81 Is much more practicable to the |
desired result with them than by trying TO con- |
troll the atmosphere the habits of individuals
One OF the most fecun6 sources of trouble is I
khe public water supply, which may easily be-
bone contaminated with human excretions Il |
su sources are not closely watched Thus have |
Ertseu Some OF the most famous epidemics of |
typhoid fever and cholera in this country and /
Europe Hence. the drainage Of any large town
Into small and swiftly flowing stream renders
she latter dangerous to people living further
/
sufuences tend TO reduce the risk as the dis
Isnce increases, and especially where the volume
nt the river is large and its motion slow. Sun
Hight kills most bacteria that float on the sur |
face. and there are predatory forms of animal
life near the bottom that destroy the majority
OF those that sink Not only these influences, !
but unfavorable environment and dilution also
operate TO minimize the risk In this sense
and TO limited extent It is true that running
water tends to purify itself But when COM
lnunity cannot manage its own watershed, and
when examination shows that the water itself
does not thus purify itself, the great reliance
must be filtration, either by means Of large beds
of sand alone through which the water flows
by gravity, or smaller beds. through which It
is forced by pumps. after having been treated
with chemicals to precipitate offensive coloring
matter. In the efficacy of both plans DR.. SedS-
wick evinces faith
Filtration is sometimes employed by a rnunic- !
pality 10 render its sewage innocuous before
discharging the same into q river This pre-
caution is not necessary for the city's own | ,
sake. but because another large centre Of pop
ulation depends upon that stream for it's water
supply: and in some States such wholesale pol |
luton is contrary to law. The wisdom of the
prohibition is illustrated by the fact that the
typhoid epidemic in Lowell IN December. 1890 | ,
was almost Immediately followed by another | {
down the Merrimac. Since sewage contains |
q good deal Of semi-solid matter Of a pernicious
in addition to such bacteria as 1t may
derive from households and hotels, prepara- !
tory treatment by what is called the septic /
process" is sometimes adopted before it is ad-
nitted to the sand beds. Confinement in a |
tank promotes decay and disintegration so
that IL is in better condition for the purify
tng influences Of the filter proper Two func-
lions are eventually performed by the sand or, =
rather. by the benefcent bacteria which rapidly
develop in the upper layers OF the bed and form
q sellylike film there. Decomposing animal a
matter Is chemically and wholly changed into
harmless substances. and disease bearing ba- b
-la are practically all destroyed Probably
ess than j per cent Of those originally in the u
ewage are discernible In the effuent OF the F
liter. Y
Mix IS probably the most common vehicle =
disease germs next after water. No end of S
piden1ics OF typhoid fever and scarlet fever ..
ave been traced TO contaminated supplies of ii
IFS great requisite CT daily life. To a limited -