The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-01-18
SOME NEEDS IN SANITATION.
Extremely Interesting and Practical Paper Read by Dr.
Henry Tucker to Professional Club


Brattleboro Professional club Monda,
evening DR., Henry Tucker, health of
6cer of this town, gave an extremel.
interesting and practical paper OF
Sanitation. After the paper supper
was served aud then followed an in
teresting discussion led by DIR. A. |
Miller Dr. Tucker paper was as fol
lows:
The BIRD edition OF Dunglisons Nedica
Dictionary defines sanitation as rthS
application of the rules of hygiene TO liv
making healthful." | would suggest
another and briefer definition, viz, the
harmless disposal OF waste. The prime
object of sanitation is the protection OF
the individual and the collection OF indi.
yiduals constituting the community from
injurious influences and substances that
interfere with the physical well being,
which we call health. The careful house
keeper wages an unending warfare with
what is Familiarity known as dirt. Some
one has defined dirt as proper material
IN an improper place, which is really
good definition.
The primary problem of the sanitation
then is how to effectively and safely dis.
pose OF the waste. What is this waste
material! Principally the excement of
human being, and animal that man has
domesticated for his benefit, and uncon-
sumed perishable food products.
The problem of waste disposal has
number of solutions, but situated as we
are, one, and that the least difficult,
meets our needs. Wherever there is a
sufficient volume of water flowing ultl-
mately to the ocean, and local supply
that can be utilized for domestic purposes.
the problem of waste disposal is compare
lively simple. Situated as we are in this
community, the primary essential OF SAM
tation is a sufficient supply of water, pure
enough to drink and for use in preparing
our food with volume and force enough
to carry away the waste. Hence we arrive
at the conclusion that water OF sufficient
purity and quantity is the basic require
ment for the erection of our sanitary sys-
TEN. That brings us, by natural pro-
gress, to the next essential, viz. system
of sewerage.
This part of the subject separates itself
in my mind into two divisions, viz. the
sewerage of the individual and the sewer
age of the community. In this connection
| beg your indulgence, as | wish to talk
to you as both sanitarian and physician,
because | consider sanitation and the
prevention of disease the highest and most
valuable work of physician.
One properly constructed system of
pipes will give sufficient waste dispose for
the community. but the human unit has
two complete systems of waste disposal. |
and an abundant supply OF reasonably |
pure water is essential for their efficient !
operation, as 1t is for the larger system of
the community. The kidneys are the or
gans that perform the office of waste
remover, for the circulation, taking the |
product of cell metamorphosis in solution |
in water. Here, again, we have evidence |
CT the absolute necessity of water to |
carry out the sanitation of the individual. |
The lower portion Of the alimentaly canal
is the second sewer system of the ami
NAL economy and provides for the remov-
al of the waste portion and much the
larger portion, of the food that we con
sumo.
Now the normal functioning of these
two systems of waste disposal of the hui
man unit is dependent on the ingestion
of an adequate amount of water, which
is not less thln three to five pints each
twenty-four hours. Any failure IT. the
performance of this eliminative process
much the same fashion that obstruction
of the soil pipes of your house would
with your house sanitation. So we are
brought back to the conclusion that water
of sufficient purity ard abundant quantity
is the p,lmary factor in the problem pre-
sented to us. The problem of sewerage
for a community like ours is purely one
of mechanics and engineering and presents
no difficulties beyond the financial one
The question of water supply is not so
simple, not from lack of a sufficient source
Of supply at attitudes that viii give eff
Gent gravity service, but to find supply
L. Il 4