Semi-weekly herald., 1908-11-30

1
itarians. The popular agitation wa,
great. The clergy protested will
solemn asseverations their belief that
/ pestilences were always indications
that national sins had become intoler
able TO the Almighty. and only fast
ings and prayers could appease His
wrath.
The people at large gave no heed
either to the clergy's admonition to
last and pray, or to the prime min.
ister's advice to clean their homes
and their surroundings; but, with their
usual disregard of the domestic dis.
eases with which they were constant.
ly familiar, gave no thought to ap.
preaching danger, But the sanitarians
were active In advising the people of
their respective localities to act on
the advice Of the prime minister. as
surfing them that cholera was dis.
ease which prevailed more generally
and severely in localities and homes
where there was the greatest amount
of "nlth."
The epidemic of 1919 came and
went with its apparent usual great
disturbances of the people. Flight
and Fasting and prayers" had their
natural results. the former being eff
fectual when undertaken In time, and
the latter without sensible influence
over the mortuary records.
A Town That Was Immune
When the net results of this vista.
tion OF cholera were officially deter
mined by the registrar general, one
fact attracted wide attention and ere
ated profound and lasting impression
on the minds of the common people.
town in the interior of England re
ported no case OF cholera. though the
epidemic prevailed with great virp-
lence in the communities Immediately
surrounding.
On inquiry as to the cause of this
remarkable feature Of pestilence that
hitherto had shown no respect for per
sons or localities. II was learned that
certain citizens of Stafford were deep
ly impressed with the reasonableness
of the prime minister's suggestions,
and organized and took action accord.
ingly. Volunteer committees com.
posed Of the leading men and women
were organized. One was to secure
thorough cleaning of the streets and
public places; another was to cause an
inspection of every residence and its
surroundings and secure complete
cleanliness; third was to obtain re
ports of all cases of sickness and re.
quire immediate isolation and treat
ment when there was the slightest
symptoms Of cholera appeared. Sal.
ford had its Hastings and prayers"
but not until It's citizens had done
works meet for repentance, and then
It asked the Divine blessing on its
efforts to protect itself-and its pray.
ers were abundantly answered
But there was another phase of the
Stafford experience not less impressive
than its escape from cholera. There
was a great dimInutlon of such dis
eases as diphtheria. typhoid, erysipe-
las, scarlet fever, measles. and other
low forms of sickness, so fatal in the
homes of the poor.
A new era now dawned upon the
domestic life of the English people.
Every household learned that clean.
liness had not only saved a town from
visitation of cholera, but it had
banisbed the contagious and infectious
diseases always present In their
homes. The health officer of England
gave tremendous force to the revela.
tion that had been made by officially
characterizing and classifying cholera
and the whole brood OF domestic
scourges as "filth diseases" This was
a most happy term. because it sug'
gested not only the source of these
diseases, but the simple and effectual
remedy that every householder could
apply. II became popular in the san
itary literature of the period, and thus
permetted all classes until the most
humble family knew its import and
in commendable manner complied
with its suggestion.
The next visitation OF cholera to
England was met by the simple rem
edy Of domestic and civic cleanliness;
and SO maniiestly effectual was this
measure that the pestilence lost its
former terrors. But the great and
LASTING gain to the people, which grew
out OF the original proclamation OF the
prime minister that cleanliness in the
home and It's surroundings was the
best preventive of cholera. was the
discovery OF the fact that nearly all
diseases which affliot the individual
family, and In larger sense the whole
community, had their origin in or were
intensified by the decomposing waste
matter, ".Filth" OF the sanitarian, in
and around the homes of the people.
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