The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-12-13
rHE STREET SWEEPER.

becoming somewhat interested in SAN
itation. health. germs, etc. This is
specially interesting because city
councils, as a. rule, are more inter
ested In letting contracts than in do
ing the small things that are necRs-
sary to do in order 10 look after the
health Of a community. I have also
noticed that they are interested as to
whether germs OF disease are carried
in sewer gas. Germs of disease, like
other solid particles, do not controvert
the simple laws of nature. Most peo-
pie have observed that solid particles
that do not have wings or legs cannot
leave water surface or a wet surface
Leaves sticks, algae, fungi. bacteria
and small particles which are able to
float cannot leave the surface of a
stream OF water without violent action
of the wind. Evaporatlng water means
distilled water, and gases that are not
in violent motion do not carry solid
particles. Germs, whether diphtheria,
typhoid, or other types, are mighty
solid little particles of vegetable mat
ter. They may float in air currents
when dry, but cannot get off from a.
wet surface.
The question as to whether they are
carried i'm sewer gas or not has been
studied many times by able bacteriolo-
gists, and has always been answered
in the negative, the answer being, es-
sentially, that when cultures nave
been made from the air of closed sew
ers or from escaping gas, there has
either been an absence Of organisms
or only those have been found which
could be accounted for by the presence
of air currents. Upon this point,
suggest that anyone interested may
read in The Literary Digest of Dec.
4, 1909, fair popular resume OF a
part of the investigations upon Germs
in Sewer Gas.
1t has, however been ascertained
that wind escaping from dry sewers
may carry particles OF dirt and dust
which carry sewer injecting organisms.
Thus, IL the wind blows through a dry
| sewer It becomes a great menace to
health. II sewers are properly flush
ed there can be no danger from this
source unless visited 10y insects which
carry the refuse material about, or by
workmen VINO dump 1t on the streets.
Real leaks where the sewage itself
| is allowed to escape, dry of, and blow
about as dust is worthy OF the closest
attention.
People should not be unduly fright
ened with regard to the fact that there
are a few cases OF diphtneria, nor is
any amount OF investigation Of the
| sewers likely to largely lessen or In
crease the number Of possible cases.
While the bacillus which causes diph-
iberia Is sometimes said TO be easily
killed by light, let 1t be remembered
that II is one OF the most tenacious of
life of the disease producing organ
| isns, and that IL Is essentially an ex-
pectoration organism, one which is
distributed or scattered by discharge
from the membranes Of the nose and
throat. 1t is also virtually a wind
blown disease dust carried. 1t is well
| for people to remember that well
| lighted rooms and well aired rooms
are beneficial agents in preserving the
health but that these are not suffici-
ent TO destroy wind blown germs of
| disease such as diphtheria. There are
countless hooks and crannies In the
blood, rugs, bedding and drapperies Of
every home to shelter such organisms.
This brings me to the point In this
/ article. No amount OF protest from
/ the newspapers, or by anyone who
| knew the dangers connected with the
work of the street sweeper seem sufii-
cient to put that filthy piece OF APP
/ paratus out OF business. During the
summer months. IT ran almost every
night and the clouds OF dust which IL
raised Of necessity carried the accumu-
lated germs OF the previous season.
4 Most citizens of Fargo have seen this
street dust blowing into the places Of
business, and especially into the open
windows of the sleeping rooms OF the
fats and residences along the streets
on which the sweeper was put into
action-it goes much farther.
What I am indicating is that there
are plenty Of the germs of diphtheria
and other kinds Of disease germs scat
tered by this dust into almost every
house In Fargo. Let us not get work.
ed IN for the creation Of two or three
appointive Offices. The health officer
| should have a city laboratory and a
trained bacteriologist as aid. The citi-
gems OF Fargo can at present do much
more to restrict the spread of diph-
iberia In the town than can be done
by any efforts at inspection at tear
ing out and replacing Of plumming.
and with less attendant dangers, If
thew will avoid raising a dust in all
| house cleaning operations and make
free use of proper throat and nose
washes whenever a raw membrane is
indicated--of which gargles and wash
Is there are none better than reduced
solutions of peroxide OF hydrogen and
listerine.
The time for the city officers to look
after the health OF the city is in the
summer time when 1T is easy to do
things, when It Is easy to drain the
| stagnant ponds that line all our un-
paved resident streets. and when II is
easy for anybody with common sense
10 know that it is essentially a GRIM
/ minat act to run an instrument Of
death such as the street sweeper un-
less II is in some manner accompanied
by a proper wetting down OF the
i streets or by a spray which viii pre-
4 vent the distribution Of clouds of dust
what is the good of all Of our sanitary
II laws and of quarantine IL such worl;
is still TO be continued? My best
wishes for the street sweeper is that II
4 NAV go to it's much merited rest-the
dump heap--in close association with
very hot fire.
II. C. BoIley. N. d. A. C.
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