The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-01-11
SEWERAGE IN RELATION
TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

The following article was read by t.
A. Price before an organization in Col
orado Springs:
i The prevention of disease gives dig
nifty to the business of plumbing and
offers field Of work closely allied to
human happiness, progress and devel-
opment never dreamed of by most of
we plumbers when entering this field
only few years ago ostensibly to earn
a living as mechanics, but in this goth
century we are transformed into scien-
lists. The relation of sewerage to pub
lie health is a much mooted question
1t has come before us and other scien
lists of the world in a thousand diff
rerent forms, and we have so far agreed
on two things. One is that the sewer
age question is mighty big one and
the other is that sewerage is a great
breeder of disease. We all agree on
this, but how to prevent this sewerage
from getting in its deadly work is a.
great problem. I am going to tell you
all l know and have read about the
matter. In the past few weeks I have
made careful research and I am
told by doctors high in the profession.
that a large number of dangerous dis
eases are caused directly by the inhal-
alton Of impure air which contains
microbes and germs and which breeds
zymotic disease such as consumption.
cancer, childhood diseases insanity
yellow fever and scarlet fever, and
many others too numerous to mention
i The numerous plaques which have Wis
! tied this and other countries, often
devastating whole communities in a
short space Of time, have usually been
traced to the improper disposals Of
sewerage The medical profession has
long ago, accepted the germ theory and
tells us that the careless and ignorant
disposals of human excavations are the
chief source of the germ supply. II
II therefore, Is necessary that they be
thoroughly and quickly removed and to
my mind the underground sewer is the
safest means of such disposals The
plumbing profession is with me in this
know. But sewers under ground es-
pecially, generate gases which we com
monty call sI er-gases, which causes
the diseases l enumerated above; and If
this be SO it lies with the plumber to
contine these gases to their UNDER
ground home. We must prevent II
from getting into the homes of our
friends the public. Sanitary drain law
ing and plumbing therefore, stands In
the very closest relation to the public
health more so than any other science
and to prevent the admission Of those
foul gases, the entry of those awful
devastating microbes and the bastard
ly work of the disease germ into the
system of the public, is the mission of
the sanitary plumber of today. We can
seal the homes of our fellowmen
against contagion and disease. and
sanitary plumbing is SO far advanced
that there is no longer a theory but a
fact Theories and methods and with
the aid of laws by our states and NUM-
cipalities compelling property owners
and houses, tenements and all inhab-
itated buildings to be put in such
sanitary shape, there is no reason why
most of the germ diseases should not
be entirely wiped out This is a noble
and humane work and we should unite
in doing all in our power toaccomplish
1t. Sanitary plumbing deals with
house drainage, sanitation of pipes and
appliance of water supply. 1t belongs
to modern progress Plumbing is an
art and sanitation a science / need
not go into detail Of how to do work
here: 1t is the work OF the agency OF
plumbing and sanitary engineers that
life in the larger cities with their laws
regulating the disposals of waste mat
ter and other sanitary laws lis made
possible and I think the plumber is
really deserving of a much more prom
inent position among his fellow-crafts
men than is usually accorded him. we
have only to look back a few years to
see the practical Illustration OF unsani-
tary conditions Several years ago, our
late president, William Mckinley, over
awed by the large death rate of the
public in Havana, sent Colonel Warning,
New York expert there and his first
report read, Send me $1,000, 900 to
build sewers and clean up the city and
in a short time guarantee that Hav-
ana will be as healthy place as any
of our southern cities" In sanitary
respects, Havana was SO far behind
the times. It's cutters were its sewers
and it is no wonder our soldiers who
were used to living in clean American
cities died faster from disease than
from Spanish bullets. In 1898, India
was visited by plague of fever which
carried away almost an entire COM
munity. Here also the alleys and
streets were receptacles of sewerage
matter. Here, the plague died out af-
ter the English authorities spent mill
lions of dollars in removing the filth
which caused IT. In 1895 the entire
school population Of Lynn, Massachu-
sets was stricken with an epidemic Of
diptheria. commission of experts
located the cause In the defective sys-
tenn OF drainage and system OF closets
In use there. The removal Of this sys-
!, tenn and the entire remodeling OF the
plumbing and drainage followed and
the disease died out and think never
to return again.
The report of Or. Sanner, the German
expert on the Cholera epidemic fiji
Hamburg Germany In 1892 concludes
BY saying, What would we poor doc
! tors have done II we did not have san
ltary engineers to help US. And DIR.