The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-28
DUST AS A CAUSE OF DISEASE
OF street Dust By Using Oil Pneumatic Cleaning of
Buildings AS Health Precauton- Ventilation Tn
Factories to Safeguard Workers From Dust
FREDERICK 1. HOFFMAN
stntistician OF the Prudential Life Ip.ur,n.. c
Exclusive Service the Sunday Press
Bureau,)

Exclusive Service the Sunday Press
Bureau.)
The dust problem underlies all deliber-
ate efforts to improve the conditions
which, more or less, determine human
health. Other things equal, the length
of life will be In almost exact proportion
to the degree and kind of dust exposure.
Those who live In a dust-laden atmos-
phere are especially liable to diseases of
the respiratory system.
Outdoor dust, as met with on streets
and in travel. Is, in measure more of a
public nuisance than a direct menace
to health. The dust of streets and roads
Is, however, the cause of a vast amount
Of sickness. Automobiles have increased
enormously the difficulties of dealing eff
fectively with this nuirance. Street dust
Is but street destruction and disintegra-
ton. The use of water and salt solution,
Of tar and oil binders, Of asphalt emul-
sions, and similar preparations, are more
or less effective efforts to control the dust
menace and to preserve the roads. The
watering of public streets and highways
is entirely insufficient.
Crude methods of sidewalk cleaning are
practically universal and even where
ordinances exist that require such clean
ing to be done early in the morning, they
are seldom enforced. 1t is only on fare
occasions that previous sprinkling pre-
walls. Dust, In cases Of this kind, may
carry infection directly by means of dried
tuberculosis sputum.
Vast quantities of healtA-injurious dust
are also produced during building opera
tons. The workmen themselves are most
seriously affected. Still more aggravating
is the nuisance In the case of building
- -
Swing, sprinkling, or dust-laying ma
te. il, which a rational municipal ad-
mnistration should insist upon. The
London county council has decreed that
such work shall be restricted to the
hours between 6 o'clock in the evening
and 10 in the morning The walls are
thoroughly watered during the process.
More serious than outdoor dust ia that
met with in houses and in public places
The methods of cleaning in these places
are rarely more than crude methods Of
dust disturbance. The ordinary crude
ways of sweeping should be absolutely
done away with in public and semi-pubiic
buildings and pneumatic methods of dust
removal insisted upon. Public convey
ances, Pullman cars, plush cushioned
street cars, particularly require to be
cleaned and dislnfected with great care
1t is a most serious reflection upon the
present state Of public intelligence that
practically no objection should be raised
agaist the brushing Of coats, hats. ETC.,
after q dust-stained travel IN Pullman,
sleeping of parlor cars
The problem Of reducing the dust null
sance to a minimum In public school
buildings Is peculiarly difficult The most
intelligent means of cleaning should be
insisted upon in place of the present crude
methods. The close coincidence of school
attendance with epidemics is very largely
the result Of dust exposure.
Domestic dust Is a more serious men,
ace to health than is generally assumed.
Pneumatic processes Of cleaning should,
as far as practicable, replace crude meth
DDS of sweeping and dust disturbance.
Needless carpets, rugs, hangings, etc.,
should be done away with. 1t is not at
all going too far to absolutely prohibit
the sale and use of feather busters. as
perhaps one Of the most seriously detri-
mental agencies to health In the home.