Newark post., 1912-09-04
EXPERT OPINION ON SANITARY
CONDITIONS IN NEWARK
DR. ROBIN GIVES VIEWS ON HEALTH CONDITIONS HERE
REPEATS WARNING GIVEN YEARS ACo

well adapted to act as a carrier of
! typhold germs. The theory of a
polluted well presupposes. first a
sufficient amount of human pxcre-
ment reasonable near the water
supply; second, the excrement
must be IN liquid form to soak
through the ground: third. the
ground must be permeable and the
well shallow; and, finally, after all
these conditions are present. we
must assume that the typhoid
germs which escaped the destruc.
i've process OF natural filtration
entered the well in such laroe
numbers as not to be materially
affected by the dilution with the
water IN the well and the addi.
tlonal water which is constantly
flowing. On the other hand no
such hardships are encountered BY
the typhoid germs when transmit.
ted by flies. A small lump of ex-
crement containing the typhoid
germs is deposited on the surface
flies alight and load up with few
millions OF them. and carry them
directly into the milk, soup. or
other food to be consumed bv the
victim. Here is direct course
which equals direct contact of
healthy persons with the excre-
ment of typhoid patients, a source
OF infection which is quite com.
mon but generally overlooked. 1t
is thus seen that the suggestion
that the flies are the source of ty.
phoid in Newark is quite within
the range of possibility, if not
probability. From this stand
point, and from this standpoint
alone, garbage and stable manure
assume sanitary Importance. be-
cause they breed flies. Otherwise
neither garbage nor manure nor
any other waste, excepting human
eXcrement, can have the slightest
bearing on the causatiOn of ty-
phoid fever, for the simple reason
that these things do not harbor
the garms. much as they may be
offensive to ones nOstrils.
However, whether the typhoid
fever in Newark is caused by flies
or by polluted wells we cannot es-
cape the conclusion that THE
ONLY remedy is a sewerage sys.
tenn which would do away at. once
with the human excrement which
alone is the possible source Of in.
fectiOn. The learned secretary of
the Newark Board of Health re.
marks in recent statement that
the best possible sewer will not
help those who persist in using
polluted well water, or those who
persistently neglect the simplest
sanitary precautions in the kitchen
and of garbage disposal.
Yes. but the "best possible
sewer" will prevent the pollution
of the well water.
Now, we are up against it. The
construction of sewerage system
means expenditure Of money, and
any suggestion that carries with
it an attack on the pOcketbOOk,
except the suggestion to purchase
a new automobile, is Immediately
put down as coming from a crank
or one who does not know where.
of he speaks. The surest way to
make oneself unpopular is to
make suggestions which mean the
of taxes. and the surest
way to be popular is to put the
community on the back and sing
it's virtues. Well. at the risk Of
still further increasing the grow
ing unpopularity in my home city
| am repeating the statement al
ready made, namely, that Newark
will never be rid of typhoid fever
so long as it permits the present
system of sewerage disposal.
Respectfully,
A. Robin.