The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-09-18
NUIsANcEs !.


agreeable. some are dangerous We
call then nuisances. OF course, there |
are observation-disclosures nuisances-
but they belong in a class by them
selves for they are unavoidable and
incurable excepting in the silence of
the grave.
Common nuisances are here dis
from sanitary nuiSances
by the fact that they are merely an
moving, perhaps offensive, to the
senses-to sight, hearing or smell
but are not productive Of disease. and
the distinction is not always care
fully made.
"A dead animal in the public high
way is offensive to the sight, and If
not promptly removed it may offend
the nostrils, but it is not dangerous
to health in either condition. This
statement may he questioned, for
such odors may produce nausea IN
some delicately constituted systems
The sight of drop of blood may,
and does, produce the same result
with some particularly sensitive in
dividuals, yet pricked finger cannot
be put in the nuisance class. And
nausea is net disease at its worst
The odors from a glue factory are
spread far and wide by the breezes;
the escape OF missing steam from
high-pressure boiler, the noises per-
united by many reckless chauffeurs,
the unnecessary and prolonged and
frequent ringing of church bells, the
blowing of steam whistles, the ap-
pearance IN public places of deform-
ed or mutilated persons, are all
nuisances, but not being dangerous
to public health, they are matters for
police regulation and do not come
Within the jurisdiction OF sanitary Of
ficers.
Am open sewer, an unscreened
earth closet. pool of stagnant wa
ter, the public sale of inpure milk,
of tainted meat or of decaying fruit
and vegetables, the existence of
places where flies and mosquitoes
may breed, are menaces to public
health and their regulation comes
Within the province of health boards
and officials, who are clothed with
police powers to remedy such nuis
ances.
The laws provide for cooperation
between the police and health Off
Gals to ajbate many of these annoy
ances and dangers, but the suppress
sion of such annoyances as are not
inIimfcal TO health, belong exclusive
1y to the police.
Tt is a matter of frequent occur
renee that the health authorities of
many Florida cities and the officers
of the State Board of Health, are
notified of existing irregularities
(which should ,Fbe reported TO the po-
lice or fbhe sheriff The public should
be educated to make the distinction
for its own convenience and protec-
tion
1T appears difficult to impress suffi-
ciently the idea that diseases are not
communicated through the senses.
Sight, smell, hearing, taste and feel
ing are given us as sentine1s TO warn
of danger, as well as to afford ave
nues for the enjoyment of the pleas
ant things of life. They are rot
thoroug Frfares for the entrance of
actual danger into the physical body.
The abatement of the common nuis-
gances is matter of ordinary COM
mon sense and watchfulness- The re-
moval of sanitary nuisances requires
deep study to determine what is
harmful, why it is harmful and how
it may be rendered harmless. Indeed,
the whole modern science of SANTA
ton is essentially devoted q the
study and abatement of sanitary an
noyances and nuisances.