Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1914-07-27
HEALTH DEPARTMENT URGES
ABATEMENT Of ALL VAULTS
AND CESSPO0LS IN THE CITY

the health department. Untitled
vaults or those filled with cans, bot
ties and other rubbish, frequently
give Use to nuisance from the odors
that arise, and the former, at least,
seem to be resting place, if not
breeding place. for reaches. That
the latter invade the kitchen and in
vestigate the family food supply is
general knowledge Flies likewise
breed in these places and from re-
ports of health officers elsewhere,
thy are far more dangerous than
flies that only feed in them. These
statements apply nearly equally to
old vaults as those that are being
used.
The necessity of the last provision
that requiring alteration of con-
struction-has been brought fOrcibly
to our attention on several occasions.
Unless this is done, such privies
frequently are used either by the
people occupying the premises or by
others. If the vault has been filled
previously, matters are made just
that much worse, because it then
becomes virtually a surface privy. If
the family does not use it, the con-
dition may become Gas it haS) a
most dangerous and disgusting one
before being discovered We think
this requirement a most reasonable
and necessary one There can be
no sanitary objection to the building
being used as a store room O. what
not, but this alteration of construc-
ton is imperative.
1t has been somewhat surprising to
find q number of people who seem
unable to conceive any objection to
the privy except the bad smell-pro-
vided they own one. Two or three
instances have occurred where people
complaining of their neighbors' priv
les have been found to possess one
of their own. The Latter is inVari-
ably strictly sanitary though it af-
fords no impeachment whatever to the
goings and comings of flies. reaches
and other insects. A not inconsider-
able number seem to regard an I'M
used(O privy as an innocuous oh
With apparent satisfaction they an
| nounce they have connected with the
! sewer and as to the old privy, why
we never use it." In the vast ma
| jority of instances, however, the I'M
| abated privy on premises connected
with the sewer is due to oversight
and simple neglect. We are willing
| tn
ence proves it fallacious. Thus faI
the more intelligent people have
made their attachments without the
necessity of prolonged argument anG
it is not usually difficult to per-
suade such people of the sanitary
necessity of abating. However, some
of them do consume a large part OF
the time of the health department
We have to reinspect to see that the
abatement has been done properly;
! if it has not been done, a second no.
tice must be given and another in
spection made later, and SO on Nc
prosecutions have been instituted fol
the reason that heretofore the WORK
has not been done in a systematic
manner and where so many are
guilty, it would be unjust to prose
cute only the chosen few who's,
names and addresses we happened t.
possess.
With regard to the premises OF
which privies are located, but which
are not connected with the sewer, {
more difficult problem is presented
The unfairness of requiring a seWe
connection to be made on one lot whil
the neighbors are not mad 20 do so il
keenly appreciated by this department
In such a case the sewer is more con
venient n,etffod of disposing Of human
wastes rather than a sanitary i'm
provement. A privy is menace to tn
inhabitants of each of the adjacen
three to nine blocks depending on thei
size) and while each abatement count
for something, the abatement Of al