St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1915-11-06
Sanitation On Farm a Matter
Of Importance to the Farmer
Bulletin from the State Department of Agriculture by
Prof. Dalrympe That Every Farmer Should Read


which treats Of the normal functions
Of the animal body in health, teaches
almost ihtuitively, the necessity OF
practicing sanitation, or. to use a
more comprehensive ERIN, perhaps
hygiene.
A noted hygienist has said that, ii
we had a perfect knowledge of the
laws of life. and could practically ap-
ply this knowledge in a perfect sys-
tenn Of hygienic rules, disease would
be impossible. This, however, is a
condition which we, in this genera
ton, can hardly expect to reach, al
though, as time goes on, great ad-
vances are being made in this di-
rection.
One of the most comprehensive and
beautiful definitions of hygiene that
l know Of, is that Of one Of the
Of modern hygiene, Ed
mund Alexander PARKS. After de.
fning it AZ the art Of preserving
health, he says, 1T aims at render
ing growth more perfect, decay less
rapid, life more vigorous, death more
The term hygiene takes 1t name
from the neurological goddess OF
health, Hygieia, who was said to be
the daughter Of Aesculpius, who ap.
pears IN Homer as the "blamelese
PHYSICIAN" Of human origin, and in
later legends became the god Of the
healing art.
Sanitation, derived from the Latin
Sanftas, meaning health, Is also
sometimes used in q comprehensive
but not to the same extent, think
a sthe former term. Or, in other
words, We seem more accustomed te
the use of the term sanitation to re-
fer mainly to conditions Witch in
volve bacterial life and its destruc-
ton, rather than oinclude every
agency which has to do with the
perfect health of the animal, In
every form, both as to the proven
ton Of disease, and the eradication
of those conditions which are re-
sponsible for Its existence.
In all WORKS Of hygiene, one Of the
very first topics considered is water,
and the following points naturally
arise in dealing with the supply OF
this important element, although
can merely mention them in pass
ing: ~ The quantity of water re-
quired for health and sick animals;
(2) The collection, storage and dis
tribution Of water; (3) The quality
Of drinking water; a. Its purifica-
ton; (5) The effect Of an insuf1ci-
ent or impure supply; and (6) The
chemical examination Of water for
hygienic purposes. !.
A word or two. here, on the CLASH
fication Of waters may be Of inter-
est. One classification gives as
and very palatable, spring
water and deep well water; while
although wholesome, upland surface
water may be only moderately pala-
table, Again, stored rain water may
be moderately -palatable, and yet be
claased as suspicious. Surface water
from cultivated land, while palatable
may be suspicious: and river water
to which sewage has gained access,
and shallow well water, may be quite
and yet be dangerous
Hygienically speaking. the classified.
lion would be about as follows: l
Pure and wholesome water; 2. Use
able; 8. Suspicious; 1. Impure.
It Is said that q we'll drains an
extent Of gruond represented by ar
inverted cone, the radius of which
g at least four times Its deapth,
more, ~ when the drain
IN the we'll Is considerable.
Needless to say, the amount Of or
jamie matter in water that il often
,iven animals to drink Is frequently
tery high. It is only necessary to
lllude to the water supply in many
i our farm yards. It IL often stag
lant, sometimes swarming with ami
nal and vegetable organisms. the
esult Of animal excreta and barn
ard refuse, especially In the case o,
he shallow we'll.
There can be no question. how.
'ver. that the full enjoyment Of
lealth, an unlimited and pure sup
'ly Of water IL essential; and al.
hough the effects Of q bad supply
nay not always produce positively
rejudicial effects that can be seen,
ct It must be q means of jeopardiz-
ne the health Of animals, by lower
ng the tone Of the system, and rem
ering them more susceptible to con-
ract dangerous bacterial diseases
'hen such are present.
Air is another important topic usu-
lily discussed in connection with hy-
iene, and is generally referred to
nth regard to Its impurities, as we'll
$ pure air as applied to adequate
although We in the South
n account of climatic conditions,
sually have a sufllciency Of ventila-
on In buildings occupied by our live
tock. On the other hand, l believe
,e subject of shelter. both from the
OF sun in summer, and from the |
Did. wet weather during our winter |
aasons, wouldbear more considera-
ion than we have been wont to give
. it. The 3-wire fence, which we
Till too often see a. the only means
I shelter provided in the pasture
on the range, 10 hardly sufficient
break the solar rays during our
OF summers, or prevent radiation of |
eat from the bodies Of our out-of-
Dor stock during the inclement |
Gather OF some Of our winters.
The Impurities Of air are generally |
lvtded into organic, inorganic, and |
aseous. To the drst Of these be-
'ng the different forms of micro
'opic life. such - the bacteria and
letr spores. some Of which are, of
'urse, disease-pFoducing In the ami
al.
lnorgnic substances, in finely d.
oed form. do not. NJ far "a wa