The weekly soliphone., 1917-08-23
FILTH-AND THE SPREAD OF TYPHOID.

in conjunction have just issued circulars calling aen-
ton to the immediate necessity for aiding in the pleSer
walton of the public health by following certain outlined
suggestions, Chief among these suggestions is the re-
quest that all open toilets be screened IN such manner
that flies and other fh-cauying insects be kept away
from them
I Unfortunately part OF Paragould is not within
the sewer district and is impossible for families in
these sections to exercise the sanitary precautions
that obtain where connections possible. EX-
perts the world have found that more than half OF
the contagious diseases to which the human is sub
iected are directly raceabe to the maintenance of filth
of this character Not only does the open and unguard
ed closet permit flies to feed where contagious microbes
abound but the very ground is nocuated and the baci
are carried into the earth to conamnate water streams
that ultimately supply wells thus poisoning people who
through fault of their victims OF the care
lessncss their neighbors exercise.
AS matter of fact, the maintenance of the open
closet is frequently seen here is fragrant viola
ton of the rules and regulations of the state board Of
health Such rules have been approved by the attorney
general and Just binding any existing law.
In these rules and regulations it is provided Chat
"Cesspools and vaults containing human excreta shall
be of waertigh construction, and shall be yproof and
whenever the contents reach within two feet of the
ground surface shall be cleaned out to the bottom No
part of the contents of any prvy shall be removed there
from, shall the be transported through over
",
moved and transported by means Of some alright APP
paratls pneumatic other process to prevent the
contents from being agtated exposed to the open
air during the process Of such removal transporta-
ton. No person. firm corporation shall own,
maintain rent, any privy in any Incorporated or I'M
Incorporated city, town village unless the shall
be prevent the soil from contamna
ton; and prevent the of flies 60 the excrcment
deposited therein by Of wire gauze, eighteen
strands to the inch in each direction; and to permit the
easy and proper placing and removal of receptacle
the dimensions of which shall be at least sixteen inches
in height and fifteen inches in diameter"
1t is further provided that "Ail dry closets shall be
kept free from odor, and for this purpose dry puverzed
earth ashes chloride of lime shall be used to at
all times the excrea Dry closets shall have containers
emped least in every weeks, and as often
as may be necessary. Human eXcreta taken from
cesspoos, vaults dry closets shall be buried ncn-
Grated When such eXcrea is buried it shall be planted
depth Of less thar three feet and not less than
800 feet from any water supply and shall not be buried
within the corporate limits of any city town. nor
within 500 yards of any habltaton
1t will be observed from the above rulings that the
contents of toilets is treated exactly in the manner
that the puss from viruIcnt and contagious disease
would be treated The potential germ-canying and
gemretanng possibilities of human eXcreta have been
observed by chemists and scientists who know exactly
what they are talking about and it is the cheapest kind
of diocy for anyone to attempt to discount the findings
of these physicians and research workers. Ii is stretch
of the imagination to say that fully ninety eight per
of the closets in Paragould do not up or
approach these specifications. Little atten-
tenton has been given to the subject by health officials
for the reason that nothing is thought OF the danger
until an epidemic breaks out then all 60 wild and
raise rough house and everybody and complain of
official delectons, when matter Of fact the condi-
ton Of origin but has obtained con-
tnuousy since time began. 1t is only in recent years,
however, that thoughtful consideration has been given
to the subject Of maintaining the public health at q
high point of efficiency by removal of tho leading