Sanitary Science

The present age is charactemeu by a bhorough and exhaustive examination ; at the relation of causes to physical liealthand life. Eveiy alleged cause also sub.jected to the cross examination of test tube and crucible, balance and spectroscope. Every witness must bear the tests of physieal science. Sanitary science now (Iemands eauses as well as results and has planted its feet on the solid platform of positive physical science. Filth is the capital crime of physical existence. Air and water are the great punflers and prime necessities of life To breathe is the lirst and last of life. The moments of oar existence are but pearls strung on a thread of air. The thread breaks ; life is gone. Less obviously, but no less ceriainly the influence of water reaches from birth to burial. Air has no vital aotion in the absence of water. The oceans of air are too vast for human defllement in It can be defiled only in spots. Water we deal with in detail and in small amounts it is easily capable of defilement. The special office 01 water is to purif y . but in purify ing it becomes itself It comes to be soiled, urn intutuuiu is uouícoo w hoi c3juj.It must be purifled or got rid To purify it must be pure. If füthy it becomes a source of danger. By soil water is meant water which is in or drawn fromearth, water which has been freely in contact with the soil by falling on it and percolating and filtering through it andthus belng connected with materials in soil held in suspension and solution. It is the water of wells andsprings, notof lakes and rivers, which are exposed to the oxidization of the air and the effects of the agitation of currents. The spring pumps itself all the while, butthe well is pumped at intervals, and sooffensive materials may be worse in wells. The power of dilution of specilic poisons like cholera or typhoid ia not perfectly known, but the (langer of non-specific poisons is dimlnished by dilution. Water may exist in soils in three forms: i 1. Hygroscopic water, which may , ist in the dryest soils, as siio a n by minute drops when heated in a test tube. ' 2. Capillary water which makes soil ( darap and of darker color, but will not ' flow out by the action of gravity3. Free water which flows in drains, springs and wells. VVith this the sanitarian has to deal . The water which will flow into a well may be regarded as drainage from i surrounding pervious soil. J.t will flow with a pressure in proportion to the depth of the well diminished by the f riction of water on tlie particles of soil. Xhe distatice from which water will flow into a well depends on the soil. [This Professor Kedzie represented on a chart by an inverted cone with its base at the surf ace of the soil and its apex touching the surface of the water in the well.] The diameter of the circle of surface varíes with the porosity of the soil. If a tenacious clay the diameter of the surface of this cone of flltration, may be only 30 to 40 feet, while in sand or gravel it may be CO to 200 feet. Any soluble material within this cone of flltration, will flow into the well calculating the soil to be uniform in texture. But if there are strata of unequal permeability, or if there are cracks, seams or water paths in imperviuus clays the water will follow these seams alruost on indetinite distances and there will be a wide departure from the limits given. Ma terials without the cone nay come through these seams. This is m appalling picture, but there are certain conservative agencies to tone down the startling outlines. The soil is not a passive agent, but may act on such substances in solution In water in three ways. First, As a simple inechanical filter to separate substances held in suspension. The texture of the soil is the chief factor in its action. f'fhis lie illustrated by the flltration of ablue precipítale thrown down in well water by the actiou of ferrocyanide of potassium. The colored material was left on the soil in the tunnel while the water was clear, proving the soil a very perfect filter.] öeconu, ouil uiay tut ia ti uiuiuiinu tu üx and remove coloring materials from solution in water. In 1836, Bronner of Baden, noticed that color, odor and nearly all taste was removed from fllthy water by filtration. All have noticed subterrarjean waters are usully clear. ïhird, Soils may produce chetnical decompositions, making changes that will not take place in simple solutionsA similar experiment revealed the brown deposit 01 chloride of ammonium cast by a reagent in well water, but a mt-re discoloration of filtered water, showing the soil had taken out al most every trace of ammonium. This isa fact of highest importance to the sanitarian. This power, however, is limited. By using the soil made foul by the last experiment B considerable deposit was iöund af ter filtration showing the power of the soil to withdraw these materials and fix tliem in soluble aud safe forms is limited. Soil is a sanitary filter. It removes color and odorous substances, but this power is limited. The greater amount of soil for filtering, the longer is the time beforo this exiiausüon of power takes place. The atnount of soil has an intimate relation to its power of purifying. Henee the value of deep wells, provided the water filters through the entire amount of soil. The sides of the well should be made impervious and then the water must filter down. Supposing the sides are of iron, there is some assurance of safety. This is true of ''drive wells." The water cannot come through the sides; also worms and reptiles cannot get into it. A drive well is a very safe form of well. But there is danger that the limit of power be exhausted by increase of continuation. Thinkof a privy vault or cess pool within this cone of filiration. If this appears revolting, blatue the f acts. "See if all is well withyour well." Neglect which borders on crime could hardly go further. One family was always sick. There was no constitutional reason and they were people of good habits. He suspected the well. The husband smelled the clean water, and said, "Doctor, you must be mistaken." He went lingeringly down to the grave; a nephew followed, anda son. The widow became bed-ridden. The premises were sold to a good family and they became sick. He insisted on a new well and they regained their healtbt In Lansing a man's only daughter was sick. He did not belieye it was the well, but a conduit was foundfrom the privy to the well and the water was exceedingly foul. Many were sick. Standing by the well with a dipper he could throw water on five privies. One of the best men in Lunsing sickened and died . The well was pronounced bad. The family took it personally, but a sewer was found broken witbin tliree feet of the well. Water Iroin town pumps had been found to be very bad in some places. If this Í3 the condition of the town pump what is the condition of the town hearseV Thereare many widows becausedisease and death have been carried into the house by the water pail. The question arises, must careless surroundiugs bring this ï Such is the law of so wing and reaping. "The law of the harvest is to reap more than you sow. Sow an act and you reap a'habit, sow your habit and you reap your character, sow a character and you reap a destiny." Nature is inexorable and knows no mercy. Her laws are written on two tables of stone. The first is, "do this and thou sluit surely live," the second, "thou shalt not do that, lest thou die." Nature has placed animal and vegetable Ufe in reeiprocal relations to each other, in opposite scaleplans in the balance of lile. Planta thrive on the remaius of animal life, anddestroy the bad. From the poisonous carbonie íicid they give back the life sustaining oxygen and take Wie carbon . The poisonous remains of animal are the appropriate and grateful lood of plants. Wlien man puts asunder what nature has put together, disease comes in as a protest against the disturbance of nature's harmonies. F rom the organic nitrogen and phosphorus thrown out as deadly waste f rom animal systems, the plant f orms the gluten and albumen of museta and Animáis and vegetables are dual and reciprocal forms of life. Each feeds and protects the other. Crowded cities disturb the reciprocal relations of these two and are unnatural. When we place ourselves in abnorraal relations we must bo more careful. We should place ourselves under the green flag of nature's protection and clierish ourjgrass plats.