Handbook of rural sanitary science : illustrating the best means of securing health and of preventing disease / by C.F. Gardner [and others]; edited by Lory Marsh.

Date:
1876
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Handbook of rural sanitary science : illustrating the best means of securing health and of preventing disease / by C.F. Gardner [and others]; edited by Lory Marsh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    never be used. Though picturesque, it breeds all manner of mischief. Where slates cannot be obtained easily, the roof should be tiled; and troughs should be placed under all the eaves to catch the rain-water, with a proper slope towards the down-pipe. In letting a cottage, the owner should insist upon the interior being lime-washed at least twice in every year, as well as after any sickness or death. The use of cheap wall-papers is much to be discouraged. They absorb dirt and infection, and afford a secure breed- ing-place for vermin. Once put up, it may be years before they are renewed; and during this time the seeds of incalculable mischief have every chance of developing. Green wall-papers are especially to be avoided, as they almost invariably contain arsenic, which is given off in particles sufficiently numerous to be injurious to health. Every facility ought to be afforded by owners to cottagers for procuring lime- wash, which may be coloured according to fancy; and if properly mixed will cause no inconvenience by rubbing off upon clothes. The difficulty is to per- suade landlords and builders to act upon these sug- gestions. In many cases nothing less than an Act of Parliament will effect the remedy. We now come to the most perplexing branch of the whole subject—the removal of refuse from premises; including in the term refuse, house-slops, ashes, and kitchen refuse, as well as the contents of privies and water-closets. If due care be taken that proper arrangements are made in this respect, ex- perience has shown that the health and physique of