Circular letter, no. 1 / Sanitary Protection Association of Newport, R. I.

  • Sanitary Protection Association of Newport, R. I.
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Circular letter, no. 1 / Sanitary Protection Association of Newport, R. I. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    chamber, etc. (bedding, wearing apparel, curtains, carpet and upholstered furniture), been thoroughly disinfected, and the wall paper removed? (g) Has each water closet means of external ventilation, and not into an entry or bed chamber? (h) Are the soil pipes in a sound condition and easily accessible for examination ? Are they of iron, with lead plugged joints (the only true condition lor a properly constructed soil pipe) ? or are they of lead? and if of lead have they been in the house for a number of years, and thus perforated with holes through which sewer gas escapes into the house? (») Has the soil pipe a proper vent through the roof.'' (J) Is the soil pipe in its exit through the foundation of the house, of iron or of earthen ware? if of the latter is it broken off in or just outside of the foundation, so as to allow the sewage matter of the house to find its way throughout the foundation (a condition which is almost always found to exist where earthen ware pipes are used) ? (/•) If there are set bath tubs, basins or wash tubs, are they securely trapped? Is the kitchen sink safely trapped? It must not be forgotten that the ordinary bell trap does not perfectly exclude sewer gas, which its water absorbs and transmits, and that the S trap is liable to be syphoned, or emptied by inward suction, so as to permit the escape of gas into the house from the soil pipe or drain. (/) Is the waste water pipe of the refrigerator entirely cut off from all connection with the soil pipe? (m) Is the cesspool near the foundation wall? is the cesspool a loose one? and is there any overflow, or leakage into the foundation, cistern or well? If all these conditions are answered to the satisfaction of a sanitarian, then one may consider his home in a healthy condition, and the occupants of it free from all danger of contracting Diphtheria or Typhoid fever from it. It is the almost universal opinion of physi- cians that every case of Diphtheria and Typhoid fever is preventable, and that wherever a case occurs, there are some bad sanitary surroundings. Even where Diphtheria, like Scarlet fever, has originated trom direct contagion, it is probable that exposure to unhealthy influences at home has predisposed the individual to contract the disease more easily, and it is certain that such conditions render both of these diseases more liable to become fatal. When these facts are substantiated does it not behoove every one to see that his house is put in order?