THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.

270

to be necessary

1886.

SEPTEMBER,

At best

attributed to them.

Sfltq Judiitu JUtydipl

of

means

1886.

[Sept., they

are

evils?the least

considered

objectionable

the exuvite of crowded

removing

communities. THE INFLUENCE OF SEWERAGE

The

AND WATER-SUPPLY ON PUBLIC HEALTH.

a

A few years ago, the sewer question created very remarkable agitation in Calcutta. One

question?whether

to the health of cities

fore

one

and

any

beneficial

the reverse?is there-

or

of extreme

sewers are

importance

and

interest,

solution is very On the 1st of July 1885 a to its

contribution

daily newspapers suddenly discovered that the atmosphere of the city was being poisoned by a network of underground cesspits

specially

welcome.

sanitary

convention

loaded with the most

other papers of much sanitary interest a long essay was read by Mr. Eiiwin F. Smith on

of the

dangerous description

and that the citizens

of

putridity, quence living under conditions of the utmost peril to their health and life. A perfect panic ensued, and the sewers were subjected to a most were

critical and searching investigation. of this agitation

come

went to

in

conse-

The out-

show that the

difficulties in

very for-

midable

sewering Calcutta were that the water-supply of the

town was

deficient; that flushing arrangements

were not

so

;

complete

tion

of

as

they ought

sewers

be

might

be;

to

that the ventila-

improved

; and

that

the process of mechanical removal of debris (gravel grit, &c.) which lodged in the sewers, to defective

owing

not

was

so

fall and

thorough

it should be.

as

with all these defects the be

a

great

tanks

sewers were

improvement

which had

ment of the

city,

imperfect flashing,

on

hitherto and the

the

Still

held to

privies

stored

the

open drains which had held rather than removed its wash-

sickness

or

in

mortality

ticular kind of sickness attributed

sanitary

proved

sluggish

and offal; and

ings, slops

to the sewers.

state of

special increase of general or of any par110

or

Calcutta,

mortality

On the on

lias, however, resulted

could be

contrary, the

the whole, had im-

since their construction.

The

in strenuous

on

agitation efforts being

water-supply of the town, the efficiency of the sewers, and promote improve their -flushing, ventilation and action.

made to increase the and to

Beyond Calcutta there are many who consider sewers by 110 means an unmixed blessing, and a very general belief has arisen that typhoid fever is largely, if not mainly,due to sewer emanatious, while outbreaks of diarrhoea, cholera and diphtheria, and general ill-health have also been

at

the town of

Michigan.

Among

"

influence of sewerage and water-supply the death-rate in cities." Mr. Smith col-

lected statistics from Great Continent of

Europe

from the

Britain,

and from America in elu-

cidation of his theme, and he has arranged and discussed these with great clearness and ability.

Pie selects diseases

typhoid

both

on

fever and cholera

as

test

account of the serious

tax

which

they levy on communities in the shape of sickness and mortality and because they are held to be closely associated with, if not caused by, excremental

pollution. diphtheria

statistics of

He also examines the in relation

because this disease lias been attributed to

and

excre-

in the State of

Ypsilauti

the

held

was

sewer

to

sewers,

by high authority

exhalations.

Mr. Smith is careful to insist

on

the

sewer

constructed and

worked, plentiful supply of water as a cardinal condition of their efficiency. Illlaid sewers, with leaking joints, imperfectly ventilated, with faulty house connections, feebly

system being properly and

011

the need of

flushed and a

cause

cases

clogged

a

with

of nuisance and

of this

kind,

deposits,

are

ill-health; but

the author shows

probably excluding

by

a

large

and strong array of evidence that?