462 • THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



danger of spreading the disease is over. This is a point of great 

 importance, and its neglect may result in grave disaster. 



6. For the convenience of the survivors and of the laborers 

 who may be brought to the place, it will be necessary for the 

 health authorities to see that public privies, or closets, are erected. 

 These should be placed where most convenient. They should be 

 examined by inspectors of the different districts, and should be 

 under the charge of a careful and reliable foreman, who will daily 

 disinfect them. No foul odors should ever be permitted to arise 

 from these places. 



7. If the free discharge from the sewers is impeded by debris, 

 these should be opened at once, so that water may be discharged 

 through them freely. In the case of floods it will very frequently 

 be found that the mouths of the sewers have been silted shut. 

 These should be opened. The escape of foul gases from sewers 

 at such a time is not to be permitted. 



8. There is always, in time of disasters, danger of the people 

 becoming panic-stricken from fear of a pestilence arising, and in 

 our times well-meaning but ignorant persons are very liable to 

 convey messages to the daily press which tend to excite and dis- 

 tress the survivors. To prevent any panic in this way, the State 

 Board of Health found it necessary to issue occasionally " health 

 bulletins," which stated the exact condition of the public health 

 in the devastated district. These bulletins were printed and 

 posted throughout the whole region, and they were thought to 

 do much good. They were founded on the daily reports received 

 from the sanitary inspectors, from the other physicians in the 

 district, and from the hospitals. In addition to these "health 

 bulletins," the people may be greatly aided by issuing "circu- 

 lars of information." These circulars describe in the plainest 

 language the proper ways to disinfect the premises, to clean 

 them up, and about what should be eaten, and those things 

 which will best tend to preserve health in the midst of un- 

 favorable conditions. These circulars of information should be 

 placed in each house throughout the district as often as may be 

 deemed necessary. 



9. It may, in some cases, be desirable to partially or wholly 

 depopulate the devastated district. This may be done by laying 

 out a town of tents, and then requiring the people to remove from 

 their homes into it. Such a town should be laid out as a military 

 camp, and should be under the same regulations as are military 

 camps. At Johnstown, a partial depopulation only was at- 

 tempted. The State furnished free transportation to all women 

 and children who desired to go elsewhere to their friends for a 

 few weeks or months, and all were urged to go for a short time. 

 For several weeks, also, transportation was given the men who 



