THE HOME AND THE HOUSEHOLD. 



969 



working its way over sections of the country where it never appeared before. The above 

 atmospheric causes of disease are for the most part natural and unavoidable, and must be 

 guarded against by proper attention to exposure and protection of the body by proper 

 clothing. We now come to removable causes of disease, which are introduced into the 

 atmosphere by local causes and the habits of mankind. It is to this class that hygiene 

 especially directs its efforts, but as they come more directly under the head of habitations 

 they will be considered there. 



Water. Closely allied to the air is another natural condition and necessity, which 

 exercises a more potent influence upon the condition of health, viz. : water. This, again, is 

 a constant combination, but, like the air, admits into its combination even a greater amount 

 of foreign and deleterious matter, as well as that which is remedial in its effects. Most 

 waters are comparatively free from mineral matters; but there are here and there springs 

 containing iron, magnesium, and sulphur, and the various salts of potash and soda, which 

 have a local or more wide-spread medicinal celebrity; and although any sample of water 

 would probably disclose a minute amount of mineral matter upon analysis, yet as a rule it 

 does not exist in sufficient quantity to produce injury to health. Almost all waters contain 

 the chlorides, or lime in minute quantities. It is the organic and excrementitious substances 

 which enter into it in solution that produce the mischief. These arise from two causes: 

 decaying vegetable matters from vegetation which has flourished in lakes and streams, and 

 the contaminations of water by local and artificial conditions, such as drains, privies, farm 

 yards, cess-pools, manufactories, etc. Nowhere is there more neglect shown upon this 

 important point than in the country. Go from farm-house to farm-house, and I venture to 

 assert that in ninety per cent, the sanitarian will find some neglect in this matter of water- 

 supply, either small or great. A man, for instance, digs a well in close proximity to his 

 house; at the same time he locates his drain for the sink and places the outlet within a few 

 feet of the well, so that a mere layer of soil separates the one from the other; the consequence 

 is, that while the insoluble matters may* be filtered out, the far more dangerous soluble, 

 impalpable matters are transmitted to the drinking water, to produce, if no worse, a slow 

 and chronic poisonous influence upon those who partake of it. Instances have been mentioned, 

 strange to say, in which a strange communication has been found to exist between the well 

 and sink drain, and 

 that, too, with the 

 knowledge of the 

 parties in interest. 

 Another method of 

 pollution by slops is 

 the practice of throw 

 ing them upon the 

 ground near the well, 

 when in course of time 

 they are absorbed into 

 its contents. Again, 

 the water may be taken 

 from a spring at a dis 

 tance from the dwell 

 ing, and the owner 

 congratulates himself 

 upon his superior sup 

 ply of pure spring 

 water; but if an ex 

 amination were to be made of the source of supply, the chances are that it would be found 

 to be in a neglected condition, partially filled with decaying wood or leaves, and its bottom 

 covered with finely pulverized decomposed vegetable matter. Or he may take his water from 

 a cistern fed from the roof, a practice which should be avoided if possible. If this is not 

 properly ventilated it becomes foul from neglect, the water acquires a foul odor, and its use 

 is injurious to the health. 



Again, the farm-yard is often located within a few rods of the well; the consequence is, 

 that a similar contamination takes place as in the case of the drain, and after a rain, when 

 the soil becomes saturated with these matters, they are taken up by the underground water- 

 passages and transmitted to the well; often the water is discolored, and has the taste and 



HOW WELLS ARE POLLUTED. 



