SANITARY ADMINISTRATION IN PARIS. 3; 



Structures? Do we own them, as we do farms or merchandise? Do we obtain 

 them by purchase ? No. Here is a life principle, which, in order to become de- 

 veloped and fitted for a higher life, must have a material machine in which to 

 exist and act. Nature provides a perfect machine, or one as nearly perfect as 

 circumstances perhaps require, and this is loaned for the time being. It is only 

 fair that we should take the best possible care of it; but if the motive of justice is 

 ignored, then that of selfishness comes up with its claims. The purely selfish man 

 finds it for his best interests to take good care of his body, and when it comes to 

 special organs he guards well the stomach from abuse. 



But a kind of delirium clouds the minds of millions; the weak, the irresolute, 

 the viciously inclined, forget or ignore all self-obligations. They drench and 

 drown their stomachs by pouring in gallons of vile ale, beer, rum, whiskey, adul- 

 terated wines, etc., but the dread nightmare of dispepsia and delirium tremens 

 takes terrible vengeance for this abuse. The glutton stands on no higher plane, 

 and he must suffer as does the hard drinker. 



There are illnesses which can be avoided and those which cannot be. We 

 cannot well escape the influence of contagion in all its forms. We live in a world 

 which abounds in unseen perils, but it is the office of education to point out 

 sources of danger, and inform us how best to escape them. If we place on the 

 walls of our dwellings, papers loaded with poisonous arsenical pigments, we 

 ought to expect illness of the most serious nature, if we are readers and moder- 

 ately intelligent. If we allow the waste of our dwellings to accumulate under 

 floors, or under the windows, we ought to expect zymotic diseases to destroy our- 

 selves or children, as science informs us that from these unclean spots arise germs 

 which are fatal in their influence. In this age there are many illnesses which 

 ought no longer to trouble us, as science has pointed out their source, and how 

 to avoid them. — Boston Journal of Chemistry. 



SANITARY ADMINISTRATION IN PARIS. 



A report has been presented to the Public Works Committe of Birming- 

 ham by Mr. Till, the Borough surveyor, describing his visits to the principal 

 continental towns. He says that in Paris every possible opportunity was given to 

 him for the inspection of the municipal works. The following are Mr. Till's notes 

 on the water supply, gas, paving, and sewerage of Paris : 



Water Supply, — Until i860 all water was supplied by the water company 

 (Compagnie Generale des Eaux). In the year i860 the city council bought up 

 all the company's rights and assets for an annuity, during fifty years, of j[,^(i,- 

 400, payable quarterly. At the same time the said company was constituted the 

 administrative agent of the municipality for all matters relating to the future 

 water supply. The company receives in this capacity a commission fixed thus : 

 On all annual receipts between ^144,000 and ^240,000, 25 per cent.; between 

 ^240,000 and ;^4oo,ooo, 20 per cent.; between ^400,000 and ^480,000, lo 



