The Globe. FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1875.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 276, 30 April 1875, Page 2

The Globe. FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1875.

Oun remarks on domestic cleanliness as a sanitary aid, although written with reference to the Town of Lyttleton, apply with equal force to many parts of Christchurch and the country districts. In making these remarks we must not be misunderstood as wishing to suggest domestic cleanliness as a substitute for an efficient system of drainage—on the contrary we believe that nothing short of such a system can be regarded as a perfect sanitary measure in populated localities —but rather as a powerful auxiliary, and where no such system of drainage exists, as a means greatly tending to the preservation of health. Every household daily produces a certain quantity of sewage matter; house slops, for instance, which often eontain'vegetable and animal organisms, or it may be excreta, sometimes from persons suffering from a contagious disease. Now it is evident that in order to ensure the health of the inmates of the dwelling, nay, we may say of the neighborhood, it is necessary that this sewage matter should be removed as far as possible from human habitations, so as to prevent the air being poisoned or the water polluted by the noxious properties which, in a greater or lesser degree are to be.found in such matter. It is obvious that the most perfect manner of disposing of this is by a well organised system of drainage, but failing this, by adopting some means whereby its noxious properties may be so far neutralised as not to be destructive of health or it may be of life. In the place of this, what do we too often find ? The ground at the rear of dwellings saturated with house slops, often containing faecal matter, which, acted upon by a heated atmosphere, gives forth a deadly miasma; heaps of animal and vegetable refuse in all stages of decay, whilst the closet vaults contain a seething, putrescent mass, that day and night exhales pestilential vapours. What marvel then that the inhabitants of such localities are a sickly race, and that death at times makes fearful havoc amongst them.

That such a slate of things ought not to exist, will be admitted by all, but how to remedy it where there is no efficient drainage is not at the first blush so easy a matter. Fortunately, however, each household possesses within itself the means of prevention, so that those who once becoming acquainted with these means and the best method of applying them, are left absolutely without excuse if they continue to exist in an atmosphere pregnant with disease and death. Dry ashes and earth are powerful deodorants atid the manner of using them is very simple. Instead of the house slops being thrown from the back door on to the ground tosaturate it with filth, a hole should be dug as far as possible from the dwelling and the slops poured into it, care being taken that a quantity of earth and ashes is thrown in so as to absorb and cover each successive liquid addition. The closet vaults should be cleaned out and the contents removed or buried deep in the earth, a thick layer of dry earth and ashes mingled with somecarbolic acid should then be spread upon the bottom, and a box of the same kept in the building, a p rlion to be thrown down every time the closet is used. Vegetable and animal refuse, ought never to beallowed to accummulate, but should either be bqrnt or buried ; and the dwellings themselves should be kept perfectly clean by a plentiful application of soap and water, and ventilated by the free admission of fresh air. If these simple measures are adopted, we know' that the result will be most beneficial as regards health.

In writing thus plainly, our object is to educate the masses in habits of domestic cleanliness, feeling assured that in doing so, we are striving to promote,. not only their health and nippiness, but the health and happiness of tbe community at large,