Water and its effect on public health : lecture delivered at Pacheappa's Hall, on 1st April 1882 / by M.C. Furnell.

  • Furnell, Michael Cudmore, 1829-1888.
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Water and its effect on public health : lecture delivered at Pacheappa's Hall, on 1st April 1882 / by M.C. Furnell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    18/24 page 14
    iv. The same fact holds good iu cases of malarious fever, especially if the cases are very grave, a possible introduction by water should be carefully enquired into. V. The introduction of the ova of certain entozoa by means of water is proved in some cases and is probable in others. vi. Although it is not at present possible to assign to every impurity in water its exact share in the production of disease, or to prove the precise influence on the public health of water which is not extremely impure, it appears certain that the health of a community always improves when abundant and pure water is given, and apart from this actual evidence, we are entitled to conclude from other considerations that abundant and good water is a primary sanitary necessity. Dr. Macnmara, in his admirable treatise on cholera, goes a step further and says ; “ This I maintain is one grand means of self-preservation when once cholera has appeared amongst us. If we can only establish the principle that nothing but freshly and properly filtered water shall be consumed by the inhabitants of a town, barrack or house, not only when at home, but at work—at all times, in fact, when cholera is abroad—we may, I believe, discard all and every other means of preservation.'” I think, gentlemen, I have said enough to awaken within you, I hope, some interest in this matter. The remedy is simple and lies in your own hands. Government can do much in advising and controlling sanitaiy matters, appoint- ing Municipal Boards, Sanitary Commissioners, Medical officers, who will, I hope, soon be each a sanitary oflEicer, also of his own immediate circle, but it cannot carry out the details of its well-conceived legislative regulations without cordial assistance by the people themselves. As in the case of Tank A, mere paper orders will do nothing. Sanitation, real sanitation, must be carried out by the people themselves, and this water question, although most import-
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