A treatise on public health and its applications in different European countries (England, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Finland) / by Albert Palmberg ; translated from the French edition and the section on England edited by Arthur Newsholme.

Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on public health and its applications in different European countries (England, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Sweden, and Finland) / by Albert Palmberg ; translated from the French edition and the section on England edited by Arthur Newsholme. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    Public Hygiene is perhaps more empirical than other sciences. The putting in practice of theoretical views has often produced results different from those which were expected. Thus, theoreti- cally, to obviate the ill effects arising from sewer-gases, the best method appeared to be to hermetically close the sewers. This was done, and the result was a penetration of such sewer-gases into the houses in spite of intercepting traps. Practice showed that the best way of avoiding such evil results was good and active ventilation of the sewers, with frequent and abundant flushing. Similarly, theory made one fear that throughout the sewer, fcecal matters would remain solid or accumulate at the sewage outfalls. Practice has shown that the fluids of sewage, with or without human excrement, have the same appearance and practically the same chemical composition. So, likewise, theory speaks against the irrigation of fields by sewage, on the supposition that the pathogenic organisms contained in it when exposed to the sun would produce an extensive propa- gation of contagious diseases. Practice has shown the error of this view, and it is now experimentally proved that irrigation is the most effective method for the destruction on a grand scale of pathogenic micro-organisms. The importance of practice is therefore considerable in sanitary science. Convinced of this truth, and of the enormous value of a complete knowledge of sanitary arrangements proved by experi- ence to be good, we have based on it this Treatise on Public Health. Outside the countries whose sanitary organization is described in this treatise there are others, as Denmark, Norway, Holland, and Italy, whose public hygiene would have doubtless been very instruc- tive. We have not spoken of them because we have not seen and studied their methods personally on the spot. Any other plan of inquiry could not, we are convinced, furnish exact descriptions.
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