my report to the census bureau in Washington and they will not accept any such cause. Another cause-drowning. Was that suicidal, accidental or otherwise? Sometimes the physicians get irate and say, "If you will look on my certificate, you will learn the cause of death." I write back as meekly as possible: "My dear sir: If I had seen your certificate, I probably should be able to learn the cause of death, but as I have never seen it, and only have a copy from your town clerk, I cannot tell what you gave as the cause." I usually get a nice letter in return. I never see these certificates. The law makes it compulsory that these certificates remain the property of the town clerk and must be retained in his office, as the permanent record of the town clerk's office.

NUISANCES-HOW CARED FOR.

BY SUMNER E. DARLING, M. D.

Before the

The subject "Nuisances-How Cared For" is one that has concerned the governmental machinery of towns and cities only recently. French Revolution we find that towns and cities in Great Britain and continental countries practically made no attempt to abate conditions that we now consider nuisances. It was a common sight to see the streets full of sewage, débris and all kinds of filth. The only time the streets received a cleaning was during a heavy rain storm. No attention was paid to the purity of the water supply. The unsanitary conditions of tenement houses and dwellings, together with their filthy environments, which were so often the starting places of epidemics, were practically ignored. No provisions were made to render the air of cities and towns free from poisonous gases and clouds of dense smoke. Conditions became so unsanitary that it was a common maxim that families that moved into the cities or villages from the country would only last a few generations.

Paris was awakened from the lethargy common to all cities at that time by the gradual decrease in her population and the high rate of mortality. The deleterious effects of unsanitary conditions upon her citizens were fully realized when the time came for recruiting her army. Health and physical tests made by army officials showed that the physical condition of city inhabitants was far below that of the rural population.

Paris, the first typical modern city, taught the world the lesson of cleanliness. It was Paris who first adopted modern methods for the proper care and disposal of sewage, for the securing of unpolluted water and the keeping of the air free from gases, disagreeable odors and clouds of smoke. The great change that came over Paris after the subject of nuisances was taken up by the government and vigorously attended to, can be fully realized when we consider that the rate of mortality has been greatly decreased and that a recent physical test made by army officials brought out the paradoxical fact that the urban population was better adapted physically for military service than the rural inhabitants.

The great advancement that has been made in improving the conditions of city life has tended to make us regard things as nuisances that formerly were considered as having no connection whatever with public health. The term nuisance then has had a gradual growth and at this stage of civilization means not merely that which interferes with the health of a community but that which interferes with its comfort.

It is impracticable to give a precise, technical definition of what constitutes a nuisance, but the word itself is sufficiently understood, and means, literally, annoyance, anything that worketh hurt, inconvenience or damage, although it is always a question of fact whether a nuisance exists in

a particular case under all the circumstances. It may be said, generally, that anything which is detrimental to health or which threatens danger to persons or property, may be regarded and dealt with as a nuisance. If it affects the rights of the community in general, and not merely of a few persons, if it damages or menaces all persons who come within the sphere of its operations, though it may vary in its effects on individuals it amounts to a common or public nuisance. Every person commits a common nuisance within this definition who does anything which endangers the health, life or property of the public or any considerable part of it, and everything is deemed to endanger health, life or property which either causes actual dangers thereto, or which must do so in the absence of a degree of prudence and care, the continual exercise of which cannot reasonably be expected. Every person is absolutely bound to so conduct himself and to so exercise what are regarded as his natural or personal rights, as not to interfere unnecessarily or unreasonably with other persons in the exercise of rights common to all citizens. The whole doctrine of nuisances, as it now exists, may, therefore, fairly be said to be a development of the maxim, that every person is bound to so conduct himself and to so use and enjoy his property as not to cause unnecessary annoyance or obstruction to others.

Precisely what is the reasonable use of one's property cannot be determined by any useful general rules, but must depend upon the circumstances of each case. A use of property in one locality or under some circumstances may be reasonable and lawful, which under other conditions would be unreasonable and a nuisance. So that the question whether a particular act or thing constitutes a nuisance depends for its determination upon the consideration of all the circumstances of the case, and the most important and influential circumstances to be considered are locality, the extent of the annoyance and the nature of the act or thing itself. For example, a dead animal in a state of decomposition was reported a short time since as being in a barn in Hardwick, located at the end of a road so far distant from any dwelling house or public highway that the odor from it annoyed no one. Under such circumstances, there was no existence of a nuisance. If this dead animal had been near a public thoroughfare or dwelling house or had been a source of annoyance to anyone it would have been a nuisance and an order for its burial or removal would have been necessary.

Some of the most common nuisances that the health officers' attention is called to are the improper care of animals, polluted water, slaughterhouses, sewage and the carrying on of a business or trade so as to cause annoyance or discomfort to persons living in the vicinity.

The improper care of animals in villages and crowded districts is a continual source of complaint. It is difficult to realize how serious à nuisance may be created by the keeping of hogs. Hog-yards should never be allowed in any crowded neighborhood. If they are to be kept at all, yards and buildings should be well drained and kept dry. Feed-troughs should be

made of iron and washed frequently to prevent the decomposition of food materials. Manure should be removed frequently. It is not only for the comfort of people but for their health that the proper care of hogs should be demanded. Hogs should be well fed and kept free from scurf in order that the yield of pork may be greater and of better quality.

The distribution of impure milk in a community is one of the most perplexing nuisances because of the many serious results that are sure to follow. This common nuisance may be easily remedied if steps are taken to see that the cows and stables are properly cared for. The stables should be well ventilated and kept clean. Manure should never be allowed to remain in the same building. Too much care cannot be taken in seeing that the cows are well kept. Before milking, especially, care should be taken that the cows are clean. After the cows are milked, the milk should not be allowed to remain in the stable but should be carried immediately to a separate building for further preparation.

Again, the incessant noise and odor resulting from the keeping of poultry in a village creates a nuisance so bad that it has to be felt to be appreciated. The keeping of poultry in a village should be prohibited unless there is sufficient room and the yards and pens are kept clean.

The improper care of horses gives rise to many complaints. Stables in which horses are kept should be well built and properly drained. Manure should be removed at least once a month during the summer season.

Polluted water is a nuisance which is common to many localities. In places where there is no main water supply, great care should be exercised in supervising the various wells that furnish the water. Wells that are likely to be contaminated with sewage or any other filth should be ordered closed. In localities where the inhabitants depend upon a main water supply, care should be taken to keep the territory between the reservoir and sources of supply free from objectionable material. As the decomposition of animal and vegetable matter in water is well known to be the cause of diarrhoea, and in many cases where the water is unusually foul, of dysentery, and as we have so many positive instances of typhoid epidemics from polluted water, frequent inspection should be made of the watersheds in order to render the water free from sewage and the decaying of animal and vegetable materials. Polluted water which is not used for drinking purposes should be taken care of. Lands which are wet, rotten, or spongy, or covered with stagnant water are injurious to health and as such are nuisances. If such places are offensive to persons residing in the vicinity, they should be promptly abated.

The nuisances produced in slaughter-houses are usually confined to the immediate neighborhood. The noises and peculiar odors due to the keeping of the live cattle, the generally uncleanly condition of the buildings if not properly paved and drained, caused by the decomposition of scraps and spattered blood attached to the walls and floors, the storage and accumulation of the hides, skins, blood, fat, offal and manure all show the ne

cessity of removing the slaughter-houses to a considerable distance from any dwelling-house or public way. It should be observed that the nuisances caused by a hog slaughter-house are more serious than those of a cattle slaughter-house. The odors are more unpleasant and travel to a greater distance. The noises made by the animals are far worse. It is, therefore, nesessary that a hog slaughter-house should be far more remote from dwellings than one used for cattle alone. What has already been said in relation to the keeping of living animals is applicable to the stockyards and cattle-pens connected with the slaughter-houses. The stockyards as well as the slaughter-houses proper should be furnished with a plentiful supply of water so that every portion of the building can be kept clean and sweet. The sole method of abating the nuisance of a slaughter-house is to destroy the odors as soon as they are produced. The floors of the building should be made of concrete, the side walls covered with an impervious material to the height of six feet from the floor. The fat should be placed in tanks as soon as received and the rendering commenced at the earliest possible moment. No wood or porous material should be allowed on the premises.

The disposal of sewage is one of the nuisances that causes much trouble to the local board of health. In localities where there is no public sewerage system the disposal of sewage should either be carried so far away from the premises as not to become dangerous to the public health or emptied into cesspools. When cesspools are resorted to for the disposal of sewage, care should be taken that they be well constructed and so far removed as not to interfere with the water supply or become offensive in themselves. In localities where there is a public sewerage system, all parties owning dwellinghouses or buildings abutting on the street where there is a public sewer should be obliged to connect all drains and sewers with such street sewer.

There are existent certain products, the handling and treatment of which can scarcely be conducted without offense. It is impossible to describe every trade which may become offensive together with the remedy necessary in each case.

In manufacturing cities the escape of smoke from the many chimneys gives rise to frequent complaints. All investigations on the subject of smoke consumption have shown the almost absolute impossibility of entirely abating the nuisance arising from such a source in these localities. The noise of boiler or machine shops and the constant jar of machinery are probably the most offensive nuisances caused by manufacturing establishments. The constant pounding and hammering in inhabited neighborhoods during working hours is undoubtedly very annoying to any sick or nervous person. There is, nevertheless, no remedy save the removal of the offending establishment, which is practically impossible.

There are many other trades which are carried on with much noise, yet it is impossible to interfere with the methods resorted to by multitudes of poor people in earning their living to secure quietness on our streets.