r«. B. H. No. 285.-8111—4—'Jft—’85.1 
ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF HEALTH. 
State Sanitary Survey.—No. YU. 
Circular to County Superintendents of Schools. 
In anticipation of the possible appearance of Asiatic cholera in the near future, as well as in the general interest of 
the health of public-school children, the State Board of Health requests that County Superintendents of Schools 
throughout the State use their influence and authority in securing a good sanitary condition of the public-school 
buildings and premises over which they have supervision, before the season becomes too far advanced. 
To this end it is desirable that Boards of School Directors be specifically advised of the importance of an immediate 
inspection of school buildings and premises with reference to— 
1. The purity of the water-supply. 
If the water-supply be from wells, these should be so located and protected as to be free from contamination by 
seepage from privy-vaults, cesspools or other sources of ground-pollution, as well as from surface-drainage. If 
from springs or running streams, these should equally be protected against contamination. If from cisterns, 
the roofs and gutters connected therewith should be kept clean and free from any accumulation of leaves or other debris 
or refuse; the curb and cover (if the cistern be below ground) should be sound and high enough to prevent any 
surface-drainage ; if there he any suspicion of leakage, it should be at once repaired; and, unless the water be free from 
color and odor, it should be pumped out and the cistern thoroughly cleansed. Where there is any doubt as to the 
wholesomeness of the water now supplied its use should be abandoned and other provision should be made at once. 
2. The condition of water-closets and privies. 
Water-closets should not be located in basements or interior rooms ; should be well ventilated, properly trapped and 
thoroughly flushed, and the soil-pipe should be ventilated by a suitably-protected ventilating pipe opening above the 
roof. Privy-vaults should be emptied and disinfected before warm weather makes such work dangerous. If the pres- 
ent location is objectionable, new tight vaults, preferably above ground, should be constructed at a safe distance from 
any source of water-supply. The old vaults should be emptied, and then filled with clean dry earth. 
8. The drainage and policing of grounds. 
Grounds around school-buildings should be thoroughly drained; gutters, sewers and other drains should be cleaned 
out, disinfected if necessary, and kept free from obstructions ; stagnant water, either on the premises or in the vicinity, 
should be drained off, and the low moist places filled in with clean dry earth, or sprinkled with fresh-burned lime. 
All accumulations of refuse, ashes, etc., should be removed, and the grounds be kept scrupulously clean. 
4. The condition of buildings. 
So far as practicable a thorough spring cleaning should be given to all school-rooms, and especially to the base- 
ments where there are such. Damp basements or underground stories, after being properly cleaned, should be liberally 
sprinked with fresh-burned lime, changed from time to time. All rooms should be freely exposed to the air when 
not occupied. Buildings which are connected with sewers and a public water-service, should be carefully inspected as 
to the plumbing and drainage, and all defects should be promptly remedied. 
Where nuisances exist on adjoining premises or in the vicinity of a school, the attention of the proper authorities 
should be called thereto by the School Directors and their immediate suppression should be requested. 
The foregoing suggestions will indicate the most prominent sanitary defects which require immediate attention; and, 
if they will be of any service to County Superintendents in securing the necessary action by School Directors, additional 
copies of this circular will be supplied for such purpose. Requests for such additional copies, specifying the num- 
ber desired, should be made to the Secretary at Springfield. 
As soon as practicable, and from time to time as necessity arises, reports of the condition of the schools should be 
made to the Board, which is prepared to furnish any information or advice, or to render any assistance in its power 
to secure the end indicated. 
order of the Board : 
Illinois State Board of Health, Springfield, April, 1885. 
John H. Bauch, Secretary.