The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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January, 1927 The Health Bulletin 21
1922 practically the entire State had
been covered twice and some sections
more than twice, in this manner.
Resufvei/ Expei'ience With Patched
Privies
The resurveys demonstrated, however,
that "patch work" as a permanent
policy could not be permitted indefinitely
and that complete compliance
with the regulations would have to be
required. The law holds the property
owner responsible for construction and
the tenant responsible for maintenance.
It is not practical to try to hold the
tenant responsible for maintenance
until after the privy has been made to
comply with the construction requirements.
In this lenient plan of administration,
our inspectors had to keep
going back to the property owners for
further expenditures, since it was found
that on resurveys practically 100 per
cent of all privies required some repair
or fixing to make them reasonably safe.
An old privy not properly constructed
is like an old worn out automobile, no
matter what you do to it, except tear
it down, it is always defective, and
giving away in a new place.
Relation of Uniform Practice to Administration
Problem,
As a matter of safe administration
policy absolute uniformity is necessary
and it is advisable to reduce to a minimum
the instances in which the inspector
must render a decision other
than to apply the regulations. When a
minor deviation from the specifications
is permitted, larger ones, will have to
be permitted and there is no limit to
the extent of violation which must thus
be permitted. In the meantime, we had
in several communities, carried out the
complete construction of all privies in
full compliance with the specifications
and upon resurvey the following year,
the maintenance was uniformly good.
In the outlying section of one city
there was a colored section of 300
homes. The section was notoriously
known for the worthless, troublesome
character of its inhabitants. Every
home in this section was equipped with
pit privies constructed in accordance
with the regulations and upon maintenance
resurvey the following year,
only three privies were found defective
in maintenance. The lids were torn off
of two privies, and the third was in a
filthy condition. The maintenance violation
was 1 per cent under extreme
adverse conditions.
In 1923, the reconstruction program
was begun and no inspector is now
allowed to pass any privy which dbes
not fully conform to the specifications
of one of the approved types of privies.
This is slow work and the State has
not yet been completely covered in this
manner. It is expected to complete the
construction program by spring or
early summer of 1927.
Method of Enforcement
The Development of Public Sentiment
1. No law is stronger than the public
sentiment of the community in which
it is to be enforced, witness the prohibition
law, furthermore
2. No law which the public does not
understand can be successfully enforced.
The first survey therefore was designed
primarily to develop public sentiment
by individual explanation to make
sure that each person knew of the law
and its requirements and understood
some of the important reasons why he
should be required to comply. It was
hoped also to secure compliance by that
group which needs only to be instructed.
More or less conscientious
efforts were made by a majority of
people. There is, however, a large
group of those people who consider
themselves a privileged class. This class
has to be shown.
Furthermore, there is no respect for
any law that does not require the bankers
and other commonly termed "leading
citizens"' to comply. Consequently
the next step was to demonstrate that
it was actually a law, which was begun
in June, 1920, with a series of
prosecutions in every section of the
State, always taking people of intelligence
and means, well known in the
community, usually large property
owners. When the masses see the law
enforced with people of this character
they follow without much hesitation.
The Attitude of the Courts
In this connection it is desired to
recognize the attitude of the judiciary
in all classes of courts. The judges