The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-08-23 00:00:00

I wish to draw the attention of those who are Investtgatiog
Into the cause of the prerent fever epidemic to %much wider
fl ii o, inquiry—le amely, uto th: hygienic tifect of sewage
irrigation.
• •

Toe importlnce of tide Inquiry can hardly he over-esti-
m ..ed st hen it is remerniwre.l that the n nelelpal autho-
ri'les throughout the kingdom are now rt toired by .m.ltary
It deletion to deal In some way with the sewage drainage
of their towns to prevent its causmg river pollution IT in
other ways Injuring the health of the community. Accord-
ingly the sewage of many towns is nein.: applied to Wries-
t!. n purposes If it I. am:enabled that raw sewage thus
applied remelts in the contamination of the milk of cows
gr.sing on the Irrigated land, it Is evident that such an ap-
plication of lineage must be discontinued.
- - - - - - •• •• •• • • -

It is therefore to be hoped that an authoritative opinion
will be expressed on the following pinto :-
1. Is thy application of raw sewage to grass lands pro-
du, tire and, r any circumstances of evil roan Ls.
2. Is not some chemical treetment of the sewage necessary
previous to its nubs etion on load?
To answer these questions it may be necessary to makes
more extended series of observations than c be under-
taken by those who are examining Into the c-rmes of the
present outbreak of }iv,. I hope, hos/eine, you will nee
your powerful bribi,llre to have this Important subject
tbbroushly ventilated.-1 am, Otr., HENRY it08125W4,
Mem. Inst. C.E.
7, Westm:nster chambers, S.W., August 13.

Oar experience in the Devon County A.)lum ir very
different from that of your c Trespondect, Mr. Smee, In the
matter of cows fed with sewue grass
'

The whole a the sewage Item the 800 people contained la
the Asylum is dktilbuted by Orli; didu over some grass
fields on which our cows feed. Our cow. are al way* In ex.
cellent condition, aril lield a hrge quentity cf milk The
milk is of a very superior qunltty, the perc.ll.oo of cream
being court 'stably abova um average. The butter la ex-
cellent, and keeps sell.

Unclotiotedly rue eyetem of dealing with the severe II
anateful. To make the mi it of the 'asylum, the land should
be ploughed up, al d arranged in proter plots for growing
Pullen rye ev.s. &, Tha cows should he stallftd, and
their Voll SU% carded to them. But, fed as our edvs
are, in fields irrigated with streams of sewage, they thrive,
ond yield Moat excellent mdk.-4 Mn, &1., li. HEES•
PHILIPPS, M.D.
Devon Cou.ty Asylum, Exmlnster, Aug. 18.

Allow me to conoborate the remarks of Dr. Williams con•
earning the use of sewage on grass farms. We have • come.
lation us these ochools of 1,00, and our c onsumpti on of
water is shoot 2u,00) gall ins d ally. We have a large number
caws and fin alit three homes The whole of the sewage
flows on to the land diem; from the establishment with the
omit posatole results.
ikmas few y-are ago this wee met the case, as the sewage
was all mad to Dow lota cesspools, and so become dete-
riorated aol eff helve before it reached the crops. This is
now tottered. The solid matter is caught on a grating',
cleared away every morning. and the liquid Is utilized
on three acres of rye mass Cr root crops, as we may de-
termlne.

We do not Mimi, our cows to walk among the sewage grass,
widch is cut coo brought t the byre to them. They eat it
P h mulch relish; and, after an experience of four years,
can ass..rt with much confidence (heat no evil hes arisen from
the use of this grass.
- - - -

If the consumption of milk from cows fed on sewage Era&
were to pro•mce typhoid lever, surely lair children gnthered
as they ore front de Ise nod icilly ventiinte I Inc li,in. awl
ms,y of them eft t dis.nse in their blood, would he the first
vietins, an .1 we s'loul i not OtEerve the Dante which hit
henn iv m to us, and of which we sre very jealous—rthat of
the healthiest pnuper school in England.—! remain, &c.
THOMAS HALES.