Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-09
DRAIN AG E.

Drainage and he Faciaton Of the Drainage Of SaJurba,
Lands Ordered to be printed for the useof the oca
boards Of health and their surveyors engaged In ths
administration Of the public health act London, 1862
The letter from EDWIN CHADWICK, Esq, C.B., which
was published in our paper of Saturday last opens o
wide field for thought and effort 1t sindeed the sound
est wisdom in municipal administrations, well as
in our national policy, to take not to plant old
evils" 1t is often said by way of apology for our coun
try that it is new and that fact does doubtless afford
proper solution of many omissions and wants; but IN
some points of view it constitutes greatest advantage
and ought to be pleaded in extenuaon of errors
We possess the inesmable advantage of starting our
career in the midst of the enlightened age OF the
world and with the accumulated experience of all past
time at service No doubt in the fundamental prin-
cipes Of government and gcneraaw have prohted fully
by the examples of other But there are other
ters subordinate it is true, those yet Of grave i'm
portance in which the experience Of the world Is not to
be dsregarded and in which we likely through sheer
neglect, to commit serious mistakes.
The superficial acquaintance with the state Of our
principal cities and towns must convince that are
already to grave extent "panng old evils" and the
very evils to which Mr. Chadwick alludes 1t becomes
us therefore, to accept the offer Of the experience OF
another country collected has been with the utmost
and labor and laid freely at our feet ltwoud
be well if this information could be reprinted entire and
widely disseminated through our country.
The first document to which Mr.. Chadwick alludes is
the the title of which heads this article 1t goes most
deliberately into the subject of the methods cost and adj
yantages of town and suburban drainage and in
plain and practical way 1t is intended, indeed as a
manual for the surveyors of the local boards of health
and has the force of instructions from the superior and
central executive board to which committed the san
try interests of the entire kingdom present many
Of the leading points in this important document the
limits of single article will allow reserving the other
reports of the series for early future consideration
The sanitary Importance Of drainage scarcely be
overestimated, exhalations from moist and marshy
grounds and from damp cellars and foundations being the
of most of the prevenbe disease which pervades
cities. Water rising from damp foundation by alb
sorpon renders the floors and walls damp in proportion
to the absorbent of the materials of which they
constructed Dampness in the soil is often rendered
visible particularly in the evening, in the shape of mist
fog and these mists will often be found to mark out
and the seats Of preyentble disease Efficient drain
age the of both these evils and with it the
diseases which flow from them.
But simple dampness is not the only evil against which
the system of drainage is directed The disease and dis
comfort produced by moisture is aggravated and comp
Gated by the exhaaon of noxous gases from decayng
animal and vegetable matters collected in cespoos and
other recepracles
Fevers of typhoid character result from this banefu
combination and the depressing effect of the inhalation
of atmosphere thus poisoned creates and sustans
appetite for smulants which give temporary relief
Town drainage is therefore twofold-simple water
drainage and foul water drainage the latter compre
hending sewerage as the term is now commonly used
The system which is found be the economical
well as the most efficient consists principally of tubular
and permeaJe drainppes The objection to permeable
pipes for drainage that they let out and saturate
the site with the foul water they ought to remove, and
they deain in their pores much of the offensive matter
passing through them, the gaseous products from which
escape through the pipes and through openings into
houses and through gully into the Streets and pol
lutte the atmosphere.
From open places, gardens, public grounds, &c. the
plain surplus land will be economically carried
off by arrangements of pensae pipes, the prn-
rple as those used for land under cultivation
The town city to be drained often occupies but a
small portion Of natural drainage area comprehending
the line Of shed dividing hill top ridge, and
bounded by brook river beneath dividing valley
greater proportion being occupied by tllage graz
ing land the drainage of which is important sanitary
grounds, in proportion to its proximity to the town.
well-drained agricultural district surrounding town
is almost necessary complement Of complete system Of
town drainage for as will be shown in future article,
this latter contemplates the application Oh town hanes
in a liquid state to agricultural production.
Suburban lands requiring drainage may be divided into
two classes-garden villa and house lands in and imme
datey adjoining the town, and market garden, tllage
grazing land and commons in its vicinity. The sanitary
Importance Of draining such lands is clear from the fact
that excess Of moisture powerfully affects the Local
climate.
l. Excess of moisture even on lands not evidently wet
is n cause of fops and damps
q Dampness serves the medium Of conveyance Tor
any decomposng matter that may be evolved and adds
the injurious effects of such matter in the arin other
words the of moisture may be said to increase OF
aggravate atmospheric impurity.
g. The evaporation of the surplus moisture lowers TEN
perature produces ch and creates aggravates the
sudden and injurious changes fluctuations Of empera
ture by which health is impaired.
The following the chief agricultural advantages o.
| land drainage to individual occupiers or owners:
i lst BY removing that excess Of moisture which pre-
vents the permeaton Of the soil by air and obsructs thu
free assimilation Of nourishng matters by the plants
4 nj BY facilitating the absorption of manure by thu
SOIL and so diminishing its loss by surface evaporation
and by being washed away during heavy rains.
3D. BY preventing the lowering Of the temperature an'
the chilling of the vegetation, diminishing the effect
solar warmth the surface merely but at the dept
occupied by the roots Of plants.
4th by removing distractions to the free working
the land arising the surface being certain times
from excess of moisture too soft to be worked upon AM
liable to be poached by cattle.
9th by preventing injuries to cattle or other stool
corresponding to the effects produced human being