The Yazoo Democrat., 1853-06-22
7 H E D E M OCRAT.
PHILLIPS & PERKINS, EDIroRs.
From the National TRtelligencer.
Drainage.

M@M d1AAMd&&Cs
! Minutes Of Information collected IN respect to
the Drainage Of Lands forming the sstes Of
TosOns, to Road Drainage, and the Facilita-
tion Of the Drainage Of Suburban Lands
Ordered to be printed for the use of the local
boards of health and their surveyors engaged
in the administration Of the public health
! act London 1852.
| The letter from Edwin Chadwick, ESQ, G. b.,
which was published in our paper of Saturday
last, opens wide field for thought and effort.
It is indeed the soundest wisdom in our munic
| ipal administrations, as well as in our national
policy, to take care not ssto plant old evils" 1t
is often said, by way of apology for our country,
that it is ''new." and that fact does doubtless af
ford proper solution OF many omissions and
wants; but in some points of view it constitutes
our greatest advantage, and ought never to be
pleaded in cxtenuation of errors. We possess
the inestimable advantage of starting on our ca
reer in the midst of the most enlightened age of
the world and with the accumulated experience
of all past time at our service. No doubt in the
fundamental principles of government and gen.
eral law we have profted fully by the examples
of othersnations. But there are other matters,
subordinate, it is true, to those, yet of grave i'm
portance, in which the experience of the world
| is not to be disregarded, and in which we are
likely, through sheer neglect, to commit serious
mistakes.
The most superficial acquaintance with the
state of our principal cities and towns must
convince us that we are already to grave extent
planting old evils, and the very evils to which
Mr.. Shadwick alludeS. 1t becomes us, therefore,
to accept the offer of the experience of another
country, collected as it has been with the utmost
care and labor and now laid freely at our feet
1t would be well il this information could be re-
printed entire and widely disseminated through
our country.
The first document to which Mr.. Chadwick
alludes is the one the title Of which heads this
article. 1t goes most elaborately into the sub
iect of the methods, cost, and advantages of town
and suburban drainage, and presents it in plain
and practical way. II is intended, indeed, as
manual for the surveyors of the local boards of
health, and has the fcrce of instructions from
the superior and central executive board, to
which are committed the sanitary interests of
the entire kingdom. We present as many of
the leading points in this important document
serving the other reports of the series for early
future consideration.
| The sanitary importance of drainage can scarce
| ly be over-estimated exhalations from moist
and marshy grounds and from damp cellars and
foundations being the causes of most of the pre-
ventble disease which pervades our cities. Wa
ter rising from damp foundation by absorption
/ renders the floors and walls damp in proportion
to the absorbent nature of the materials of which
they are constructed. Dampness in the soil is
often rendered visible, particularly in the even
ing in the shape of mist or fog, and these mists
will often be found to mark out and cover the
seats Of pfeventible disease. Efficient drainage
removes the cause 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 discomfort produced by moist
ure is aggravated and complicated by the exha-
lation of noxious gasses from decaying animal
and vegetable matters collected in cespoos and
other receptacles.
Fevers of typhoid character result from this
baneful combination, and the depressing effects
F, of the inhalation of an atmosphere thus poison
ed, creates ana SuSIalnS an dppcILtc lOI SlAAuu
lants which give temporary relief.
Town drainage is therefore two fold-simple
water drainage and foul water drainage; the lat
ter comprehending sewerage, as the term is now
commonly used. The system, which is found
to be the most economical as we'll as the most
efficient, consists principally of tubular anu an-
permeable drain pipes. The objection to per-
meable pipes for town drainage are, that they let
out and saturate the site with the foul water
they ought to remove, and they detain 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-shoots into the
streets, and poIlute the atmosphere
From open places, gardens, public grounds
&C., the plain surplus land water will be most
economically carried off by arrangements of per-
qneable pipes, the same principle as those used
i for land under cultivation.
The town or city to be drained often occupies
but small portion of . natural drainage area,
lcomprehending the line of water shed dividing
a hill top or ridge. and bounded by brook or
river beneath, dividing valley-the greater pro-
portion being occupied by tiliags or grazing
lland, the drainge of which is important, on san
itary grounds, in proportion to its proximity to
the town.
Al we'll drained agricultural district surround
ling town is almost necessary complement OF
nlete system Of town drainage ft,a rs will