Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-03-28
STAR.
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

France, where all unhealthy trades have been
placed in three classes, according to their de-
gree Of insalubrity. The manufacture OF
poudrette has been for many years placed In
the first or worst list and forbidden to be car
ried on near human habitations. Even when
carried on by authority of the police and re-
mote from dwellings, it is under certain OBJ
Iigations. By recent order, the night soil
must irst be disinfected in the city before re-
moyal, and then transported in air tight
casks 81. The matters should then be de-
posited in bitches (trenches) and sprinkled
with charcoal; the whole covered with sheds,
10 prevent any disagreeable emanatiOns Sd.
The trenches for the reception Of the night
soil, must be made Of masonry and cemented,
80 as to prevent the percolation Of the fluids
into water courses, &c &c. 4th. When the
manure is made, it must be protected from
humidity, &c, under proper sneus . no.
faucon was for many years the great ootrte
Ordepot but so serious were its inf ences, that,
although at great expense, the city Of Paris
resolved to abolish il in 1S49. The depot was
changed to La Villette, still more northeast Of
the city.
The present plan Of preserving the health
Of Paris il as follows The cesSpoels in the
city arc disinfected previously, or else pumped
by hose into alright and immense casks.
These casks are hauled to Villette, and after
entering the building, all apertures are
closed. The night soil is then emptied into
series Of sisterns, with an arrangement to re-
tsrd the more solid matter. of course this is
attended by a great exhalation OF putrid
gases which sometimes escape from the es
Enlistment. But these gases are destroyed
thus: An arrangement Of large subterranean
pipes communicates with the forest of BOndy,
six miles of, and the more fluid portion Of the
night soil is driven by powerful steam engine
pumps through these tubes Then, as soon
a. tie gases arise from tho emptying of the
casks, an aspiring yentilator is set to work,
which draws ID the external air, and drives it,
together with the noxious gases of the Mi ht
soil into the blazing furnaces of the engines,
where they are consumed. Thus the neigh
borhood is protected. When the fluid portion
Of the night soil has been driven to BOndy by
the engines, the moro solid residue is put into
alright casks, and then by cranes hoisted
into large batteaux On the canal De l. 'Ourcq,
which convey it also to Bondy As each cask
is emptied into the cisterns at Villette, 1t
pounds Of sulphate Of iron is added, as we'll as
ore quar- of impure Pyrohgnerous acid for
the purpose of disinfection. Both the old de-
pot Of Monfsucon and the new one Of Villette
are within the canton Of Pantin, to the north
east Of the city of Paris.
The scientific sanitary commission Of the
canton reported to the Project Of Police shat
from the yutrtd calculations the canton of
PamtJn IS the most infected and most
hgaitkg canton. not only an the department of
all the precautions taken to prevent the infec-
ton of the air, the several villages which sur
round the forest of B0ndy have imperatiyeIy
urged upon the city of Paris the instant re-
moval Of this cause Of i'll health.
Night soil is very rich in sulphur and nitro
gen, and therefore very infectious. Like all
organic matter, its decomposition gives rise to
gases which are noxious TO life, viz ammonia
and sulpbureted hydrogen among others but
in addition to these, clouds Of putrid organic
matter in a state of great cOmpactness are also
thrown out.
Parent Duchatelet admitted that typhus
fever arose from boats laden with poudrette,
and said that the odor of the gases, de-, from
that manufacture would be disseminated for
miles from the centre Of origin, whilst the
smell Of putrid horses would only reach few
hundred steps Although this putrid matter
and the noxious gases may not destroy life on
the spot, still their existence in the air, on
meeting with one of the unknown causes of
disease, may develope 1t or very greatly in
crease the virulence. Thus any fever may
be aggravated by the inhalstion Of this impure
air, and the functions of digestion be utterly
destroyed. III, even allowing the greatest
latitudes, these emanations are not immedi-
ately fatal, unless in a concentrated state,
still they constitute a most intolerant nui-
sance in every sense Of the word. They VIII
ate Gods pure air, and render disgusting that
which should be our greatest blessing.
Men Of science can afford to be whimsical
with their distractions, but no one of common
sense can be led to believe that those matters
which nature casts off as cb5ts, can be healthy
when taken into our lungs again in a putrid
state.
All large cities have sought to remedy this
evil by large expenditures, and every scien-
tifc effort at the same time, removing the
dspots to the greatest possible distance from
their borders. We greatly fear that ours is
the only city which, for an instant, would
have permitted such an offensive and noxious
manufacture within its limits, or just upon
its borders. -
CONGRESS OF EQUEsTRIASs.-We are soon
to have q new element Of excitement here,
calculated to share the interest even with the
deliberations at the capitol. Messrs. Spald-
ing Rogers, who have circuses, menageries
and museums, South and West, on steamboats,
they have constructed expressly for their con-
Teyance, with two companies at tie North
moving in the old-fashiOned way on wheels,
have contriyed train Of railroad cars, with
adjustable axles, for the transportation of the
persons, horses and properties of a new eques-
TRAN establishment they have this winter e..
tablished, Of colossal proportions and at enor-
nous expense In giving publicity to their
intention of employing the very head Of every
branch Of the profession, no matter at what
salary, they have been so overwhelmed with
applications, each claiming to be without a
competitor in his particular line, that they
have concluded to settle the question Of su-
periOrity by bringing the rivals together at
Washington in a kind Of circus convention
and tournament, awarding to the victor in
each department cash prize of one hundred
dollars, and also seasons engagement at
ten per cent. advance on the highest salary
he may have previously received The most
distinguished performers in the country have
already entered the lists, and the exciting
sport will commence in q few days.
IN TIE SENATE, yesterday. Mr.. Sebastian
presented o memorial from VIM. B. Todd,
Geo. Parker, p. r. Fendall, and ether citi-
zsns of Washington. representing that the
appropriations heretofore made by Congress
for the completion Of Indiana avenue were in
sufficient for that purpose, and that the ne
cessity Of an early additional appropriation
for finishing the bridge across the Tiber and