The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-08-25
The P11ritV of Rivers.


try will have to undergo some sad lessons
in sewage and the preservation OF the pu-
rity of water-courses. Europe has been
slow to discover the importance of relieving
rivers from accumulated filth and of return
ing to the earth the fertilizing properties of
the crops that have been taken from it..
The constant draining of the offal and iRces
of city into river posons it and causes
it to throw of vapors that produce disease,
whilst the organic matter so transferred
from the land to the water steadily lmpo-
yerishes the land and perverts in the water
sources of comfort and pleasure to man into
causes Of offence and disease.
People err greatly In over-estimating the
capacity of water to purify itself. We
quote below paragraph giving the SUBJ
stance of the views of DR.. FARMLAND in
the British Medical Journal on the SUBJ
iect:
CDR. FARMLAND denies the current no
ton that sewer-water mixed with the
stream of river is purified by the combus-
| tive act ion of the oxygen dissolved in the
| water. He maintains that there is no
river in England long enough to effect TINS
combustion completely and satisfactorily.
Ii is true that after 4 short distance the
river-water becomes limpid and less loaded
| with organic matter, but that is because the
greater part of the organic matter in sus-
pension has fallen to the bottom and is de-
posited with the mud. TO purify sewer
water, he sees no other practicable means
than filtration through the earth, whlch IL
serves to manure and enrich. This ultra
ton COMPLETELY purifeS 1t.
| This is every word true. The Enshsh
rivers, indeed, are not long. Ours are longer
but SO thew offer longer shores for men to
live on, to build towns upon, and 1or the
consequent continued accumulation OF of1al
and refuse Of all kinds.
| That we shall ultimately have to change
the whole system of sewage in this coun-
trv-that we shall have to contine it simply
to the drainage of excessive moisture-and
that we shall have to preserve the purity Of
our water-courses and husband all the solid
and organic refuse Of cities for the pur.
poses of fertilization, is very clear to all
thinking men. The very existence Of large
bodies of men in small areas demands this
1t is equally necessary to comfort and to
pleasure. Rivers are full of delight and
beauty. Much of human life is spent upon
them. They minister to pleasure and re.
inauguration, and they yield support to
men. What can we derive from them when
overloaded with offence that gives forth its
; reeking odors and renders them unfit for
pleasure either in them or upon their
surface? How can the poor fish exist in
their turbid and poisoned currents? How
can men expect to avoid plaques when they
load their rivers with poisons that are re.
turned upon them in the air they breathe
This abuse of the lovely streams-the
noble arteries of the globe-those grand
and beneticent features of the dwelling
place given us by Gods barbarism O
civilized society we cannot too deeply de-
pIore nor too severely ceRsure. 1t is s
heathenish ingrattude and abomination-
; an outrage upon economy, science, ant
religion.
: We could never understand why mel
should cast everything they wanted to ge
rid off into the river any more than into tn,
road. The river is the greatest of high
ways and we cannot see why dead hors
4 should be put under the travellers nose il
the highway on the water more than upol
the land. One is easier done and more con
sonant with laziness and selfindulgenc'
than the other. That's all. The easies
way in this case is, like it is In most in
stances, the most costly. You get easil,
rid OF nuisance, and throw away yalua
: bic fertilizer: You put away what is dsa
greeable to you to the annoyance of tn,
community and the peril of the publ
health.
These are matters of very great impor
lance, and though we do not suppose tina
anything will be done in short time {,
further these views, it is Of value to societ,
to publish them.