The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-12
Earth Cioseis-seport OF aE,e Bonyd 81
Health ON the Subject Of Deodors.
xsDg Nighs-Sofi.

zaDE NiEht-S0il. -
The following IL the report Of tho COM
mittee appointed by the Board of Health r.
Enquire into the subject OF the earth CLOSET
isystem: Nto''o
REPORT.
Your committee I" on he investigation Of
the earth system uf deodoriZing ht.soil ),
have The honor to report thas thew have
studied many authorities on deodoriZers
and have examined the certificates and the
scientific essays on the subject of the earth.
aeedorizins properties and earth closets
and have come to the conclusion that the
caEtn system ls 10y tar the most superior
and the cheapest. s {; :.
| This system is not a new one at all. and
it seems strange that with such principles
! superiority and cheapness lit has not al
ways been the method adopted by every
! people of every nation on the globe. The
( law OF Moses even imposed upon the Israel
ties the duty of covering the blood of
slaushter-houses with earth. And IN China.
that strange country, where civilization
! seems D have attained the highest degree
| in certain times and the lowest i'm others,
| they have used earth for disinfecting night
soil from time immemorial.
Rosser, in 1881, offered earth united with
| unslacked lime, SCOT, powdered gypsum,
! &c., as disinfectant for focal substances.
urine, garbage, &c. In 1858 Rev. w. y.
Dowditch. of Wakefield, England, recon-
! mended to the agricultural society the use
of y.powdered clay to remove the impu-
rites of coaI-gas, house-vessels, priyy-
boxes, &c. Almost at the same time Rev.
H. Moule, in Dorsetshire, had practically
tested the deodorizing power of earth on
privy soil, and from his exposition of the
fact, the earth-closet system became gene
rally adopted in England and in many parts
OF our country.
The Medical Press of February Is, 1871,
gays: "EXperience has shown that the
ed in the closets have much to do with the
success of the process, for pure or nearly
pure sand has deodorizing power; and the
same is the case with chalk and other forms
of carbonate of lime. Peat also, although
rather more effective than sand or chalk,
is not a. good deodoriZer whereas clay, or
earth which IS rich in clay, is well-suited
for the purpose. The degree Of dryness is
also matter of considerable Importance,
as 1t seriously affects the absorbing power
of the material; hence the necessity for
selecting heavy soil. like brick-earth,
which is loaded with clay, and then drying
it by artificial means, in order that it may
be powdered and sitted, for the purpose Of
utilizing Its absorbent actlon 10 It's 1ullest
extent"
1t is calculated that itrequired AZ pounds
per head per day to make Of the excrcment
Il solid, inotfcnsive compost.
The advantage OF this system is acknow-
ledged in England to be ms follows:
/. The earth-cloSet, intelligently man.
aged, furnishes Il means Of disposition Of
eXcrcment without nuisance and without
detriment to health.
2. In communities, the carth-closct sys-
tenn requires to be managed by the autho-
rity of the place, and will pay ut least the
expense of its management.
8. In the poorer classes OF houses, where
diSpensalle, the adoption of the earth sss-
tenn is invaluable.
4. II is cheaper and more salubrious than
the Water-cl0sct.
5. 1t super>edes the water closet, thus
saving much water for the use of the city.
l. 6. 1t saves the eXcrGments which is so im-
norfanf ri agricIlture, instead of wasting
it, and used to choke the sewers u. sne
atmosphere with malaria.
| In our investigations, we found that the
prepared earth can be supplied to every
| household for every priyy, without the
charge of one cent. a box of this earth
| will be regularly supplied, and the filth ta-
| ken away, charging only the usual rates
! which h I'VE been allowed Ivy law without
deodoriZntion.
This system will free our community Of q
nuisance dangerous to healtll-of Il nuisance
which has aroused the Indignation of the
people until they actually rioled against it,
| We therefore earnestly urge its adoption.-
| Washington Patriot.