The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-27
o,r .,o,son.Rearing sewers.

e T.;s o,o,,, time that the nature OF sewers
.shonId be understood. lhey arc "eeuc'
only 70 convey water out Of the city and II
p;ch,,ond, by properly dividing the water
rn,ust our many streets capable Of carrying
= of we need no sewers at all unless We
choose to have them. Perhaps the following
searching article Urom the New York Herd'o
will open the eyes Of some people;
p r. rSrry ,rrc DISSEMINATION or sEwER-GAs IN
OUR HOUSES.
4, rpr,;sh scientific journal has recently
and very ably discussed the grave proose'n o!
irdoor Ventilation. 1t j. matter Oh tae
,,ra,t.s, marvel that while engineers ft't
T,rn,.;,,ea t,,c means of draining our CUES W
thc;r noiSome and pcstilcntial matter us ~
nothing has been done TO prevent III, ,,' ," w
ton of o,,r houses and bedrooms d! the On.
I,,I,,ion. Of the sewer. II Is prooaoic 'iia'
,'a,,, f.y of orr most intelligent citizens nave
,,.a'. rni,.rtad rpou the possible dl,trlbutioh
,r s,,dly poison among the inmates OF theT
In,',l;m':s and even their r,latial residences
Son, rho common drain Of the Wh0le CIT!
il has generally been supposed that Whch
;'r streets are kept clean and the sewers III
GOOD order municipal prudence has no'hins
more 10 do. 1t is very certain tiE'I III tlic
present atmospheric condition OF our Ea>te,h
cities the cpidemics of the season VIII hlahe
r,,,id stride, without these sa!1ltar! pIeca0'
lions. But we need to look further. IL mas
been shown very clearly that the loul "h9
diseasc-ladcn air Of the public sewer can ana
does obtain admission into our chambers
t rough the soil pipe, the bath outiet pipes,
and the pipes which connect our Dath-roolli>
Nth tbe subterrancan drain. 1t was con-
rusiycIy shown by the medical press of Eng
Ind that even the elegant saloons ana tapes
: .ina rooms of Londesborough Lodge were
ta;ntrI and imprcgnated with foul sewer gas,
q ri that tic late illness Of the Prince OF
. ,v,,,rs WAS due to this exciting cause. Ii l.
very clear, too, that there must be COLI
st,nt pressure of the sewer air OH the pan or
fran nc the closet, which must inevitably leaf
tan iptiltration Of the poisonous Vapor into
the house. If we suppose that the excre-
mental matter which passes through inc
snwcr in Epidemic seasons is capable oil con-
y.yinr disease, as we know it Is, the most
cycanly and elegant mansion on our hnest
avenues, and even our sumptuous suotlif''!
r;,Ios are seen to be in direct communication
with the most filthy and putrcsccnt nests VI
disease In the worst tenement-hotses.
The open pipes in the houses (Which 'ue
also introduced into every bedroom), III per
forming their functions i'll removing waste
water, are so many vents ior the uciuiieat
yarors confined in the sewerage. Inc loui
mir returns and insinuatcS itself into our
honsrs bv more than one process. y wind
pressure cxcrted on the open mouth OF the
sewer at great distances from the house, or
snch a pressure on any street-corner sewer
opcuinr. at once sends the infectious niiaSm |
i.lso the internal atmosphere OF our dwell
iugs. The increase of the specific gravity OF
the external atmosphere also forces the sewer
air Into our nostrils. Even the draugit OF
chilnnevs in Il tight building, and especially
wien il is closed up at night, must TIC lea
and kept up partly through the numerous
small pipes which connect with the genera
ST., er drainage. ,o,.h ,ro
al -. because no amount OF care anu
,.',!ns' ~, avert the danger so long rs
.'.a, no ranged as at present. bul
our iin,.sJ - not iliicult one No cesspit,
I'M. ~, or tram. should BIZ alloWcl an!"iele
I n';,;; trc walls of the dwelling, pu! inesg
should he constructed outside, ana u !I"' o"
str.inr,,s and filters hc extensively en-. 'iose Gu
AZ orr London contemporary--AdM ;no,,
suggests. the pncumatics of the pl. h,.-
dwcilinr are Quite as important as the Wy
and the dozen or more slnaii plpt
ri. sink. baths. &C.. should every one be,
made to empty, not directly into the sewer =,
lint ,hm,id he collected and "allowcd to DIS
CHARGE their contents into the open Ar owe, Il
, trnD communicating with the house drain, i,
80 Tia, rciuX of scwcr-gas into TIC lous"
would be simply impossible" .,.. 5
We regard this suggestion rs OF uilSpc''ha-
Lle importance i'll the technical dct;lis Oh
and especially OF all Hats, tell
and hotels. \ mans home Is
pt more consequence to him than the Whoie
,urSidr world, and if our modern science l.
worth anvthing it should bring itself TO our \
lcor,hs and tircsidcs. The London Itmes
,g.lI SAYS of this matter " " hat sstlre Oh
Inc universal diffusion Of knowledge, on the
lectures Of the Royal Society, Oh hundredS o.
). ..ntiic and educational institutions, ana OH
' NJ new inventions and discoveries!
VI w., Oh; 20 simplest thing in the whoie
10y - W.. ~anted only common sense,
"otiu' Mi' I,i w, - have thought OF II;
,nv v we arc not sure tina, our arcm.e san II
builders will be thinking of 1t Ia: .;r.,
$ far too simple and too deadly an ans -
We see no reason why teSai hluhtst ap,,d
nnactmcnts should not at once De lill o at.t
lenceforth rigidly enforced, II not le.iost,v
iyelv, ut least prospectively, IN an our it,,ne
public buildings, and even III inc co,,s s o ~"
ar,,at;c ;mnroyement of these suggestions
,rould On far to arrest and mitigate the peru
,,o ,rc IL from smallpox and Asiatic cholera,
Nth The rayarcs of which we may very soon
be overtaken.