The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-07
The Ventilation and Dfsinfeetion Oh
Sewers.

sewers
One of the most vital sanitary questions
now agitating the public mind. and, we are
clad TO say, cnlisting the cXperlnenti'i re-
searches of eminent Swans, is the Ventilation
and management Of the sewage systems OF
our towns and cities. In nothing cal, SCI
encc make it, importance more dccpS iclt
than in mastering those subjects Whlcii hiost
concern the bcalth and happiness Oh our
homes. For some years few qllct anu lR',
ticut aborers In the iicld OF chetn'ca anu
municipal ciiinatologv have been eHpefi-
mcntiuc to ascertain the most faForable ii'
thods of treating the drainage and sewerage
Of the de,lSclr crowded marts OF Europeahd
America, and we have had their various ana
somewhat varying conclusions put before the
world. Without attempting to give all the
results of these valued Investigations, IL Is
highly necessary in the present morbid ana
morbitic season to point out tue sufe>I anu
safest conclusions reached.
The Herald some time ago pointed out the
danger of the pneumatic dissemination OF
sewer gas In our houses, hotels, and pllh!lc
buildings, and suggested propcrarchltectui?si
precautions and safeguards from the Invisible
and subtle poison of these sewer cXfaiallons.
1t is of paramount importance, however, 10
protect our streets and avenues from the
residential odors, rs well to secure our par
lors and bedrooms.
There is no perfect method yet devised Of
ycntilatinr sewers, and until some such plan
is devised as will meet all the conditions re-
quircd it is highly desirable to resort to dis
infection on a large scale. II we cannot deal
with the poison by diluting it sufficiently III
the great atmospheric ocean, the obvious al
tentative is to destroy or extract its deadly
power by some chemical agent.
But very recent Investigations show that
the evil of sewage infection can be very
materially diminished by certain methods
Water. the great cleanser, is, of course. first
appealed to to do its work, and in London
the Board of Health have occasionally
adopted the plan of flooding the sewers and
purging by the mechanical action OF water
This remedy is impossible in many of our
cities, where the water supply Is never super.
fluous and must usually be carefully huS-
banded. 1t is objected to the Use of water
that in flooding the sewers the rats, the only
perfect scivcngnrS, are kept out; and MI.
Thorn. an eXpcrincntcr Of Chorlcy, England,
found it necessary TO construct SidlngS or
landings for these invaluable animals. IL -
certain, also, that water greatly assists de-
composition, and unless used III excessive
and eXhaustIess profusioD, so rs to carry OIL
in its rush the poison it has helped TO dlSen-
gage. it is the most fatal agent ut work III
the sewer. The extremes Of excess and want
of water have been concllSlvely proved,
therefore. TO be the safest for, in the alb
scnce of this element. the process of dccom-
position is slow. 1t is clear. then, that i'll ali
cities and towns where il is impossible 10
dcIu@c the sewers and kccpthc ever @orSed
with water, the next best thing Is to prevent
and cut off their supply and preserve them
as dry ns possible. Water waste, beyond
doubt, not only depiiycS the people who
rcrkIe>sly Sqlandcr it Of this great Necessity
Of life, but also rapidly promotes HE pro-
ccsscs of decomposition and renders the
srwcrsystem ntolerably offensive and deadly.
Ii should ever he remembered that all acct
mutations OF Gth and oilal in our suburban
repositories should be put upon high ana dry
ground, and kept Us dry rs possible As 10
the actual ventilation of the sewers, the inter-
csts of health will never he guarded until we
learn to seal up Theoretically these channels
of infection, and permit no communication
between them and our streets or houses en-
ccpt by trap openings. IL this were done it
might be worthy OF consideration whether,
us has been suggested, the sewer might not
be ventilated 10y steam fans, causing Il cur
rent of air to pass through 1t As through our
pneumatic railways, or, in another way, 10y
tubes opening high up above the ground and
diSclarging their putrd mir into the more
rapid currents above. But until some such
plan is adopted for yentating the sewer or
diluting its posonS it is better to multiply
its Strcet.openin9S and hasten the pro-
cess of diution. 1t is now well known
that the human system is very snsccpt-
Die to the faint of a small body Ct
concentrated infection, inhaled Tor few mo-
mentS, but is quite safe from the same infcc-
ton, even in cholera or smallpox hospitals,
when the infected air is diluted. Ii results,
from what has been advanced. that the best
means that now offer for getting rid Of the
great pest of modern cities are, first. TO dimin-
ish us much rs possible the supply Of water
to the sewers unless they can be percnnially
flooded second, to multiply the facilities for
dilution by contact with the open air; and,
lastly and chiefly, to resort i'll the utmost
degree TO the Use of diSntect;lntS.
If our people are to be visited by the long
threatened Scourge of Asiatic cholera not
day can be safely lost to put the sewer sys
TENS of all our principal towns and cities in
the most healthy or the least pesti!cntial con-
dition. We now raise the note of warning
to all our health guardians and authorities
NeU York Herald.
A Strange Story Of a Feigned Son.