The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-12
DRAINAGE AND HEALTH
A PRACTICAL LECTURE IN REFERENCE TO SEW
ERA0E AND HOUSE DRAINAGE

ERAGE AND HOUSE DRAINAGE.
Last evening there was iull attendance at the
School OF Mines attached TO Columbia College to
listen to q paper read before the Public Health
Association, by Mr.. James c. Bayies, on the sub
ject OF sanitary house drainage. AT this parncu-
lar junctnre the theme possesses more than Ordi-
nary interest,", and the extracts that follow
well deserving consideration. Mr.. Bayles re-
marked:-
The indifference manifested by people in all
classes OF society with regard to the department
OF sanitary science, hch deals with house drain
age, rs, think, attributable to popular ignorance
Comp ratively few people know what sewer gas
Is, and those who have been connected with the
corps Of city sanitary inspectors have doubtless,
found that MAJORITY OF people believe there IS a
great deal more talk about 1t among those who
claim to be scientific sanitarians than its import
ance really warrants This ~ a se-lous mistake,
which cannot fail TO imperii the pubic health BY
giving rise to false sense o. security, and en-
couraging the liberation of dangerous nuisances.
The experience OF centuries has taught that the
gases generated IN sewers dangerous to
health These are chiefly carponc acid nitrogen,
supnuretted hydrogen, ammoniacal compounds
and fetid organic vapOr OF these hydrogen Is the
least formidable, although II Will not support ami
maj lie. Carbonic acid is too well known to need
description sulphuretted hydrogen Ia, believe
one OF the most POISONOUS gases OF known cOmpo-
sltion and the ietid organic vapor, concerning
which but little can be definitely Known is prOba-
bly, the nest dangerous, because mos subtle, of
all the emana,ions rom decOmposing sewage
In well ventilated sewers analysis shows
the presence OF carbonic acid, nitrogen, SUI
phuretted hydrogen and traces OF the other
gases mentioned; but the sewers New York are
nos well ventilated. Indeed they are much OF the
time with no ventilation at all. consequently we
may expect 10 tina in them a rare combination OF
Ioul gases. Probably the only thing that
us from continuous epidemic OF typhoid fever, Is
the tact that our sewage ~ more diluted with
water, In proportion TO its volume, than that OF
any other large city. ln the use Of water we are
ex'ravagant to degree unknown in any part OF
Europe, and to this TACT thini we may owe
such immunity we have thus lar
joyed rom the consequence Of our neglect
OF the proper ventilation OF our sewers.
OWING TO this dilutton OF our sewage, II is proDa-
BILE that less gas Is generated IN proportion the
tlon has been given 10 this subjecI but 1t rs none
the ess desirable to keep the all OF our unven-
sewers GS how 1 aG VIM n tsa OF o
economically and effectuaily is the object OF this
paper. -
DEFECTS IN WATER CLOSETS
and went on to say that there are water closets in
the markets, OF English and American invention
against which no reasonable objection can be
urged, when properly connected WITH the SER
Knows when they are, and viii provide one II
desired to DO So rhe closet whidi, ron sari-
the sSp water closet which, Win som moa
cations, would be valuable improvement upon
anything now IN use in dwellings. This Is pump
from the hopper and forces 1t out n the son pipe.
! These closets ire made TOR use bdow the water
line, so their action has TO be mad positive, while
they are absolutely water and air light. The man
ner IN which water closet Is connected with the
! soil pipe IS OF great Importance.
THE PLUMBER IS OFTEN RESPONSIBLE
| for the onenslveness and uEwmesomeness OF
! water closets, which, mad his WORK been properly
done, woad have given little or 10 trouble The
only effective means OF dlminishln. the danger OF
an ESCAPE OF se~er ga n,o oa, nous s Is 70 aord IL
water In the traps by venulaling tie SOIL pipe. In
common work TINS pipe generalk EMS IN the
| 10 prevent the gases rom escaping dependence
is placed on the traps. tue common argument
being that the express purpose Of me trap Is 10
! prevent he escape Of gas ami tout odors.
and II other mean, are provided they
| upon evident misunderstanding OF the condl-
! LIONS winch sometimes exists in our sewers. In
this city there are periods, sometimes several
weeks IN durauon, wnen, so lar q i can learn.
our sewers are absolutely without ,entilatlon and
held under considerable pressure is through soil
and waste pipes. Our chef depend nee for Sc wer
ventilation is upon the perlorauors in tue man
! hole covers THESE are. better tain no openings
at ALL when they are omen. but the! are liable-aI-
| most certain, indeed-to become choked with
the first snowfall OF winter until sDiing.
PLUMBERS HELD TO ACCOUNT.
The speaker proceeded TO analEe the proper
functions OF the plumber, and saiC--My attention
| WAS lately called TO house occuped by irlend
in which the faint, depressing ODD always notice.
able in the bathroom and adjoining apartments
revealed the presence OF sewer gs. thorough
examination OF the plumbing w,rK was made
which revealed certain defects onl too frequently
met with in private dwellings. the bathroom
there ~ q common tub, casin, &c. The waste
nine rom the bathtub was conneced with the soil
pipe OF thc>closet below the trap Consequently the
AR from tne<sewer escaped into ne room. Clos.
ing TINS opening was or no use, hoever, until the
haein waite was also closed, WIN there was n
sight improvement; but sewer 20 continued to
escape through Jhe Overflow pips, which were