, 1875-01-24

these gases. It v,ll thus be seen from this
concise summary that nino out OF the
elcren packing houaea within the city
have made attempts to dcodor.ze their iard-tank
gases, but in opis one Of these houses is the nt-
tempt successful. It speaks well for the vigi-
lance OF the Board OF Health that 1nsuch large
proportion OF the total number Of packing
houses such attempts hare been made, out aud
MARI this, it speaks III for them or rather for
the competency OF the advice under which they
act, that 20 large proportion Of lhese attempts,
olSht-ninths, should be lota! failures, Is hAs
been before aat emphatioaily raa.4rked in tho
course Of these articles. The packers, "a body,
should be
in the matter Of the stenoh-nulaance; thay hAva
done Nhat they could, acting under incompetent
advice; nor docs tho Board Of uealth seem to
hare been remies in ita duties ii tho
Jug packing-nouses for steuch-nuisance !;
but it has in every case made tho
unfortunate btunder OF recommending to tha
ott-indcted and bewildered packers an inefficient
system Of deodorizing their lard tank gases, and
lt'is for tho public, the citizons OF Chicago, to
decide whether most blama attaches to tho
Board for this blunder OF to the incompetent
raen under whose advice they have sctod, in rec
om1nendlng, II not forcing, upon the packers an
inefficient system OF deodorlzation Ut the OBJ
no1iou. gases.
As it is not the purpose OF these articles mere
- "
much-se1ed question, thereby exciting the pub
lie and spurr1ng on tho Board OF Health to ro-
newed sexiea OF vexarlous Indictments a3ainst
tho Packers and then leaving the "mus." thus
created, with Maphlstopholian sneer, Or 4
quantity OF BcurT11ous abuse against all and
everybody, as is the manner Of aome pubic
Journals, ne now proceed to the confederation OF
. TIE PRACTICAL RE1ED1Es
which, when applied to tho slckonipg subject,
will prove the specific for the disease,
L. %t<so F1n~%
missioner with the assistance OF public
spri.ed gentleman who defrayed such expense
as was necessary, made some special experiments
during the past week on tho only plans winch
appeared to him feasible aud neil calculated to
attain tho result sought, viz. tho perfect de-
odorizatioa OF the gases evolved from the lard
tanEa. Two experiments we're msdo upon de-
odoFization by artissptlcs (earth and cha1coal,
and Two upon deodoriza.iou by combustion, and
the result showed strongly IN favor Of ths latter
menls, the reasous will be given for adopting
the two materials mentioned, earth and charcoal,
for the purpose Of dcodorlzauon.
Earth las been long and favorably known as
deodorlzer, Though it has not IS set baen satis-
factorily proved what is the best Eind of earth
graretlg, or pe4tv soil is the most sffcient. Di-
gestion is merely one form Of chemical dacom-
position, and the portions OF food un&ssimilated
by tho body, or fGecal Matters are very efIectual
known that in many portions Of Europe Garth
closets are used instead Of the Ordinary water
closets in houses. Tho advocates Of HeH irri
CATION have always laid stress upon the harmless
ness frora sanitary point OF view )ot this method
Of irrigation on account OF the deodorlzips aud
Antiseptic properties OF earth aud their state
lnents have1n noet cases been supported BY factk
in the casa III which sewage irrigation has not
been accompanied by any uoxiouA or unhealthy
vapors,-though at tho same time the r1iter
foels bound to state that la-Be minority do
state persistently that sewage irrigation is harm
full aud prejudiclal to the public health when
performed in the vicinity Of large towns or
cities. However, tho evidence ~ to the efficiency
Of common
EARTH As proDoa1zEH
seemed to Justify the writer in making expert
ncnta upon it's efficiency in deodor1zlng lard
tapk gases. especially az 1t is without doubt ths
cheapest substance that can DO used for tho
purpose. At the same time the claims
Other ,,
and purifiers in the case OF sewer gases were
duly weighed, such As lime, charcoal, sulphur
ous scid gas, chlorine gas, and carbide OF iron !;
but OF these only the first two were deemed
practicable in relation to larl-tank gases, the
other three we're considered either too a.
pensive in production or too analogous in
chemical composition to DO OF uae in deodoriz-
ing, notably in the case Of suiphurous acid gas,
considerable quantity OF the laro-tank Eases
OF these first two substances lime M2s proved |
md found wanting, a. will be noticed in the de-
.cription OF the only successful system Of effect
lally burning the gases, but tha other, charcoal
sas practicable, and vas, therefore, adopted in |
he experiments. |
nay be termed the most efficient deodorizer and |
,u1er Of sewer gases, the reason being tho large
mount Of condensed oxygen contained nitnin |
ts pores, the oxygen being condensed therein to |
he oxtent Of eight times the bulk Of the char
oal. The extent OF tho pores in charcoal ia
iso very great LiebiR says that ono cubic inch !
Il becchWood charcoal contalua pores equal in |
rea to 100 superficial feet. It absorbs the
nasmata OF organic decomposition, aud not only |
sinfects, but absolutely destroys or burns up
" means of the oxygen in its pores almost al |
orms OF no1ious gases. Wneu treated nth /
7ater after being in use from nine to twenty
1ontha. charcoal Welded abundance OF alkaline
itrate, showing complete oxidation Of Some
I the organic gases; other alkaline salts
ere also present. Indicating the i1ation of
be ammonia, and other volatile nitrogen
us bodies peculiar to organic decomposition, |
ut of which nothing could definitely be deter
lined but that they had very bad odor, oon-
ounded Of ur1ne, seEage, bad meat. smmoniar
lYed agaiu,-i e., cleared of tho gases which it
a. decomposed. aud fitted again for use; rails
,g It to red heat IN = closed retort for half IN |
our is ali that is necessary for the purpose
hese statements being facts, and it seeming to
10 writer that much similarity must exist be-
xecn the chemical composition OF many OF the
oxious sewer gases decomposed by charcoal and
Jose evolved from the lald-tauks, he therefore |
oucluded 10 try the deodorizlng powers OF char
BAL in the experiments about to .bo described.
will be OF interest here to give
COMPARISON
etwcen tho gases formed in sewers and those
volyed from the lard-tauks, xs far as they have
cen dstermned. semer-gases are composed Of