Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-12-03
HIGH STREET sEwERAoE.

Since my remarks on "High Street
Sewerage signed ''Citizen," in your last
issue, have received the proceedings of
the American Public Health Association
held this year at Baltimore, the members
of which are men OF character and distinc-
ton as judges, civil engineers, medical and
well-known scientific men, where this doc
trine was fully discussed. The irst paper
on this subject was by Mr.. Hamilton, a
civil engineer of Baltimore, on Efficient
connection with sewers and protection Of
houses against sewer gases" He maintain
ed that unless a mode could he adopted to
render more efficient the dispersion Of the
accumulated gases from the pipes, the pres
ent system is not only worthless, but dan
gerous. He also mentions "the dangers of
wha: is technically called 'entrappins' the
temporary arrangement of the trap, by the
lodgment of rags aud other substances"
He recommends smaller sewer pipes. and
plumbing apparatus. Although this
would he expensive, he claimed that the
advantages accruing would be SO great as
to counterbalancc the expense. He saws
further, THE apparent cost is very great
aud territies the taxpayers of average cali
bre who, therefore, will not consider the
question and prefer 10 continue the old bad
system rather than sanction increased ex-
penditure." 1 mention this not so much
to show his remedies as his opinion of the
Inherently bad" sewers of this kind. The
chief paper, however, on this subject was
by Gen. Viele, as the report says, an able.
practical engineer. quote:
His address in the convention fairly
took the the breath away from many. for
he attacked the whole sewer system inn
petuously and brought forth cogent arpu-
ments TO prove that sewers, the pride of
modern civilization, were inherently bad.
ana cumulative, in terrible degree, OF the
worst infectious agencies. He affirmed
that the Cloaca Maxima of Rome had so
stepped the surrounding soil with danger
Gus gaseous emanalions that it was RADICAL
ly unwholesome, and was in fact becoming
an imperfect guano. He cited the case of a
city in Hindoslan, where in a comnaratiye-
ly brief period of time, four centuries per-
haps, the surrounding soil had been moi
soned in similar manner. The sewers of
New York, he pointed out, DISCHARGED
their noxious contents into the river, and
under certain conditions the river brought
them back again. This, however, was a
mere incident. The grave trouble was that
The gases from the sewers spread all over
the city, and by the mere opening of The
trap of water-closet were admitted into
the entire house. And 10 convince the as
semblage how potent were the yapors that
were so dispersed, he produced fragment
OF lead pipe which had been eroded bv the
action Of such influences. Holes were worn
IN 1t OF circular form, and one of these
was covered with scale, Initiating with
remarkable precision the pustule of small
pox.
lie Is in favor of the kitchen and laundry
being established at the top of a house. not
III lis basement, which he delares, under
Ihe present sewerage system, must be UNI
healthy. He says that the soil covering
The pipes and about them reeks with the
most dangerous gases, and that these can
mol De excluded from rooms below the lev
ell oil the pavement. He declares, moreoy-
err that house should be built I'D rather
than down, though there is no sanitary rea-
son for this If the earth above were kent
sweet and sound. But 1t Is not. for tbera
are leakages from the gas pipes and from
Tho pipes, and a constant filtration of
we gases from the sewer mains, the results
being that the lower rooms of every house
are cages In which victims are kept of the
pestllenee. II is notorious that he belief
.A0' Se'0er-drdinG0e is a Jailave is shared
cS some great Continental engineers, and 40