The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-03
NO 6EHER HAS LIZ HOHsEs.
ME-. v. ". Dieker-cn's Plan De.c,tsea-rrac-
tIenI HcsnIta Ohtnined NJ HrnnlI unat

NsNs's AhNNhtN% OhttNueo ~ buauti Coats
Having heard that Dir. r. N. Dickerson
had 80 arranged the drainage systom in his
house as 20 afford perfect protection against
sewer gas. SUN reporter Visited his residence
and having seen the apparatus in operation
requested Mr.. Dckcrson 10 give the public a
description Of It. with his explanation which is
printed below Readers of THE SUN will be
pleased to know OF 80 simple and cheap rem
edy for an evil which Inns undermined tho
health OF thousands.
To THE EpIroR OF THE SuN-.Sir. Having
lived in q house on Murrny Hill for twenty
years without suspecting that thero wcro amy
defects ~ the drainage. diphthcritic symptoms
appeared in my family which led me 10 ex-
anime the condition OF the plumbing and TO re-
lect upon the generally received opinions on
tho subject OF sewer gas md the means for de-
tending houses from its influence THE results
were a radical change in the drainage sys-
ten OI the house. thereby overcoming all the
evils md the conviction TINT the generally re-
ccived theories on the subject arc erroneous.
When sewer gas is spoken 81 1t il generally
sewers themselves which forces its way into
the house, Otherwise pure and DOES the mis-
pressure, so that II Is able to break the water
seal ot trap. ms steam from boiler might do.
There is no substantial foundation for this
theory. The Rns in the sewers Is not under any
pressure which can materially affect a water
column such os good trnn supplies, There
ers. covered by loosely. whiting covers which
may he seen IN the streets in every block and
these nre amply sufficient 10 relieve the sewers
81 amy pressure which might lie generated in
thcm even II there wrre no other openings to
the air. six-nch trap. which may be used
between the sewer and the house. requires
pressure 81 ABOUT quarter OF n pound io tho
square inch To- force out tho water. and such
pressure would blow of n cast iron cover Of
halt an inch thickness from any hole opening
into the sewer. and in escaping from any OPEN
ing the gns would hiss like steam blowing
on from boiler. There may be cuses in Now
York In which very slight pressure exists in u
sewer OncasiOncd by steam blowing into IT, or
otherwise. but never where 1t is sufficient to
force an ordinary trap
Tho real source Of sewer gas in house Is
not the sewer. hut the traps and pipes OF tho
house itself: and the remedy il in purging
those pipes OF gaseous impurities. and IN not
retaining iermcntng matter in the water closet
There nre four systems Of drainage now in
U.S. IN tins city. all OF which are radically wrong:
=, l. \ soil pipr closed at the top. leading 10
the sewer. having no street trap nj the bottom Of
Il, INTO which tho closets and basins empty
III. The same arrangement with tho soil pipo
opening nj the roof so that the sewer gas from
the sewer may be- drawn up through the house
ny Tareigctlon 81 the gas column in the pipe
and DISCHARGED at the roof
Ill Tho same arrangement closed nj the tor
with street trap ut the foot Of the soil pipe.
~. The same arrangement with street trap
at the foot. and an opening at the roof
The third which Is the most common Is the
worst ~ all. because the whole pipe system Of
the house j. closed NJ. top and bottom, and ns
the fermentation GOES on In the traps and from
tho deposits ~moarod on the pinp surlurns "A
pressure Of gas Is generated in the pipes which
iorrs Itself into the house through any cracks
in the pipes. or through the smaller traps 81 tho
basins. which give way to It before the larger
street trap Yields.
Whom. however tho soil pipe is opened ut
tho roof rs In the fourth system. no pressure
can hc generated In tho pipes but the Cns
evolved in them remains there. and diifusos
through the water in the basin trans, or Is
drawn into the house through cracks IN the
pipes hy The chimney draughts ofthc house. The
ilrSt and second plans are substantially alike
because in both cases the house pines are fun
Of sewer Eas. not under pressure greater than
That ~ tho air. hut whether that gus comes
house. IL immaterial. In either ca-e II will diff
fuse through water IN the small traps or now
out when they ar' syphopcd or leak through
cracks when the mir in tho house b. rareird 10y
heat. and Is drawn toward tho ilrcpiuccs or
won't l.ior,.
Tho tru' remedy IL 20 supply largo quantity
~ fresh mir Rowing through the soil pipes. so
n go carry IN No once any gus generated in
them. while at the same time the sewer l. cut
OF 10y trap, so that II supplies no gas to tho
soil pipes. \ street trap. rs IL usual az the foot
ont Is nm eNhnusfing coWl on the open top Of
the soil pipe. above the roof. placed high
enough To- operate NJ all times. And the third is
an opening into tho soil Pipe in the cellar or
vaults inside of the foot trap. to supply tho air
Tor purging the pipes. Then use no water closet
with trap under II 10 retain the deposits in the
house. and there will Ice no sewer gas in the
house and J! there Is n crack In tho pipe. the mir
WILL flow into tho soil pipe from the house in
/ lowing diagram illustrates the arrangement In
/ my house.