The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-06-27
Sanitary Precautions for VILLAGES

"dru sanitary reform in CharIotre are
~cofninendable, and should meet with
nearly response. In proportion as re-
iuse matters are promptly removed or
rendered innoxious by oxidation. by
so much the health Of the town must
improve.
1t is the object Of this letter To sug-
gest Improvement in the latter manner
OF dealing with excrementitious mat
ter. \ system of public sewerage
would scarcely be considered advisable
ON accoun of the expense; but it is
suggested that a system founded upon
the earth closet method will meet all
the requirements of this town for
years, and Will greatly reduce the ILLS
that flesh il heir t." in the shape Of
~fevers, etc.
The system proposed is simply the
use of dry earth or charcoal To deodor-
ize and break up. chemically. the of
fenslve matter. Its successful accom-
plishment may be seen at one spot in
Charlotte, where half barrels are plac-
Ell III the privies, which receive the
refuse matters. over which is shoveIed
some dry earth every day; thus de-
stroying all odor and evil effects
These barrels are ernptied over the
field when full. and then returned to
their places. The emptied matter is
without odor-lt has been thoroughly
oxidized by the oxygen that the earth
in a granular form, or the porous
charcoal, condenses.
An experiment, that anyone can
perform, will illustrate this: Add a
few drops of sulphate of indigo solu-
ton to some clear water the water
assumes an intense blue color which
color it retains or fltering through an
ordinary tiiterlng paper. But If we
Strew over filter paper some powdered
charcoal (anlmal charcoal is best the
water comes through perfectly color
less. If we use earth in place of the
charcoal the waterfall passed through
it is slightly cOlored thus showing that
earth is not SO powerful an agent as
charcoal. Now evidently here the earth
Or the charcoal have exercised a differ
ent influence from the filter paper
alone. The filter paper will catch sus-
pended matter. Thus muddy water
passed through it becomes clear, but
it does not alter chemically the sub
stances in solution. We have just seen,
though, that earth or charcoal does,
and the usual hypothesis to account
for this fact is hat porous substances
condense gases-air, oxygen, etc, in
proportion to the extent of their inte-
rior surface and this oxygen actually
destroys by slow combustion the sub
stance in question. h enormous
amount of surface to volume of pOrOu
charcoal or piles of earth permits the
condensation of a large amount of gas
which stands ready to attack any
chemical body that can be decomposed
or altered by it.
1t must then be distinctly under
stood that the putrescent substances
are not absorbed Gas usually stated) by
the earth or charcoal, or other porous
material; but are chemically changed
-oXidized Or burnt up-sO that their
Objectionable features are no longer
perceived: the nitrogen, etc. is thrown
off into the air, so that the earth has
about the same constitution after its
use in the manner indicated as before.
The same earth can be used over and
over again; thus doing away with
what was once urged as the principle
objection to the earth closet ~ystem-
the continual removal of large bodies
of earth.
There appeared an excellent article
on 'Village Sanitary Work in Serb
nerS for June. 1877, by Geo. f Waring,
Jr. The writer says: In the autumn
of 1876 / had brought to my house,
where only earth closets are used, two
small cart loads of garden earth, dried
and sifted. This was used repeatedly
, in the closets, and when an increased
quantity was required, additions were
made of sifted anthracite ashes. The
amount of material now on hand IS
about two tons, which is ample to
furnish a supply of dry and decom-
posed material whenever it becomes
,oaacrory- tn fill tho rnCnrvnlrC of tho
closets. The accumulation under the
seats is discharged through valves into
brick vaults in the cellar" THE less
expensive method given above effects
the same object.) when these vaults
become tilled-about three times in a
year-their contents, which are all
thoroughly decompoSed. are piled up
in a dry and ventilated place, with a
Sights covering of fresh earth to keep
down any odor that might arise. After
a sufficient interval these heaps are
ready for further use, there being no
trace in any portion of foreign matter
or any appearance or Odor differing
from that of an unused mixture of
earth and ashes. In this way the ma
terial has been used over and over
again, at least ten times, and there is
no indication to the sense of any
change in its condition.
\ chemical analysis showed that
there was no more organic matter in
the used earth than in fresh earth: thus
proving that in this case 800 pounds
of nitrogen. etc, had gone back to
the air in a harmless state, the solid
organic matter being estimated at 500
pounds. of which some $50 was nitro
gen. The powerful disinfecting prop
critics of charcoal are well known.
When there is odor about a dead body.
there is nothing better than carbon in
some of it forms to destroy it. The
smoke from burning tar, coffee, dried
apples, etc, have all been successfully
tried.
A covering of charcoal will preserve
tainted flesh of any kind; the dog in