The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-01-23

iouHl mat q small stream OF
water near the isolated house
had been polluted from the sick
room, and this stream, used for
irrigation, had carried the i'm
purltles to a public well, from
which nearly all the inhabitants
We're supplied. There were SIX
houses which had wells of their
own, and their occupants did not
use Water from the public well !:
they remained in health except
two, who had, when from home.
used the public water. Every
one of the one hundred and
thirty who became sick drank
OF the water from the public
well. There had been no COM
munication between the isolated
house and the village, and the
disease Vas not conveyed by
contagion, but was wholly the
result of the use Of poisoned wa
ter.
ABSORBENTS For VAULTS.
In the country, and away from
cities, there are some very i'm
portant advantages gained by
the use Of dry absorbents in
vaults. If kept dry till used,
and they are employed in suffi-
Client quantity, they wholly pre-
vent any possible drainage to
wells or other sources for water
supply. No liquid portions can
escape from them. In this re-
spect they possess a most impor-
tant advantage over water
closets, the discharge from
which must be always taken
away by water, for which an
escape must be secured. The
dry absorbents, on the contrary,
obviate the necessity of any care
of the kind, and if constantly
attended to, are accompanied
with no odor, and the contents
OF the vaults are as easily SHOW
eled out and drawn to land to
be used as a fertilizer, as sand is
shove.ed and drawn from a
sand hole. There is no danger
from frost, so much dreaded
with Water-closets.
One of the most perfect absor-
bents for this purpose is dry soil
which contains a large amount Of
clay, the best and most conven-
lent form of which is road dust
where such soils prevail. Clear
sand or gravel is of very littleor
no value. Coal ashes are more
generally accessible in large por-
tons Of the country, and when
sifted and perfectly dry answer
an excellent purpose, in suffici-
emily large quantity to keep the
whole mass dry. The best of all
absorbents for common use is a
mixture Of ashes and road dust.
Contrivances have been made
by which the movement of the
cover in the closet throws down
a pint of ashes: and other and
simpler ones require onlythe pull
ling Of knob or button to effect
this purpose. The first mention
ed is liable to get out Of order,
and the latteris little better than
to keep a supply at hand in a
box or barrel, with a | long handl-
ed tin diper, for every visitor to
use. This mode costs almost
nothing, is never out Of order,
and if every person uses it, there
will be no odor and no drainage.
A trial of this method by the
writer, with perfect success, for
about thirty years, has proved
its value. There is no excuse
whatever torany country reldent
or farmer who has not made pro-
vision for something at least as
good as this simple and cheap
contrivance, or does not see that
it is properly attended to and
used.
1t must be remembered that
this treatment applies only to
vaults: and that Stops an! dish
water must be carefully exclud-
ed, and be provided for in a way
elsewhere mentioned. If the alb
cl IL