, 1881-04-17
NECESSITY OF SEWER VENTILATION:


II the public authorities and individual
houseiolders III this city are hot sufficiently
concerned about the dangers to life aud
health that arc contained in scwer-gas, it i;
through no tault Of THE TRIBUNE, whose
investigations and exposures should have
made every "ne alive to the Importance Of
| the subject. New attention has been directed
to it By the exhibition in this city uurln. the
| past week Of an invention designed to pass
| preparation Of zinc thrau h tht: Water-closet
and thereby destroy tie alleged bucteria
| Which are generated IN the air OF the pipes
AMI sewers. We shall not undertake TO give
Judgment upon the merits uf this process
reported upon elsewhere. It llas not been
demonstrated to our knowledge that the
bacteria III the air OF the sewer or closet pipe
constitute the germs OF disease which the
scwer-Isas certainty contains. There are
spores in the common atmospheric air,
except at the very highest altitude.
which human beings breathe cou-
stant1y; whntaer the germs of the sewer
air ara poisonous. or whether tho
process Of fermentation can be arrested il,
the manner prescribed, OF whether, in such
case, the calsc Of disease Is removed from
the gases OF the sewer. has not, we think,
been sufficiently determined.
There are two conditions about sewer-gas
however, which may be regarded as settled.
lle first IS that tile gas is poisonous, and The
second is that the gas can be driven ont If
the house BY Il system OF ventilation, assisted
by proper construction Of house-pipes and |
frequent ovcrhau!ing and cleansing thereof, |
uk4fp
small. whether for renting or living pur- |
poses, is able to provide it with the best !
known means OF rid.llng it Of sewcr-sas, and
1t is the bourlttcn dury Of every houseowncr
to ito this. In the construction Of new
houses 1t is almost a crime against life and
health TO neglect the adoption Of the best
system OF protection against sewer-poison. |
Some general principles may he laid down,
the details Of which can be carried out BY
lny first-class plumber.
]. The pipe connecting tile streot-sewcr
With the drainage system of the house should
lot only be ample, but should be 1alu at an
ncline from the house, instead Of alta level,
which has been the practice.
2 There should be abundant appliances
or yentilatins The house-pipes. Tie best
ysten for dom. this seems to be to run 4
entilating pipe through the roof, with a
entli;ltor or we'll in the yard next the street.
ever, and a crown yentiiator at the top of
tic pipe which runs out and above the roof.
I, i'll addition TO this, it be determined to I
entilafe through the cllilnncys, which. is adj
lsabe, the Kitchen flue should be selected. ,
&. The cesspuol, where the refuse matter {
the household kitchen collects, should be | =
instructed with proper trap, aud with
'eciai reference to proper cleaning
THESE are the general REQUESTS, which, a
cling provided, will enable the householder +
it'll occasional inspection and renewal of e
1palret surface Of the pipes, to protect tllm- Il
III and family from the deadly effects Of a
wer-Eas. !,
1t is well known, however, that many peo- J.
e, either from, habit Of procrastination, or "
Oil isi1orat1ce and indifference, OF under a o
iae se1tsc of economy, neglect to take the II
dlnary and obvions precautions against the Il
wei-breesiing Of illness and disease. It is Il
ms reason that q thorough system Of CT
btic inspection is necessary to the cause of ~
Bile health. No such system has been in | ST
gue i'll this city in the past, because the I'll
bile authorities have claimed that there or
IS no authority of law, and they were not bl
ling 10 assume any, for entering private | gg
uses and iispectin. the condition OF the | co
Image There are measures under way to | Or
e This defect III the law. 4 bill is pending ee
tie Lsgisiatcre to confer upon munich ST.