New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-03-17
THE SCIENCE OF PLUMBING.
PAPER BY DIR, F. r. HAMILTON.

STRUGGLE FOR LIFE AGAINST CINlihNNi.o"
A paper by Or. +. H. Hamilton was Ie". 49, V,V'.
the NewYUrk Academy of Medicine al NO - 80
Thirty-Grst-st last night Oh The Struggle ior llo
aaainst Ciyi,i7ot,opr Tho paper intended to
he a SUPPLEMENT- to the discussion on sahi'auoh
md PnmhinpD Of last month, ana was iarpeS
devoted TO criticism OF tho r''as '"o.
advanced The meeting was largely at'ehue' anu
MANY prrsent took part in the discussion that tol-
lowed the reading of the paper Dr' hahiltohs
,aner was substantially as follows;
On the evening Of February a largo assembly OF
hv.caos was gathered In ths Hall to listen to paper
and discussion on the subject OF plumbing In partc
lar, and house construction and house san
,tatiou in general. The speakers Included
,ne NJ or most experienced hygicnls's gentlemen VINO
Tor inc most part have enjoyed large practical ex,
periencc matters Of general ana special ny an
nrcsiden DR. Fordyce Barker, first gave a rpmo nc
count ~ he dangers which surrounded us Dotn IN our
city houses aud our country ana sfas9 9s yss
from the almost universe. presence oi PoISSvht 800
generated in the sewer'-a danger 10 when, IL "oun
the rich ,,. are ef S5P2'i i've S"siiy in crowded
tenement hOusrs ANA have for me lrtsou ryeh 20
poXioas saver gases DR.. Barker, whose practice ls
chiefly among our most wea% T h nar AVS, yi
flan sre fever dlarrhpa etc. witch either
caused hT gas greatly aggravated ana rendered
DR. Ba kcr Was followed by Charles F. Wingate, who
il very foolish % that Plumbing
could no made perfectly safe The great difficulty,
tractors, who either working for other per,
so9s work op a nSS0 Dudng to sell In eGef
event me proper means are taken to make
proses twof.ld remedy. FIRST that no man shall live
Ia house Rot built by himself aud second that ne sha
be able into the courts II necessary, VITA egal
documents nxng the responsibility for defects. mere Ger,
ii may be said that 1t cannot be practically carried out
While there may be the most sincere desiIe on Ehe
fail done tnrong6 Or Ot4 Dm nGt@
raj calsrS The builder may 6s nGcveG oy t P no
he discovered until years later or %le mSing no ges
Ind il impossible to decide who is such low Is the aV
prage to decide such delicate and Important MAJ.
teri Certainly say that sanitary science ~
in such a settled state AS TO an0rd any paSlS
fanoe nav tell YOU as one told me long that
the long pipes and crooks and goose necAs you can
so; but many who are considered antIorities do
Another plumber will in'ist on some other ifG r6;o al
BY which these rival theories may be decided.
PLUMBERS HONEST AS CLASS.
Now, while l am speaking about plumbers may
SAY this: Notwithstanding all that is sometimes SAID
against them l believe that they are III the maln as
honest and upright any other class of citizens, ana
Just as anxious to do good work according To thcir
knowledge But they have to contend with many grave
daicutes some them inherent in the nature OF the
case others aggravated by the complex character III our
civilized lie To take point: No pipes are perfectly
inpervious as Dr. Doromus very concusively showed
few weeks ago by passing various gases through
them And even though they could be made lnperyi's
lime epenI ling IN their thickness the character CT the
oxidation OF the air. so u may hallln 'naI ny
may leak I'll thu pipes which no FORESIGHT can pre-
3pe you may NAV not be able TO 6nd
S %'fS Increased by tie fact mat pipes in houses
are Drnrrol!y incased in plaster COURSES Of brick
work where toir defects be neither nor IeHe
died. These reflections VIII pyrSI, s3itS 20 e sUT ~
lie solution 49,. 49,. 60 Ia or
accuuuhon and detention Of foul mateTlals WateG rs
rne necessity Nothing else take IL place these Iou
materials must be washed away anil IroPll ~ 5,, d
SI - r JabPvay has csiled attention to an
other dabgrr-that from tHe Inhalation OF gases INTO Tue
traps of closet. ana sinks This da9gertbat is not re-
tine men ust water very readily absorhs the impurities
the air. and there is little doubt that die may be
convey ed into the human system Ia TINS way
SEWER GAS AS AN AGENT OF DISEASE.
But the gases which commonly known under the
name OF gases the most potent agents OF dis
ease BY means Of them it certain that typhoid FEVER
and dphhera are propag tted and it B own convic-
ton that many other zymoc diseases, such as Aslala
cholera may be and sometimes are propagaied IN
tis way state this the boldly because lind that
the opinion Is shared by many others whose views arc
entitled 60 respect OF these gases cond mol
enter our houses if were not Tor btdycousructeu
enough for safety il ali traps flushed by water But
II is vel known that waterls nc protection a. h't us
fOul gases; they pass readily through IT, M} hVaSo'
which thus been coHsdeIen peIIee,p SS1lc'
Is n6 remedy against sewer gas except the proper use
OF chemicals renewed daily. These chemicals 40 NOT
compose n, IN and thus render them harmless Ana II
through neglect the carpets and furniture 81 house
have become Infected with sewer gas, the only proper
tLug TO do it, and subject every article III
IT 10 the treatnentO of broinidrs and Ghl1rd-s. r,o
our hearts all touched ny DR.. DUremlss aluslon
few Ks ago the death of his boy by klckn,ss
caused by the defective sanitation OF tat hose III WC
he lived Who shall say how many s9ch dea'ls onere
are in THIS cityi And in view OF these acs IA we" OF
onr fauf 10 introduce perfect sanitation. 1t surpri5
ing that Dr. Barker said that were he building he would
not have the pipes of his house connected WIN the
sewerI such connection is often death
what then, is the upsnot Of all this matter
II these sanitary englneen chemists ana
hygensts who vert requested 10 TAKE par! ~ tue us
cHssio because of their Acknowledged scientific attain
experience and practical skill nave noii'ig more
10 suggest now Is the eV 70 oe u9 t IN IT,
gard t. been lately sac by these gentlemen,
Il may be with all respect that there is nothing IN IL
% any practical importance the! nave tOa the "oo
nothing new Nor have tney succeeded ",,eae win IN
us all they so clearly perceive and succlncty STATE
Perhaps the time may yet come when II VIII De com
system Of pipes VIII be butt entirely outside the
house. THIS, To me, is reasonable way OF soly-
have thcs, pipes all clustered OF the house,
where they may be easily reached a. some have pro
Bat even in cases where clearly shows what
grave dfcuties stand in the way from the evils inner
emf 10 our high state civilization. 1t is not night to
charge the builder and the pnnher WIN al ne siekhess
iu our midst We ourselves are re.nSnslple Tor
the laws Of hygiene, at the dictates Of society
Or fashion. We i've an Intense ARTIFICIAL he-Inuch OF
81 under thc gaslgbt. In society when party is To be
given IN The DAYTIME even greatest is taken
Shut in order that those present may
lght In cur very best society backbone and muscle
are unknown quantities. The young girl considers II is
Inan Too rlc CANT TO take brisk walk, and aiuesly
dsWd-s along The lady no longer sits; she reclines In
hc carriage and pants with fatigue II an elevator Is not
at carry up few steps 10 obey the fashion,
ladies into the cutting night ar with lsLt wrap on
neeked dTes aud then they spend most Of the might IN
suc6 are some the ways in which pay for our
civilization IL is an unfortunate hing when asthet,
when people Who by their knowledge Of science ought