Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-04
CITY AND DISTRICT.
Extracts from DIR. ToyEnshend's Re
port.

TIE NECESSITY OF PROVIDING FOR Tue INSPEC-
TIoN OF LIVE sTOCK-AN ABATTOIR RECON-
MENDED-THE REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF
PLUMBING - SOME REMARKS ABOUT HOUSE
DRAINAGE. ETC.
The annual report of the health officer. Just
completed, a brief synopsis of which has appeared
in The STAR. speaking of the subject OF food
inspection says: IN this connection | would
again urge that action be taken to provide for
the inspection of live stock intended Tor use as
food in the District. I have heretofore recon-
mended. in the strongest possible terms, the
establishment OF an abattOir. and last year
quoted authority to show that it was desirable
for the following reasons: lt would put an end
to the driving of cattle through the streets,
prevent cruelty i'm butchering. tend to promote
greater cleanliness on account of the more judi
cious arrangements: that with the closing of
private slaughter houses abundant sources of
air poisoning would be removed and that real
progress in the control and determination of
Contagious diseases among domestic animals
would be made. hope continuation Of the
agitation of this subject MAY stir Congress up
70 do something at an early day
THE INSPECTION OF PLUMBING.
Speaking of the inspection of plumbing he
says: 1t is with a pardonable degree of pride
that point to what has been accomplished in
this direction. Iteration and reteration was
resorted to to convince our law makers of the
great Importance of naugurating such service
In the District of Columbia, and pages upon
pages Of ali NV reports have been used in argu-
ment and illustration. There il no one subject
which has received 50 much of our time and at
tentiOn. With my Induction into office began
the agitation. and after four years continuous
labor am now enabled to present the first
report of inspections of plumbing work. On
the 25th of January. 1881. the bill provid-
ing for the appointment of an Inspector of
plumbing and for the execution and enforce
ment OF rules and regulations governing plumb
Ing and house drainage received tie approval of
the President and became a law. The work Of
executing regulations was Immediately entered
upon and Mr.. Sam'l A. Robinson appointed as in
spector We have received the cordial cO-opera-
ton and assistance OF all parties cOncernedin our
effort to perfect the service. and the following re-
port of Inspector Robinson gives evidence OF the
value of his labOrs. Experience, the great teacher
will point out defects and suggest remedies as
We move along. and alter while we may hope
to reach q certain degree of perfection. The
rules and regulations as amended. are also pre-
eented for information of those concerned. The
illustrations of common sanitary detects IN the
plumbing work of our houses shows that what
was pictured in my report for 1879 was not over
drawn.
SOME REMARKS ABOUT HOUSE-DRAINAGE.
There are two considerations in planning
system of house drainage. LIST. The complete
and immediate removal OF all organic wastes,
whether the kitchen. scullery, laundry or basin
slops or waste discharges. or the waste from
the water closets or uTnalS-all representing
the constant accompaniment of human eXis-
tence. This question. always yeyatiOus in civil
EZed communities. however spaTsely settled.
becomes the pivotal point in the very existence
Of thekly settled towns. Any plan. device or
appliance competing tor public favor TO succeed
must show gain in the way Of quick removal
and absolute cleanliness. A recent lecturer in
saying 1.-The popular idea of drainage is very
simple-you empty the slopS into sink and they
20 the devil hhOws where, aptly illustrates the
general Ignorance existing until Very recently.
The second consideration Is To keep the gases
of decomposition out of the house-tO accom-
plish this and for the benefit of public health
We have formulated our rules and regulations.
and that We are succeedings is shown by the
fact that now. notwithstanding. We have TO
contend with many badly laid public sewers and
extensive dampness of building sites. and badly
plumbed houses. the plumbing methods of cur
city stand equal TO the best in the land. 1t has
frequently come within my notice. in making
inspections of houses already occupied. that
owners insist that their plumbing must be all
hight, as they have paid .- ',H~
RJINOUs PLUMBERS BILLS:
that they know their sewers are all right as
they made the plumber put in one twice as
large as he was going to-the popular idea of a
good sewer being in exact proportion to the
size thereof. Owners should inform themselves
somewhat as To the proper methods, and require
plumbers TO explain the purpose of all the pipes
used-doubtless that would sometimes puzzle
even the architect. Plumbers are frequently
embarrassed by being called upon to examine
work done by themselves within the past few
years. Instead of frankly condemHing it, and
admitting that, at that tine. they We're not pos
0essed with the full sum of human knowledge
In matters of sanitation. they make the mistake
q saying that the work was well done, and do
not advise change. The community must
know that plumbing methods of five years ago
are quite lnadtniSSible now. In gaming the
= high ground on which we now stand of course
many mistakes have been made, but when the
best known methods have been made use of. it
may safely be anticipated that future invention
will not greatly improve upon them. four
Inch house drain if well graded will carry Off all
the rainfall-which is the measure of the largest
demand upon it-Of an ordinary city house and
lot siX-inch drain will serve the largest
house. There are now hundreds of houses i'm
this city having eight and ten inch drains. and
IN instance has recently come under my notice,
In searching for cause of death from diphtheria.
OF atwelve-nch sewer run in specially to drain
one house and it is unnecessary to say that the
two and seventy stenches of KhlOne were
sweet-smeiling compared TO this aboinin-
able Sinking thing.
SET FIXTURES.
AS regards the set fixtures generally used Ia
houses have but little to saw as it would re-
quire too much space to discuss the merits or
dement's OF the large number of patented de-
vices ROW in Use: but | must not omit to saw
that house fitted up with pan-closet of what
ever pattern. in sanitary point of view is un-
safe. NO matter what care has been taken to
ventiate the soil and waste pipes. The most
offensive part of the pan-closet is the receiver
or cast-iron container under the bowl. for the
solids gradually accumulate on its sides. This
Nth soon undergOes decomposition and the
gases that are confined between the pan and
the trap escape into the apartment whenever
closet is N nj fha dagao of
the pancloset by enamelling. ventilating con-
tainer and having special flushing arrangements
would make 1t more expensive than any of the
modern closets in use. / cannot too
strongly condemn the use OF pan-clOsets, and
hope they will be prohibited in dwellings by an
Intelligent public sentiment Many cases of COM
plant coming 10 this office of offensive OdOrs In
houses point directly TO the stationary wash tubs
In laundries made of wood and always found
to be source of impurity. A moments
consideration will convince any one that YES
eel, which is to be used for laundry purposes.
should be made of amaterial whichis non-absorb-
ent. The disagreeable odOrs which arise from