Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1883-11-17
The Sanitary PeytI on the Farm.

Farmers often dlate upon the pure
air and healthy surroundings of the
country where they have the good fort
une to live. Nature has done much for
the country, but few farmers have
studied the effect of an improper ar.
rangement OF necessary conveniences
about buildings.
The well is, perhaps, the most i'm
portant matter relating to health on the
farm. Pure water is as necessary as
pure air, and few have studied all the
sources of impurity in water. 1t is
quite common to find the well, the barn
yard and the privy not far separated
from each other. 1t is prevalent idea
that If the well be on higher ground,
there is no danger of communicating the
water. 1t does not seem to be under
stood that the position of the well is to
be considered from its bottom, and not
from its top. A drain draws towards
its bottom and the deeper well is, the
greater the distance it will drain. 1t is
quite true that the natural formation of
the earth about well has something to
do with the determination of water to-
ward it. When it is placed in natural
descend to it, forming natural basin,
this is the most unfortunate situation
for well, increasing the liability of
drawing communicating matter into it.
Then, the nature of the soil has very
much to do with it. A porous or
gravelly soil will conduct water from
long distance, and the liquid of barn
yard twenty or even thirty or more rods
distant may find its way into the well.
In such situation, therefore, the well
should be the more carefully guarded
from the sources of contamination.
Very many wells have no real spring in
the bottom, but are supplied by filter
ing of water from all directions into
them. Such wells seem to give salts
faction when water is plentiful, but
when drouth intervenes, and the great
source of supply, the rainfall, ceases,
then the water that percolates into the
well is so highly charged with effete
matter that it is noticed at once, and
condemned as unfit for use. When the
rains come again, and dilute the offen-
sive matters, the water is then called
good again. But it must be seen that
the quality of the water is only COM
paratively good at any time.
A clayey soil is the greatest safeguard
againss filtration from much of dis
lance, md what. filters through it gets
pretty well purified. Clay is a great
absorbent of eilete heterogeneous matters
the most dangerous matters that get
into water 1t has the power of holding
ammonia, which is given off by decay
ing matter.
A layer OF clay, from one to four feet
thick, sometimes overlies sand or gravel,
and then the water that filters through
it is, generally, well purified before it
reaches the gravel. But this can not
always be depended upon. Hon. George
Geddes mentions a chemical professor,
mt Syracuse, N. Y, who, determined to
make sure of the best water bored
through twenty feet of clay and struck
a layer of gravel. He now thought
himself assured of absolutely pure
water. But what was his surprise on
finding the water so offensive that the
stencil from its boiling could not be
borne. On inquiry, it was found that
this layer of clay was very thin some
eighty rods distant and the gravel came
near the surface, so that the privies of
that part of the city leached into that
layer of gravel-hence his vile water.
On an elevated stretch of land, where
the wind reaches it from every side, a
low type of fever (typhoidD sometimes
appears, and so puzzles good people as
to its cause, that they would fain attrib-
ute it to a special providence. But it is
a special punishment, resulting from
drinking bad water. Typhoid fever
never comes except as the result of bad
water or impure air. 1t frequently
comes from poisoning the well, as we
have said, by filtration from the privy
or barn-yard, or from the slops of the
kitchen. The privy should always have
a concrete or absolutely water-tight
vault, to arrange that the contents can
easily be taken to the field, where its
fertilizing matter will largely over-pay
all the labor required.
Dry, sifted coal ashes, or. road dust,
should always be kept at hand, and a
small quantity be thrown into the vault
every day. This will deodorize the con-
tents, and preserve its fertilizing value.
Stops should always be conducted by
"a tight drain into vat, half filled with
earth. When filled, let it be hauled,
earth and all, to the field or manure
pile, and all will be saved, and the air
.&eptpure. National Live Stock Journal.