Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-01-13
WAS SACRIFICED


dotes. while for the latter there are abso- |
lutely no remedies known yet" 1t nay
be comparatively easy matter for an ex-
perienced chemist to inform US that the |
saturated LIQUIDS and solids contained in our
cesspool5 and sewers over which the poison
GUS gases are generated, bnt to inform
people of various gases in combination ID
far more difficult scientific attainment.
The gases will change, kaleidoscope-llke,
all depending upon the temperature and
the substances undergoing decomposition,
not in contact with the oxygen OF the air,
but shut off from it. In the analysis OF
the gases little or no attention has thus far
been paid in the United States excepting to
certain extent in illuminating gas, but
even to that but little attention has been
paid. Far less still has been done, and Is
known, of the floating germs or lower or
ganic life of both animal and plant, not
Only in the United States but all over
the civilized world. Who knows how
minute those germs are that may cause the
prevailing diseases.
EVEN PARIS SUFFERS,
Which spent millions upon millions for its
sewers under Louis Napoleon, under the
supervision of Hausmann. Has any per-
son ever noticed the odor of musk, recog-
nizable for years by the sense of smell !?
Yet the odor is supposed to consist Of
minute particles which the sense of smell
takes up. Why may not germs causing
disease and epidemic be just as minute
One thing is quite positive heat will de-
stroy them. Fire and water are the great
purifiers, and the fret by far the best in
many cases, and as the civilized nations
advance fire will aid much in reducing
noxious and troublesome material which is
now left to decompose in the air or left in
our rivers. The largest portion of our
garbage in large cities which is dumped
into some supposed out.of the-way place to
poison the air. could be far better treated
in behalf of the health of the city By sub
jecting it to fire, thereby making it per.
fectly harmless if not beneficial. When
great epidemics occur, both with men and
animals, the same course ought to be pur-
sued to curb them.
WATER Is GREAT PURIFIER
If the stream is large into which the sew
age is passed, or where the current is
rapid. If our sewers, therefore, had
constant stream of water running in them,
and sufficient fall, our cesspool system
might be abandoned to advantage. This,
however, is unfortunately not the case.
We have not even sufficient fall to dispose
of the condensed sewage, and consequently
are compelled to pump, like number of
other cities, into river, thereby polluting
the river. If city (A) is permitted to
pump noxious fluids into river of which
the water is used for all purposes in civil.
lied life, then B. G, d and E, above A,
have an equal right to carry out the same
plan. Although it is admitted that water
is great purifier, when the volume is
large, it by no means signifies that the wa
ter is pure Only chemical transformation
takes place, but chlorine and certain acids
cannot be expelled, and when epidemics
like cholera occur it is a question of great
Importance whether such water be used
without previous boiling. Another fact of
Importance may be added. that but few
cities (if any in the Old World use water
for drinking into which all their sewage
flows. Whenever a scheme is carried out
to tap Lake Tahoe, for instance, then we
can congratulate ourselves on being sup
piled with water fit for the gods to drink.
As it is at present, it will be
FAR MORE WHOLESOME
To take our Sacramento straight" in
preference to having it clear, when we are
compelled to gulp the water down after
impregnation by man and animal. Indi-
rectly, therefore, l am opposed to pump
ing, but must admit that at present no
other remedies can be applied, excepting
those now carried out in some cities of
Europe, to which our tax-ridden people
will most assuredly not consent at present.
Through various sources, and lately through
the Scientific american, we are informed of
large cities that pass their sewage into the
river also some that are about adopting
other methods. London is prevented from
passing its sewage there into the Thames,
but it enters the river ten miles below the
city. A large part has to be pumped out,
and smaller portion even lifted twice.
Liverpool discharges into the Mersey, in
front of the city. Some of the sewers are
intercepted. Paris discharges below the
city. The irrigation fields now ii prepare.
ton receive but one-ffth the amount.
Berlin has a peculiar system, due to it's
fat position and the necessity for purify
ing the whole entire sewage. This city is
far worse situated in that respect than Sac
ramento, as it has but a small, sluggish
river flowing through the city. the water
of which is already highly charged with
organic matter before it enters the city,
while here we have river of respectable
size and current. The sewage of Berlin is
to be collected at twelve different points,
E. IL h. I,rao%1x, -,
the farms to be cultivated.
VIENNA
Has natural valley line system, excepting
two intercepting sewers, along the banks
of Wien creek, flowing through the city.
1t is the intention to pass the sewage into
the Danube direct. Hamburg discharges
into the Elbe, but the sewers are inter-
cepted to keep the flow out of the numerous
canals of the city and the inner and outer
Alster lakes In Frankfort on. the. NJ ain
the low grounds near the river made an
intercepting system preferable. The in
tercepting sewers discharge into the river
Main below the city. Frankfort in
tends to adopt similar methods to
Berlin, as the rapid growth of this
city demands more security to its health.
1t is suggested In Sacramento that all our
cesspools be cleaned out and disinfected,
but can the latter be carried out effectually
without the application of heat? Further.
are the people prepared for such an outlay
It has lately been proven that the usual
disinfectants are by no means capable of
destroying organic life entirely, but we are
quite sure that 2l2' Fahrenheit will do go,
and we are enabled to apply even higher
temperature One OF the most energetic
destroyers of organic germs would be sui
phurous acid (gas) 500, of which when you
light a match and place it to your nose you
have a sample. providing the phosphorus
has been cut off. If the cesspools were
cleaned and subjected to highly heated
steam, or better still, highly heated air,
then all organic life would be destroyed
and the