, 1886-05-01
MANAGEMENT Of Earth CLOSETS.
Changes Made with Great Beneht to
aIth-D-a Rate Reduced.

Changes Made with Great Beneht to
H~eaIth-Deatb Rate Reduced.
To those persons who live in smaller
cities, in villages, and In country dis
tricts where the advantages of a sewer
age system are not accessible, and in
large cities where sewers are not ex-
tended to outlying districts, there is no
such easy and economical method Of dis
posing of excreta as by using earth
closets.
The primitive and barbaric privy pits
are universally condemned and almost
as universally used. Earth closets can
take their place in a majority OF IN
stances without disturbing the habits OF
the family. and with great benefit to
then health. The old privy can, by a
little home carpentering, be fitted into
a good earth closet. The pit should be
cleaned as thoroughly as possible and
reflled with clean earth. The lower
portion Of the back of the old structure
may be fixed as n door to raise up, TO per
nit the removal and placing Of the soil
containers, which should be either gal
vanized iron pals or strong wooden
boxes. The earth may be kept in a box
or barrel, in the structure itself.
The trouble with remodeling the out
building for an earth closet il that 1t
makes no change in the publicity OF ac-
ce3s or the disagreeableness Of reaching
it in stormy weather. AS an earth
closet, properly constructed and man
aged, with a due regard to decency and
cleanliness, need not be an offense to
sight or smell, it can be so easily built
as to place 1t in some side room or shed
attached to the dwelling and under the
roof. In this case a portable, easily
managed closet is necessary.
The value of dry earth as an absorb
ent, deodorizer and disinfecter is not
properly recognized. 1t is said by some
to be more powerful in these capacities
han any other agent known. If w
parts of dry earth are put with n OF
excrement. and kept in a dry place, the
two assimilate. the excreta becoming
undistinguishable from the soil after a
time, and it may be used over and over
again. though it is generally better TO
bury each pailful in a different place
Zach time, over a portion of the land ad-
joining the residence. The earth must
not be sand or gravel. but soil of a clayey
nature, thoroughly dry and finely pull
verified. Powdered charcoal, coal ashes,
and street lust are equally effective.
Earth closets offer many advantages,
chief of which is that, when they are
properly cared for. the excreta of one lam
lily is rendered harmless and disposed ofon
the premises, not being liable to soak into
a neighbours well. There is no offensive
odor or contamination of the soil. They
may be placed under the same roof as
the l~iving-rooms, and thus be easily ac-
cessible to women, children and invalids.
There are many failures of earth clos
cts to give satisfaction, but the failure is
due TO an inability on the part of the
owner to understand their capacities.
They must not be made the receptacle of
house chamber Stops, as the ability of the
dry earth to absorb moisture is necessar-
lily limited, and any excess of its capacity
creates a nuisance. A great improve
met has been perfected in earth closets
in an automatic urine separator,
which prevents any undue soakage
OF the earth, and does away
with the only source OF annoyance 10
their legitimate use.
The death rate from zymotic diseases
has been shown to nave been much re-
duced by the introduction of proper sys-
TENS Of sewerage, as at Memphis. There
is NJ doubt that the dry earth system OF
soil removal in villages would show a cor
responding reduction in the death rate,
from typhoid fever especially Sanitary
News.