The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-10
DIR. LINDsLEY BEFORE THE AMERI-
CAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
The Burning of Garbage and Excreta
Strongly Advocated-Citie Adopt
ing the System-The Originator OF
the Idea.
From the Sanitary News.

an exhaustive resume OF the present Status
of garbage cremation. He gave two or three
examples showing the great quantity and
variety Of polluting material, occurring
without pause in the limits Of a city.
Baltimore August, 1887, estimated by
police census, had population of 437, 1866.
The amount of night soil delivered at the
dumps for the year ending December 81,
1887, was 81, lO7 loads or 1921, 400 gallons.
Probably more than half the inhabitants
use water-closets, which carry Off an equal
amount.
The dead animals, ETC., removed during
the same year. were:
Total number OF dead animals 30
rolai number OF dead oV.s
Total number Of cart loads Of dead fish, yegta-
table and other oflal removed from various
Total number OF pounds Of decayed meat CON
demned. .......,... l,t9o
Total number dozens OF eggs condemned ....... COZ
Richmond, population 100000. The re-
port Of contractor for removal Of garbage or
kitchen refuse, year 1887, shows total num-
berof loads carried OFF 1850, equal TO 1000
bushels.
Memphis, population 62,335 Number of
loads Of garbage removed in 1887 was 90
100.
These examples were selected at random.
To keep the city clean is the principal work
Of municipal governments and requires
more expenditure Of money than all other
objects combined, excepting schools and
police.
The city filth naturally falls into four main
subdivisions street swoepings, night soil,
dead animals, and garbage. The latter alone
concerns MS at present The definition OF
l.. l.l. 40
ter from the kitchen. Every household is a
workshop for garbage. In the country and
small towns many a family is poisoned by
the careless accumulation Of the same near
the well or sleeping apartment In small
towns IL is mostly got rid Of by feeding IL TO
swine and cows. In larger communities by
carting of and polluting harbors or rivers.
In the second report OF the State board OF
health OF Maine, 1857, the secretary, DIR. A.
q. Young, says "Of the several methods
which have hitherto been in use (for re-
moving garbagel, IL may be said that none
OF thom are free from serious objections. II
the garbage is carried any considerable dis
lance In the country its transportation Is at
tended with considerable cost. II buried, II
still often remains n nuisance by contami-
mating the air or polluting the water In the
neighborhood. II utilized In part as food
for swine or cows there Is sometimes
inflicted upon the community which sends
Il forth q retributive penalty In the shape Of
an unwholesome milk and meat supply.
''ln the case Of scaboard town. ifit Is sent
scaward, the garbage may depart from the
place Of It's origin never 10 return, but in
nirge part Il Is strcwn along other coasts.
The great dtsidcratum has seemed 90 be
some method which would not require a
costly transportation Of THE garbage, or
neccssitaic the dciilcment OF our sea shores.
but which would radically and ultimately
destroy II near the place where IL is pro-
duccd.
within the last few years, new method
Of disposing Of garbage has been written
about and talked about, and 20 a consider
able extent, put into operation and pract-
cally tested. IL II the method Of destroying
or orcmaiing garbage by means Of furnaces
specially constructed for that purpose.
Whore these garbage furnaces have been put
into use, there il pretty uniform consensus
~ testimony as 10 their success. When
rightly built, they have done their work
satisfactorily, and generally at consider
ably less expense than had hitherto been In
CURED 10 disposing Of the garbage otherwise.
hut little or no cost Is incurred for fuel 10
run the furnace as the garbage Is dried more
or less before IL Il burned, aud Il Is made 90
consume itself The cost Of labor In attend
ing the furnace i not great and generally
there Is no unpleasant odors given OF In the
process Of burning.
This method has not been much used IN
this country, but In Europe, aud particu-
larry In England. u has been extensively
employed. DIR. o. A. Horr, q member Of
this board. who has lately returned from
Europe, made special inquiry In regard Ia
garbage cremation IN England. and
all he could learn convinced him that
this system II a success In that country. The
garbage furnaces In many Of their towns
hive been In operation many years and la
conversation with the health officer Of the
city Of London. he learned that there are
now forty-hyc Of the English towns which
make use u this garbage destruction.
"In this country. 80 Tar Us know. the
experiment Of destroying garbage by means
Of furnace constructed specially for that
purpose, was first tried ON Governors island,
New York harbor. A description Of thi,
garbage crcmator was given IN the S1Hiiiry
Engineer. of August ~ ISIS, by Lieut.
Reilly, Ut this time acting assistant quarter,
master, u. :. A., No that post" This de-
scripiion is reproduced In the report above
In the twelfth volume Of public Health, "
containing the reports aud papcn presented
10 the American Public Health Association
nj the Toronto meeting October, lssd, may
be found paper by DIR. George liainl, Of
Wheeling. giving an account not only 81 the
destruction II garbage but also Of night soil,
by means of furnace contrivcd by NJ. V.
smith, NJ. r., Bissclls block. Pitisburg IA
DR.. Haird Is brief aud has 'only tried "a
furnish proof of IT, capacity 90 solve n long
tried problem In the government Of ouT
cities aud large towns
The city authorities " Wheeling were slim.
ulatcl 10 action by those Of Bcllairc, o., on
the opposite side Of the river but IN close
proximity. The dumping Of night soil and
garbage from Wheeling into the Ohio river
has hecoute an intolcmhlc nuisance 90 the
inhabitants 81 Bcllairc, living Just below.
No alternative remained but o. nbatc tho
nuisance A similar alternative will soon be
forced upon many Of our riparian cities and
towns law will decide that rivers do not
belong to those who happen 10 dwell near
the sourro, but equally To all below, aud that
the upper few have no right TO dcposite their
9th IN floating columns upon the lower
many.
In the Report on the Sanitary State Of
Montreal Tor the year los6,' will be found
an interesting narrative In this connection,
giving instructive details ~ To cost showing
the extent u the work 10 be done and the
complete success u the refuse crcmatOrics,
aud also Of the nighi-sOil crcmaiorios. II
thus appears that Wheeling and Montreal
are the pioneer cities In arousing public No.
tcntion 20 the cremation Of garbage and
night soil.
Dr. Lindaley then sketches the later doycl.
opmcnis In the new method Of destruction
and sanitation by fire.
"Othcr cities. lac says. 'are taking hold
Of the experiment with much enthusiasm.
Tho Smiialy Ncr, Of Nov. 10 1857, states
that NJ Dies Moincs, Ia, a small Englc fur.
mace Is in experimental Use and Is working
very satisfactority, Al pittshurW n Rider