The morning news., 1889-01-31
SEWER GAS IN HOUSES.
THE DISEASES WHICH OFTEN RE-
suit FROM IT.


Supervise All Sanitary Plumbing
The Rochdale System Indorsed for
the Eastern and Western Portions
of the City.
The presence OF sewer gas in houses Is
frequently detected by physicians in their
practice. While the city is in a very
healthy condition, perhaps more so than it
has ever been, the presence OF the noxIous
gas is provoking considerable comment
among those who have the best interests
and health of the city at heart. A MORN
ING News reporter has interviewed several
prominent physicians on the subject, seek-
ing to trace up the causes Of the gas escap-
ing from the sewers and the means by
which the city eau be relieved of its bale
fuI Influences
Ex.A lderman Or. William Duncan, who
is thoroughly versed on the subject. having
given il a good dea Of study and attention,
said that be has detected the gas and has
quite frequently heard of its existence in
different portions Of the city.
"As for the cause OF it," be said, 81 think
it is attributable both to the plumbing and
the system Of plumbing. The plumbing IT.
self is frequently defective, and again the
pipes sometimes wear out, or are broken,
aud allow the gases TO escape. They are
probably broken from a number of causes.
always had an idea that the earthquake
broke some Of them under ground.
TIE CAUSE OF MANY DISEASES.
Improper sewerage and sewer gases in
house, - DR.. Duncan said, 'are the acknowl-
edged cause Of several diseases, principally
fevers af a low type. As q remedy to the
whole | think that there ought to be city
otficial--an inspector, whose duty 1t shall be
to inspect every piece of plumbing
and every sewer pipe That Is
the work has been done in accordance with
the most recent advances in sanitary sci
ence don't think that any plumbing
should be allowed to be covered without
first having undergone the inspection Of
sanitary engineer. The diagram ought to
be preserved in the engi esr's Office s. that
he may be able to locate every piece which
is laid. l have no doubt that there is now
something wrong with the old pipes under
ground where they cross each other. When
they cross, particular care should be taken
to 500 that the joints are made secure and
that they are constructed in a workman
like manner, 50 as not to allow any escape
Of gas at that point"
IN FAVOR OF A SANITARY INSPECTOR.
Dr. Duncan said that while he was a
member Of the council be intended to in
troduce an ordinance providing for the es-
tablishment of such an Office, and he con-
templsted doing it whenever the proper
system of house drainage was determined
upon.
With reference to the Rochdale system
in the eastern and western portions of the
city, he said, 81 think very favorably OF it,
because a system of house drain lgs SINH
lar to that which has been adopted in Mem
phiS and Norfolk, / question whether it
will apply to the eastern and western por-
tions of the city here, for the reason taat
the pipes are very apt to be stopped up
about the cabins, which are largely occupied
by negroes and careless whites, and unless
the system is so arranged that
they can do the work of 1nstopping
the pipes, without having each time to re-
Quirs the services of a plumber, which will
bring on an additional aud unnecessary ex
pense, think 1t will be a heavy burden 4
the property owners, who have to pay for the
plumbing. l prefer the same house drain
ago for the whole city, but | doubt whether
the same system that is adopted in the city
proper can be successfully carried out in
the eastern and western sections without
imposing a burdensome tax.
DR.. B. s. Purse SAID: ~ have noticed no
unpleasant odors in the houses where | have
been lately, but | am cognizant of the fact
that there are houses which have sewer
gas l think it is a result of i'm
proper plumbing and neglect. The
diseases resulting from sewer gas are
generally fevers and filth diseases. The
only remedy that can see is for the city to
have an inspector who should inspect every
piece of pipe that is laid. The Rockdale
system Is good one, and if it / properly
carried out think it will be very effective"
DR.. j. D. Martin said: II have not de-
tected sewer gas in any Of the houses which
| oave visited recently. Wherever it exists,
ho ever, it is dangerous. The Prince Of
W Wales' death, some years ago was strik-
ing example of the result of improper sewer
age.
CAUSES FEVER AND KINDRED DISEASES.
1.-The gas breeds low fevers and kindred
diseases 1t is evidently result of defective
plumbing, and the only remedy is to have
city inspector, whose duty it will be to
look after il and see that no defective or
improper plumbing is allowsd :"
Dir. Read said: "rhe city is in a healthy
condition and IL wo Id be difficult matter
to improve on it. Still, sewer gas exists in
many houses here. The principal cause of its
presence is from defective plumbing. From
Improper sewerage results many zymotic
diseases The remedy is TO create the office
of city inspector. | have been advocating
it for the last twenty years. The in
spector should devote his whole time
to the city and no work should be passed
without his examination aid certificate.
He should be paid sala sufticie to keep
him from letting any work escape inspec
tion. The office should be outside of poll
tics and the Inspector should have but the
one duty Such position requires a man
of considerable exDer ence in sanitary sci
once, and If be Is fitted for the position his
services will be invaluable
Dr. Read approved the Rochdale system,
and pronounced it one of the very best sys-
TENS In exlste ce where it is properly
carried out. He thought that it could be
used in the eastern and western portions OF
the city with gratifying effect.
THE RESULT OF BAD PLUMBING.
Alderman Dr. r. b. Harris said: Tho
prevalence Of sewer gas in Some OF the
houses is a suit Of the system of plumb
ing. There ought always to be a ventilat-
Ing tube co8nectiag with the waste pipe,
below either the bath room or tue water
CLOSET So that the returning noxous gas
eau escape. Where this ventilating tube is
not used, and the bath room wastewaY is
below the water closet wasteway, as in Il
majority OF cases tUa sewer gas Sos up
| through the ba;h room connection, and
causes the unpleasant oder that re-
suits in the sickness 90 family.
The diseases nat are caused by sewer gas
are typhoid fever scarlet fever, diphtheria
and zymOtic disoaSes.n Dr. Harris thinks
as n remedy that there should be city in
| spcctor, who has thorough knowledge OF
! ntary plumbing. He considers the
| Rochdale system n good one, a d he said
| that he will work in council for its adoption
] I'm fbp aaSfarn and yveetarn rorfiOpa of the