The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-14
of IN. soil, BY DRAINAGE and aeration.

cially so IN buildings which ere heat
ed ar~tiicially, in which case there IS
superadded a suction force create1 bV
the ascending rariied air. While Il
is imuossible to prevent the aeratlons
of ground air, it can by suitable devil
ces be diverted into other and less
hurtful channels, and its dangerous
influence minin1iz@d.
The foundation walls aud the base
ment flooring Of The entire building
should rest upon 9 ocd Of iTpervlcus
material, ard should have q ventliat'
irr chamber under the entire sU;a:a
Of the cellar floor separate from l'e
basement by an intervening pavauie"t.
The chamber should be corrected with
q chimney tlue 10 carry OIL ifie ground
air which rises in autumn, TlntSr ana
spring. During the summer when tha
ground air sinks 8 current OF fresh alf
hurries downward AID rises to the
heated surface outside OF the building.
Your committee failed to iud that
these ordinary sanitary requirements
for protection against ground air and
moisture had been met in the con,
struction Of the dairy and the bar
racks. In the matter OF ventilation,
there is no adequate arrangement IN
the barracks to get rid of the stagnant
air charged with carbcnic acid gas
which must abound to an injurious
extent in such an unscieutl6cally con
structed building with its hundreds Of
inmates In addition the waterclosets
are improperly located and should not
be within the main buildings, for the
piping for the disposal OF excretion is
liable to be deranged by the gradual
su bsidence Of the building, and by
other causes, which may loosen the
joints and allow the escape of sewer
gas. Assuming the number of in.
mates Of the barracks to be 800, the
aggregate amount Of said excreta for
twelve months would probably be
seven tons and about IL, 900 gallons of
urine.
To secure the continuous and rapid
removal of this excreta and to prevent
pollution CT air and soil by their teu'
porary detention, is an interesting
problem in sanitary science. To &C.
complish this purpose the sewers must
be perfectly tight throughout, SO that
whatever enters may pass TO the out
let without leakage. The movement
throughout the e wer must be contln-
uous from head to outlet without halt
log to purify. Besides the sewer
must be perfectly ventilated so that
accumulated gases may not form and
force themselves through the traps to
the dwellings. Adequate means must
be provided for inspecting and husa.
ing the sewers. The size ard form Of
which must BE- perfectly adjusted to
its flushing appliances, that the usual
dry weather flow may be made to
keep it free from silt and organic de-
posts. The following conclusions
have been reached By your committee:
First. That while it is not improba-
bic that there has been some malarial
fever al Clemson, it is unquestionable
that the prevailing fever is typhoid.
Second. That the open privies have
been the prime Cause of infection, and
we view with suspicion the products
of the dairy, Of the manufacture of
which spring water at that place is
used.
There are several Communications
your committee would respectfully
make. Discontinue the open privies
absolutely, and by a system of Sc werS
have all the excreta from the various
residences be conducted to the river.
Meantime enforce what is known as
The dry system" which consists in
the admixture OF dried earth or coal
ashes with the excrement in sufficient
quantities for absorbing and reducing
IL to an inodorous and harmless form.
The material must be perfectly dry
aud applied immediately and in suHi.
Gent quantity to cover the %eXcretiors
and 10 remove all fuidity of the ma.
terial. The water closet should bs de-
tached from the house and thorough
ventilation insured, and should be fire.
quenlly inspected and kept Ia perfect
working order.
The dairy should be removed from
it's present site, and constructed in
obedience to sanitary laws, and per-
haps ii would be better to discontinue
its operations and Svoid TIA possibili,
ty of its posing as a factor in the pos
session Of diseases.
Assuming that the barracks will be
continued as a home for the students,
the best recommendation we can make
is to underdrain the narrow area b.
between the east side of the building
and the nigh embankmant, the latter
to be faced with granite. An improved
system Of ventilation should b intro
duced such as is use in many iustitu.
tons North-for instance at Johns
Hopkins University-by which perfect
ventilation is obtained and regulated
at will. The most modem system Of
sewerage should be used and to pre-
vent the possibility Of contamination
Of the building by noXious gases, the
water closets should be detached from
the building. The distant end Of the
sewer at the edge of the river should
be SO arranged as to escape subner.
gence by river water and protect it
agaips. whatever might Interfere with
it's Office.
We recommend further from the
standpoint of sanitation thst vacation
be given in the summer months, aud
your committee are impressed with
the belief that il Can be done without
conflicting with the agricultural fea-
lures OF education at Clemson, and
would subserve the highest interests
Of the professors, the students, and
the college. The recent unfortunate
experience Of sickness and death at