Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-07-18
SEWAGE AND SANITATION.
Health Officers School Closes After o
Successful Session.

OuCCeSsib vi OesslOn.
The health officers school closed very
successful and profitable series of meet
ings Thursday morning At the opening
of the session registration OF $50 health
officers was reported DIR. Cavsrly express
ed qualification at the attendance, aud
stated that the State Board OF Health
would DO Influenced in judging . health Of
fioers fitness for the office by his interest
in this school. The Legislature, he said
had been remarkably generous and wise
in establishing the school, and the State
Board would in future expect that every
health officer attend or else present sat
isfactory reason for non-att.ndance.
The first speaker OF the morning was
Prof. W. T. Scdgwick of the Massachus-
etts Institute of Technology, who dis
cussed the disposal of sewage. 1t is, ne
said an increasingly important problem.
Sewage in city sewers s not as offensive
as might be expected. There are vast
numbers OF microbes In it. but most Of
them are harmless The few dangerous
ones, however. require that the SEWAGE
be treated with reference to them. PROT
Sedgwick discussed the various means of
disposng Of sewage. The system of land
disposal, or filtration consists of dis
charging the se on to sandy soil to
sink into the ground where the microbes
in the soil feed on nd destroy the mpuritit !
thus purifying the sewage. Electrical and
chemical systems are Unsatisfactory. Thu
common system Of diecharging the sewage
into a river is most unsatisfactory and apt
to become a nuisance In such a STATE
as Vermont. the rivers are valuable asscta.
and should be kept pure and uncontamiu-
ated for among these hills the inhabitants
of the great cities should find rest and
health. The time may come when Bur
lington will be Obliged to purify it's sew
age before its discharge into the lake in
order TO avoid affecting the water supply.
Sewage tends to purify itself If allow ed
TO stand. This fact may lie utilized By
first drawing the sewage into tanks. and
then on to sand filters. If the how If sew
age is great the sandy soil on which il is
drawn must be underlaid with drains. If
not II ts enough to allow it to sink into
such soil. The very worst thing to do
with sewage is to turn it into beautiful
stream. The use of the sand filter for
sewage is perfectly safe, and is not Of
fensive to the immediate locality. For
small towns whore no sandy soil is al
hand the combined use of the tank and
coke whichsmay he burned when full OF
impurities, IL recommended.
In the discussion following Prof. Scdg-
vick's paper the professor said that while
sewer gas Was probably never the direct
cause Of infectious diseases, nevertheless
the presence Of cess pools is to be avoided
as much as possible. since the gas from
them IL facilitating In It's effect.
Or. W. l.. Hoisington Of Weathershold
then read paper on school house santa
ton, He considered tho subject most
important one. Rigid enforcement of san.
itary regulations is required. When th'
State compels education OF children II
public schools. it assumes the responsible
ity of caring for their health. The water
supply, drainage, ana ventilation, shoulc
be carefully inspected, and the inspector
should act deliberately. impartially anC
fearlessly. Heating Is also often neglect