The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-10-10
The residence OF A. l.. MOTT mas
BIOLOGY of Sewage Publication
n the Function of the Septic
Tank

h. George T. Palmer, B,S.. San
Research Laboratory of the
aehusetts Institute OF Tech
sgy)
extensively has the septic tank
advertised as a method of sew
disposal within the past few
that the mistake is apt to be
II of regarding this process as a
,lete and satisfactory method in
A slight familiarity with the
function of the septic tank will
Inv convince one that such Is not
case
n us first understand the pur-
Of any sewage disposal method.
age is merely that portion of a
munitie's waste matter that is
led away through underground
rs. While street wash, waste
II from sinks and bath tubs, and
.ufactured wastes are generally
ent in city sewage, the offensive
lent is partially decomposed
! and feces from man and ami
Matter of this character is
Iferous and repugnant to the
! of sight and smell. Further
i. II may contain the germs of
use from the bodies of people
ributing to the sewers.
&or these three reasons, there
sewage must be taken care of,
so that disease germs will not
opportunity to come in con-
With man and animals, CD so
smell will not reach populated
riots, and CD so that the char
#rlstic paper and sediment will
betray the former associations
he liquid.
line screens or sedimentation
ms will remove the coarser ma
hi that offends the eye and gives
bge its muddy appearance.
he smell may be obliterated by
izing the offensive matter. Free
) OF air is therefore provided by
Ing the sewage trickle over sew
feet of crushed stones, clinker
any course, not easily soluable
erial. Or sewage may run thru
where active oxidation is as
la by some straining action. The
age may even be sprayed into
air or have air bubbles thru it.
Ihe disease germs are partially
owed during the various process
lust mentioned. but TO reduce
In number to minimum and
e the sewage effulent as low in
Nerial numbers as the body OF
er into which it empties, some
fine straining method must be
h or else a substance added that
It act as a poison to the germs.
Am sewage disposal plants are
before designed to accomplish
Ne three objects to some degree
the ideal plant is one that will
love the suspended matter, oXi-
ia the soluble matter, and kill the
base germs.
would necessitate a vast amount
tabulating to record the various
Ices and combination of devices
in use in sewage disposal prac-
1t is safe to state, however
no two communities have iden-
Asystems. either in the devices
= or in the degree of publication
cted.
lust what part does the septic
play in the publication prob
b. The septic tank is merely a
lainer that facilitates the septlc
cess. The septic process consists
bacterial activity in the absence
oxygen resulting in the CONVEX
Of solids to liquid. When the
/age is left to stagnate, the oxy-
dissolved in the water is first
a up in burning (oxid!zing) the
bonaceous and heterogeneous mat
present.
Sewage in the first place is not a
ple substance. but must first be
en- and split apart by the bacteria.
passing thru the bodies of the
elerla ii Is more elementary than
en- II entered. Similarly human
erement is more elementary in
aracter than the food that is eat
The first group of bacteria pass
The food on to another group
ich in turn selects desired ma
tai and then passes it on to the
4 class. AS this material be-
mes less complex it more readily
Is with the oxygen either to be
rned" and pass into the atmos-
= -, ~ al