The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-02
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these particular bacteria. Conse-
GreDIIy. il behooves Us % make
their surroundings conductive TO
her besc efforts.
To be sure. oxygen must be sup
piled 70 this broken down organic
matter. but this must be delayed I'M
til the bacterial laborers have fin
shed their work on it and have
brought il 10 the stage where the
finishing touches can be applied.
Emphasis must be laid on the fact
that this breaking down action of
The bacteria means both a physical
and chemical destruction. Coarse
matter becomes finally divided. and
complex chemical substances be-
come changed into many elementary
ones
After the oxygen in solution
unites with the simplest organic ma
Jerial, the oxygen in combination
with other elements. such as nit
rates, sulphates. etc, is loosened to
unite with matters that gasify and
leave the liquid. as carbon dioxide
and carbon monoXide.
When the available oxygen has
been practically eliminated from the
liquid, then the septic or putrid con-
dftion exists
The danger Of an overseptic con-
ditiOn must be warned against.
Much better is it to shorten the di-
costing period rather than prolong
it. In a tank where the bottom de-
! post is constantly washed by the
incoming sewage and toxic or poi
sOnOuS substances thereby prevent
ed from accommodating, a sem-septic
stage IS most satisfactory. as a num-
Der of destructive bacteria which re-
quire some oxygen can also labor
here at advantage.
Consequently the scum formed by
the lighter suspended matter rising
TO the surface is not necessary to the
successful septic tank and actually
becomes a source Of trouble by grow
ing large enough TO materially de-
crease the capacity of the tank.
The ideal condition exists when
ghe inorganic matter only is deposit
el in the bottom of the tank and the
finely divided organic matter is con-
stantly passing out in the effiUent.
Shorter storage periods will accom-
pl.sh this result and accommodating
sediment is thereby reduced to a
minimum.
To better understand the changes
rn'ergone by organic matter in its
decomposition and the part played
by bacteria, reference may be made
20 the diagram representing the
"cycle" Of 'organic matter
Man and other animals eat food
and convert il into eXcreta, a much
less complex condition. Bacteria
eats this eXcreta as their food and
make il over into mineral solutions.
Plants feed upon this mineral matter
ana thereby build up their own body
tissue. which becomes food for an
imals
Thus animals. bacteria and plants
mutually assist each other in their
struggle for existence.
If animal life were eliminated
from the earth, bacteria would have
a difficult time in finding easily di-
gested food. Untouched by man.
horse. earthworm. etc. plant life
would be coarse fare for bacteria.
Eliminating bacterial life would be-
fatal. however. as plants are abso-
lutely unable to live upon animal
food or eXcreta. Their nOurishment
must of necessity be in a mineral
form. Now. if we suppose the earth
to be deprived OF all plant life, then
animals would have to live on each
other which would soon result in a
speedy depOpulatiOn Of animal life
beginning with the smaller and
weaker forms.
The septic tank. then. is a de-
structive furnace or disintegrator.
1t demolishes complex organic mat
ter making it into simpler chemical
substances. II has a mechanical &C
ton in converting bulky matter into
a finely divided state and partially
into solution. 1t kills out some Of
the disease germs that enter.
II successfully operated there
fore. a septic tank makes sewage less
obnoxious TO look upon. On the
other hand. it intensifies the smell
and has little effect on the germs.
Obviously the septic tank is not a
complete process in itself. 1t is.
however, a good preparatory school.
Its products are crude and unfinish-
Ell but promising. Additional train
ing meets receptive ground and pro-
gress is rapid.
To RIM q SaDtic pff1upOr of con-