The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-01-07
THIS END MAY BE ACHIEVED AT
SMALL COST WITH BENEFIT:
< CiA 3LRESuLTS. =
SEWERAGE WASTE.
BY SCIENTIFIC METHODS Is
FOUND PROFITABLE.
STATEMENT WORTH READING BY
SCOTLAND G. HIGHLAND
( or, CLARkSBuRG.

fublic health is purchasable. With.
in natural limitations. any community
can determine its own death rate.
The incredible results OF the system.
attic pollution Of the rivers OF West
Virginia have been borne by the PEG.
pie of the state with exemplary toler..
alton, while in other states innumer.
able measures have been taken to
combat the problem Of river pollution.
The objects of sewage publication
may be shortly described; to guard
them against visible pollution and to
prevent danger to the health Of those
living near them.
Prior to the general introduction of
public water supplies. the impression
seems to have been that the use Of
rivers was to carry away sewage and
refuse. However, as early as 1547,
in the town of Bunzlau, Germany, be-
gan the treatment of Its sewage by
means of land irrigation.
The present day opinions have not
always been held with regard to the
purity of our rivers. Public opinion
has developed step by step with the
gradually increasing adoption of wat
er.closets and water carriage systems
of sewage.
In 1864, the English government ap-
pointed a Royal Commission to In
quire into the pollution Of rivers. One
of the instructions which this com.
mission received is specially worthy
of note,-it runs: Although It may
be taken as proved generally that
there is wide spread and serious
pollution of rivers, both from sewage
and refuse from mines and manufac'
tories, and that town sewage may be
turned into profitable account as a
fertilizing agent, there is not suffici-
ent evidence to show that any meas
ure absolutely prohibiting the dis
charge fsuch refuse into rivers or
absolutely compelling town authors
ties 10 carry iton to lands, might not
be remedylng one evil at the cost or
an evil more serious in The shape Of
injury to health and damage to manu-
factories"
1t is interesting, however, TO note
that at the present day, London
treats all its sewage amounting to up.
proximately two hundred and fifty mill
lion gallons daily, from which 1t OBJ
tains ten thousand tons of sludge
daily.
After years Of experiments and dis.
cussion by eminent men all over tho
world, intelligentand reasonable ideas
have been developed showing that
the question of sewage disposal is in.
timately bound up with that Of spread.
ing epidemic by means of polluted
rivers.
Domestic or town sewage contains
very large numbers of micro.organ.
isms seldom less than one million per
cubic centimeters, and often as many
as ten millions or more.
II guinea pigs are inoculated with
only small doses Of sewage, they will
become Ill almost without exception
and often die. The drinking of sew.
age must, accordingly, be regarded as
not only unappetizing. but also as
hurtful to health, and in cases of cpl
demic intestinal diseases, as directly
The most manifest nuisances which
arise from present methods OF sew.
age disposal are to be found in the
formation of sludge deposits in tho
beds and on the banks of the rivers;
in the turbidity and color of the water
OF the streams; in the putrefactive
changes which occur and give rise 70
bad smells and odors; and also in the
putrefying sludge which sometimes
rises to the surface of the streams
and which may be floating about with
other suspended matters.
Such nuisances have attained dl.
mensions so serious in some commu.
mites that, for long distances, 1t Is
impossible to dwell on the banks, or
in the neighborhood Of the rivers or
g H r. a. . o. . IS. .
streams.
It is necessary for the citizens Of
the state to procure their public water
supplies from the naturally pure and
sparkling streams Of West Virginia,
and 1t should never be necessary to
convert sewage laden streams into
drinkin gwater.
It is now accepted as reasonable to
require every town severed on the
water carriages ysttem to adopt meas
ures to prevent the discharge of the
coarser suspended solids in the sew
age into the river.
The twenty-third report OF the Mas.
sachusetts State Board Of Health, pub.
lished in 1892, describing its expert.
ments, must be considered as epoch.
making since they gave rise to the
so-called artificial biological process,
es, later perfected abroad.
In view OF the fact that in the case
OF artificial biological treatment an
actual publication Of the sewage Is
achieved, whereas, under. the most ia:
yorable circumstances, earlier meth:
DDS only produce Qualification, the bio:
logical method must be considered as
by far the superior process. 1t may
now be regarded as q definite fact that
this process has put us In possession
q