,transcriber ,note    ,emphasis denoted 
as ,italics4                            
,u4 ,s4 ,,department ,,of ,,agriculture4
                           ,,farmers'   
,,bulletin  ,no4 #dc4                   
,,sewage ,,disposal ,,on ,,the ,,farm1  
,,and                            ,,the  
,,protection ,,of ,,drinking ,,water4   
,,by                                    
,,theobald ,,smith1 ,m4 ,d41            
,professor in ,harvard ,university1     
,pathologist to the ,massachusetts      
,state ,board of ,health1 etc4          
,illustration                           
,,washington3 ,,government ,,printing   
,,office4 #ahif4          ,,contents4   
,page4      ,introduction               
#c    ,disposal of sewage               
#e      ,night soil                     
#g        ,the privy                    
#g        ,the cesspool                 
#g        ,the dry-earth closet         
#h        ,the water-closet             
#aa      ,liquid sewage                 
#aa        ,vaults                      

#aa        ,irrigation                  
#ab      ,kitchen and chamber slops     
#ad      ,waste and garbage             
#ae    ,protection of drinking water    
#af      ,ways of contamination         
#ag      ,construction of wells         
#ah    ,conclusion                      
#ai        ,,illustrations4        ,fig4
 #a4 ,shallow barnyard well             
#f         #b4 ,portable earth closet   
#h         #c4 ,old form of earth closet
                 #i         #d4 ,earth  
closet and dry catch              #aj   
#e4 ,self-acting peat dust closet       
#aa         #f4 ,settling chamber and   
flush tank for              irrigation  
#ab         #g4 ,subsurface irrigation  
of sewage         #ac         #h4       
,garbage cremator                       
#af          ,,sewage ,,disposal ,,on   
,,the ,,farm ,,and ,,the ,,protection   
,,of ,,drinking ,,water4                
,,introduction4      ,the conditions    
under which homes and their surroundings
 are kept healthful  in the city and in 

the country differ in many respects1    
although the  principles underlying them
 are essentially the same4 ,in the city 
the  sanitary condition of homes is     
maintained chiefly by a system of       
cooperation and centralization which    
brings into existence extensive         
sewerage systems1 water supplies1 and   
the collection of house waste by  public
 authority4 ,regulations are prescribed 
and enforced under which  the individual
 household must avoid all conditions    
which are likely to  prove dangerous to 
the health of the immediate neighborhood
 and of the  entire community4 ,in the  
country districts1 and more particularly
 in  isolated homesteads1 the conditions
 affecting the health of the household  
are largely in its own hands1 and more  
individual effort is required to        
maintain healthful surroundings than in 
cities4 ,the farmer must supply  himself
 with his drinking water and must get   
rid of the waste of the  household as   
best he can4 ,on the other hand1 the    

inhabitant of the country  is in many   
ways better off than the dweller in     
large cities4 ,not only  has he pure air
 to draw upon at all times1 but he can  
supply himself  often with purer food   
than is possible in large communities4  
,though he  must procure for himself    
drinking water1 he is1 in most cases1   
able to  get a purer water from the     
ground than the sewage-polluted fluid   
which  is the only water accessible in  
many cities4 ,while he must get rid of  
night soil himself rather than have it  
disposed of by a water-carriage  system 
conveniently located within the house1  
he may avoid the annoying  complications
 of plumbing1 bringing with it the      
leakages of sewer gas1 the  plugging up 
of soil pipes by the roots of trees or  
by articles carelessly  thrown into     
them4 ,moreover1 he has it often within 
his power to acquire  sufficient land   
around his house to take charge of all  
sewage and waste  and to utilize it as a
 manure for enriching the soil4         

,nevertheless1 it  must be acknowledged 
that when the circumstances under which 
healthful  surroundings are procurable  
are under the immediate control of each 
individual household they are apt to be 
perverted through ignorance and         
neglect4 ,conditions may then arise     
which are not only unfavorable to       
health1 but which are likely to lead to 
severe sickness at any time when  the   
opportunity presents itself4            
,standing between the fortunate         
inhabitant of a large city whose        
water-supply and sewerage systems are   
above reproach and the farmer  who bas  
it within his power to make them so with
 reference to his own  wants1 is the    
half-developed village or town1 with its
 chiefly unsanitary  conditions4 ,here  
the leaky cesspool still exists1 close  
by the family  well1 or by the          
neighbor's well4 ,the absence of any    
system of collecting  garbage and       
miscellaneous waste shows itself by the 
littering of the  yards1 the alleys1    

streets1 and even stream beds with all  
kinds of  refuse4 ,in some towns the    
premature introduction of a water-supply
 system  causes the ground to become    
still more thoroughly saturated with    
diluted  sewage1 so that the wells of   
those households not yet connected with 
the water-supply are a continual source 
of danger4 ,in such communities1        
appreciation of the necessity for a     
public control of sanitation has not    
yet made much headway4 ,the acts of each
 family violating the laws of  health   
not only react upon itself but upon the 
immediate neighborhood1  often with     
disastrous results4 ,when typhoid fever 
has once gained a  foothold in such     
communities it is apt to develop into an
 epidemic4    ,the tendency of our      
population to concentrate in villages   
and towns makes  the sanitary           
improvement of such communities a most  
important and vital  condition of       
national health and prosperity4 ,the    
following pages are not  intended for   

these communities1 for they need1 in    
most cases1 the advice  of sanitarians  
and sanitary engineers1 acquainted with 
local conditions4  ,still1 they may be  
of service in pointing out the dangers  
which may and do  actually beset the    
population that neglects to dispose of  
refuse and waste  in a manner which does
 not clash with the laws of health4     
,the chief dangers which threaten rural 
inhabitants are those arising from      
polluted drinking water4 ,this is       
infected from the household excrement   
and  barnyard drainage1 as will be      
described farther on1 and its use leads 
in  the main to bowel disturbances1     
typhoid-fever1 and dysenteric           
affections4  ,it might be claimed that  
in an isolated homestead the danger is  
absent  because the night soil from the 
healthy household can not contain the   
germs of typhoid-fever1 and1 therefore1 
the well water can not receive  them    
from leaky cesspools and surface        
drainage4 ,this would be true if  the   

family lived secluded from other human  
beings4 ,as the case stands1  there is  
much more communication than is at first
 thought supposed4 ,there  is more or   
less coming and going of farm hands and 
other hired help1  of tramps1 peddlers1 
etc4 ,the farmer travels more than      
formerly4 ,he  frequently visits        
neighboring communities4 ,the children  
go to school4 ,as  it has been shown    
that there may be mild cases of         
typhoid-fever passing  unnoticed1 in a  
farm hand1 for example1 who leaves on   
account of ill  health1 perhaps1 and who
 has meanwhile1 in his discharges1      
deposited the  germs of this disease on 
the premises1 it is evident that        
isolation  nowadays does not exist      
except in remote1 thinly settled        
regions1 and that  disease germs may    
make themselves suddenly felt in an     
unexpected manner in  any farmhouse4    
,there are other important reasons1     
however1 why rural sanitation should    
not be neglected4 ,the health of the    

large communities of people who draw    
their food supply from the country is in
 a measure dependent on the health  of  
the farming community4 ,there is        
scarcely a city child who is not1 in a  
degree1 dependent for its health on the 
sanitary conditions prevailing in  the  
house of the dairyman4 ,milk has been   
repeatedly shown to be the means  of    
distributing typhoid-fever and other    
diseases4 ,any vegetable foods  from the
 farm eaten raw are liable to become    
carriers of infection under  unsanitary 
conditions4    ,in many parts of our    
country other causes operate in making  
the health  of many people depend on the
 proprieties of country homes4 ,the     
thousands  of city people1 who flock    
every summer to the country and bring to
 the  farming community considerable    
sums of money1 should be properly       
protected  against the dangers of       
polluted water and infected milk by the 
adoption  of suitable methods of sewage 
disposal4 ,too frequently those who left

 the  city for the purpose of gaining   
strength by breathing pure air1 drinking
  pure water1 and eating pure food1 only
 return with the germs of an often      
fatal disease within them to swell the  
typhoid statistics of our large  cities4
          ,,disposal ,,of ,,sewage4     
,the vital thing which thus presents    
itself is the disposal of fecal matter  
and other refuse so that the wells1 upon
 which most rural families depend  for  
their drinking water1 may remain pure4  
,to this matter we will first  turn our 
attention4    ,every person who tills   
the soil is acquainted with the         
remarkable  transforming power of the   
superficial layers of the earth upon    
manure and  excrement4 ,out of these    
offensive wastes harmless substances are
 produced  which are essential to the   
growth of vegetation4 ,this power1 known
 as  decay1 is now generally attributed 
to very minute organisms 7bacteria7     
which are found in immense numbers in   
the superficial layers of the soil1     

which diminish in number as we go       
deeper1 and which completely disappear  
below a depth of #f to #ab feet1        
according to the physical condition of  
the soil4 ,bacteria are more numerous   
where waste and excrement are most      
abundant4 ,when night soil and manure   
are deposited in excavations or         
so-called cesspools in the earth1 from  
which the fluid matter may enter  the   
ground at some depth below the surface1 
where the air or certain kinds  of      
bacteria can penetrate only to a slight 
extent1 the substances1 which  under the
 influence of the air 7oxygen7 and of   
bacteria near the surface1  would have  
decayed1 now undergo partial            
putrefaction with the setting  free of  
disagreeable gases and odors4 ,the      
deeper layers of the earth  slowly      
become saturated with organic matter1   
which is carried by the  ground-water   
into the wells or springs near by4      
,there is also some reason  to believe  
that disease germs live longer in the   

oxygen-free depths of the  soil than at 
or near the surface4    ,the extent to  
which the filling up of the soil with   
excrementitious matter  may go on in    
densely populated cities has been shown 
by ,fodor for the  ,hungarian city      
,budapest4 ,by analyzing the soil at    
different levels from  the surface to a 
depth of about #ac feet1 he found1 over 
an area comprising  #ae acres1 about    
#a1jjj1jjj1jjj pounds organic matter1   
equivalent to the  excrement of #ajj1jjj
 people voided during thirty-seven      
years4    ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a4--,the
 shallow barnyard well1 with privy vault
 and  manure heaps near by4 ,the water  
is likely to receive fluid from these at
  any time4    ,to the surface of the   
earth we owe thus a purifying influence 
whose  activity furnishes us vegetation 
and food on the one hand and            
preservation  from disease on the other4
 ,this purifying power is not possessed 
by the  deeper layers1 and therefore the
 percolation of organic refuse into them

  from deep cesspools is wasteful to    
agriculture and dangerous to our        
storehouse of drinking water4    ,even  
the surface of the soil when overloaded 
with sewage loses partially  its power  
of purifying the organic matter4 ,after 
sufficient rest1 such an  overloaded    
soil regains its original power4 ,the   
purifying activity of the  soil from a  
sanitary aspect is the same as that     
governing fertility from  an            
agricultural standpoint1 hence any      
further discussion of this subject  is  
unnecessary4    ,a hint as to the proper
 disposition of waste1 excrement1 etc41 
is  furnished by what is stated above   
concerning the purifying capacities of  
the earth's surface4 ,waste1 night soil1
 etc41 should be deposited with  proper 
precautions on or immediately below the 
surface of the soil1 where  it may      
perform the double function of ridding  
the household of a nuisance  and of     
enriching the soil itself4 ,this leads  
us to a consideration of the  best means

 of taking care of the household wastes4
 ,these are1 in general1  of three      
classes3 ,first1 fecal matter2 second1  
kitchen and chamber slops2  and third1  
miscellaneous rubbish and ashes4        
,,night ,,soil4    ,the proper          
disposition of fecal matter or night    
soil in the country has  been one of the
 most pressing and vexatious problems of
 modern sanitation4  ,many plans have   
been suggested1 much apparatus has been 
invented to meet  the difficulty1 but   
opinions not only differ but change from
 year to year  and have led to different
 practices in different countries4      
,moreover1  different climatic          
conditions and the divergent tendencies 
of rural  populations in the various    
sections of our own country make it     
impossible  to apply the same scheme to 
the whole country4 ,different degrees of
  prosperity and wealth1 even in the    
same locality1 will bring into use      
widely different schemes to accomplish  
the same end4 ,there are in use  several

 systems--    ,the privy4--,the         
old-fashioned privy1 at present still   
quite a common  thing even in cities1   
is1 perhaps1 the most favored method of 
disposing of  fecal matter in the       
country4 ,a pit is dug and a small      
building set over  it4 ,the excrement   
deposited in it slowly fills it up4 ,the
 fluids and the  solids dissolved by    
them penetrate the subsoil and diffuse  
themselves in  the ground4 ,rarely is   
such a pit cleaned out4 ,another is dug 
and the old  one covered up4 ,in this   
way the ground becomes overloaded with  
refuse  organic matter4 ,it is even     
stated on good authority that such      
collections  of fecal matter have been  
found under the dwelling2 also1 that the
 privy  vaults have been dug until the  
current of ground-water was reached     
which  was to facilitate the removal of 
the excrement4 ,it is difficult to      
conceive a more pernicious custom1 or   
one more certain to pollute the         
drinking water4 ,the privy vault is the 

most rudimentary way of getting rid  of 
night soil1 and its dangerous features  
are too plain to be referred to4    ,the
 cesspool4--,next comes the cesspool1   
which is usually connected with  a      
water-closet1 and may also receive the  
slops from the kitchen4    ,these are   
constructed in two ways1 either as      
water-tight receptacles or as  simple   
pervious pits differing in no way from  
the privy vault excepting1  perhaps1 in 
their more dangerous tendencies4 ,all   
sanitary authorities  agree in          
condemning the leaky cesspool as a most 
shiftless and dangerous  method of      
getting rid of sewage4 ,in most         
countries they are prohibited  by law in
 populous communities4 ,in exceptional  
cases1 leaky cesspools  may do no harm1 
as in an isolated house in the country  
whose cesspool is  built at a           
considerable distance both from the     
house and the well4 ,the  safe distance 
from any well it would be difficult to  
state1 because that  would depend on the

 character of the subsoil and the       
general slope of the  land4 ,in any     
case1 the cesspool should be on lower   
ground than the well1  as the current of
 the ground water feeding the latter1   
usually but not  always1 conforms to the
 slope of the surface4 ,a fair estimate 
of the least  allowable distance between
 well and cesspool would be #ajj feet4  
,soluble  salts from sewage might still 
find their way into the well water1 but 
it  is quite improbable that disease    
germs could penetrate the soil for such 
a  distance except where fissures and   
cracks may be present4    ,illustration3
 ,fig4 #b4--,portable earth closet4 ,a1 
the pail to receive the  excrement2 ,b1 
the urine-separating receptacle hanging 
on the open door2 ,c1  mouth of the     
hopper conveying the dry-earth or ashes 
from reservoir ,d upon  the night soil  
in ,a4    ,in villages1 leaky cesspools 
are still of frequent occurrence4 ,if   
the  drinking water is taken from wells1
 such cesspools are a constant menace1  

and all that is needed in many such     
towns is a spark in the shape of some   
disease germ to kindle an epidemic4 ,it 
is true that years may pass by  without 
the occurrence of more than the usual   
amount of illness1 but even  then we    
have good reason to suppose that in many
 villages using cesspools  the average  
amount of sickness and mortality is far 
too high1 not to  mention the occasional
 epidemics of typhoid-fever4 ,we may sum
 up the  matter of leaky cesspools by   
the statement that they may do no harm  
near  isolated houses on farms1 provided
 they are sufficiently far away from the
  source of water-supply4 ,in small     
towns cesspools should be prohibited1 or
  only very thoroughly constructed      
water-tight ones permitted1 according to
  circumstances4 ,the same holds true   
for the well-known privies4    ,the     
dry-earth closet4--,the dry conservancy 
system is a much better  method of      
disposal of excrement1 and is           
extensively in use to-day even  in      

certain large cities on the ,continent  
of ,europe where sewers have not  yet   
been introduced4 ,this consists in the  
main of the frequent removal of  excreta
 in the country by some man servant or  
member of the family2 in  villages and  
towns according to some cooperative     
plan4 ,this system has  taken various   
directions1 according to circumstances4 
,thus there are what  is called the pail
 system1 which consists in the daily or 
less frequent  removal of a pail        
receiving the excreta2 and the earth    
closet invented by  the ,rev4 ,henry    
,moule1 of ,england1 the chief feature  
of which consists in  the covering of   
the excreta with some absorbent         
substance like dry-earth  or ashes4 ,in 
some places the excreta are received    
into a well-built brick  or stone       
receptacle and covered with earth1 from 
which they may be removed  from time to 
time4 ,of these systems the dry-earth   
closet has received the  greatest amount
 of attention and discussion4 ,it       

consists1 essentially1 of  a pail to    
receive night soil1 which is covered    
either automatically or  with a scoop   
with dry-earth 7fig4 #b74 ,the earth    
absorbs the fluids and the  odors and   
keeps the closet inoffensive4           
,illustration3 ,fig4 #c4--,the old form 
of earth closet with frame and pail     
removed to show the mechanism4 ,the     
handle on the left when raised throws   
into the pail a certain quantity of     
dry-earth or ashes from the reservoir   
or hopper in the rear4    ,the earth to 
be used should be a rather fine loam1   
sifted to remove  coarse particles1     
thoroughly dried by spreading out in the
 sun or under a  shed1 and then stored  
in barrels4 ,the drier the earth the    
better it is4  ,the finer the particles 
of earth the greater the capacity for   
absorbing  fluids4 ,for this reason sand
 is not satisfactory4 ,goal or wood     
ashes are  quite satisfactory1 as they  
are1 after proper sifting1 of the       
requisite  fineness and are thoroughly  

dry4 ,the mixture of earth or ashes and 
night  soil should be removed at certain
 times1 depending on the location of    
the closet1 the season of the year1 and 
other conditions4 ,the more  frequent   
the removal the better4 ,the mixture of 
soil and excrement is so                
unobjectionable that it has been used   
over a number of times after being      
dried each time4 ,this can not be       
recommended1 however1 as it is generally
  accepted nowadays that disease germs  
may remain alive in such a mixture  for 
some time4    ,in place of the movable  
earth closets1 a water-tight1 concreted 
area  may be built in an annex to the   
house1 which is to receive the night    
soil from a closet on the floor above   
with the necessary quantity of dry  soil
 7see fig4 #d74 ,poore1 from whose book 
the illustration is taken1  recommends1 
in addition1 the construction of the    
floor of such a pit with  an inclination
 sufficient to carry away the urine into
 some gutter outside  filled with       

absorbent soil4 ,the area should have   
suitable openings for  inspection and   
for removal of contents1 as well as for 
ventilation4 ,waring  recommended a     
similar system many years ago4 ,the     
closet described by him  discharges into
 a water-tight vault in the cellar1     
which requires emptying  only           
occasionally4 ,the contents remain      
inoffensive1 provided sufficient        
thoroughly dry earth is used4           
,illustration3 ,fig4 #d4--;,earth closet
 and dry catch 7from ,poore's  ,rural   
hygiene1 scale1 #a_/b inch equals #a    
foot74 ,to prevent drafts the  earth    
closet is closed below by a hinged flap 
which opens and shuts  automatically by 
means of a counterpoise4 ,the catch     
below is provided with  air bricks and  
an air shaft leading to a ventilator4   
,in cold climates1 indoor closets are   
especially desirable to obviate  the    
exposure which can not be avoided when  
closets are out of doors4  ,for invalids
 there should be a carefully managed    

earth closet kept in  a well-aired room 
set apart for this purpose4 ,in warm    
climates1 earth  closets should be      
frequently cleaned4 ,to prevent the     
attraction of flies  and insects and the
 too rapid decomposition of the contents
 a little  unslacked lime added with the
 earth to the excrement will be of      
value4  ,the discharges of persons      
suffering from typhoid-fever and bowel  
troubles  should be mixed with thin     
slacked lime#a 7milk of lime74 ,one-half
 to  one hour after the mixing1 such    
discharges may be put upon the soil1    
always at some distance from a well or  
spring1 a stream1 or a field under      
cultivation4    #a ,lime1 to be used for
 disinfection1 should not be            
air-slacked1 but kept  in tightly       
covered receptacles to prevent this from
 taking place4    ,in ,europe1 the use  
of earth and ashes has been superseded  
by peat dust4  ,the upper layer of peat 
is dried in the air and ground in a     
suitable  machine4 ,the coarser         

particles are removed by sifting and    
used for bedding  in stables4 ,the fine 
portion1 which has a very high absorbing
 power for  fluids and is also capable  
of preventing odors1 is used in dry     
closets4  ,in ,germany there are at     
present about thirty factories engaged  
in the  preparation of peat moss for the
 purposes mentioned4 ,its great         
advantages  over dry earth should bring 
it into use in our country4 7,see fig4  
#e47    ,it does not matter from a      
sanitary standpoint which one of the    
dry-earth  systems is adopted1 provided 
the necessary attention be given to it4 
,every  system which can be recommended 
is bad if not properly attended to4 ,the
  conditions to be observed are3    ,the
 night soil should be received in       
water-tight receptacles4    ,it should  
be frequently removed4    ,it should be 
utilized in the garden or field by being
 placed under a thin  layer of soil4    
,to excreta from the sick1 milk of lime 
or unslacked lime should be added       

before disposal in the soil4            
,illustration3 ,fig4 #e4--,self-acting  
peat dust closet4 ,the lid is replaced  
by a hinged reservoir containing the    
peat dust4 ,whenever this is let down  a
 certain quantity of peat dust is       
discharged automatically and thrown1    
upon the night soil4 7,from ,weyl's     
,handbuch der ,hygiene4 ,,ii1 p4 #cae47 
,the water-closet4--,there can be no    
doubt that to-day the water-carriage    
system1 as it is called1 or1 in simpler 
language1 the indoor water-closet1  is  
preferred to all other contrivances4    
,this is true for the open country  as  
well as for villages and the suburban   
territories of cities4 ,there  is much  
to be said in favor of the present-day  
perfect contrivance for  the rapid      
removal of excreta and the exposure     
thereby prevented4 ,but  for all rural  
inhabitants the cost should be carefully
 weighed before a  water-carriage system
 is introduced into a house1 for none   
but the best  will answer1 as all others

 are likely to become nuisances4    ,the
 supply of water must be sufficient to  
flush the water-closet  thoroughly and  
keep all the pipes clean2 the plumbing  
must conform to  that in vogue in       
cities1 with its traps and ventilating  
pipes to prevent  the odors of the pipes
 from escaping into the house2 and the  
disposal of  the large quantity of      
liquid sewage1 the most difficult       
problem1 must  be properly attended to  
or it is likely to prove more dangerous 
to the  water-supply than the old dry   
privy pits4      ,,liquid ,,sewage4     
,the methods available to dispose of    
liquid sewage in the country are        
water-tight cesspools and irrigation4   
,vaults4--,water-tight cesspools should 
be constructed of hard-burned  brick1   
laid in cement1 and having a similar    
brick or a concreted bottom4  ,the      
inside and outside surfaces of the brick
 wall should be coated with  a thin     
layer of cement1 and clay rammed in     
around the wall1 to increase  its       

imperviousness to water4 ,it should be  
vaulted above1 and topped by  a square  
or round central opening1 covered with  
stone or iron plate4  ,cesspools are    
also made of cast or wrought iron1 the  
joints being made  water-tight4         
,cesspools must be ventilated by two    
pipes1 one rising several  feet above   
ground1 the other carried to the roof of
 the house1 barn1 or  other structure   
near by4 ,the current will1 in most     
cases1 tend down the  short and up the  
long pipe4 ,the latter may be dispensed 
with and the soil  pipe of the house act
 as a flue1 provided all branches are   
perfectly  trapped4    ,illustration3   
,fig4 #f4--,settling chamber and flush  
tank for surface  and subsurface        
irrigation of sewage4 7,from ,gerhard's 
,the ,disposal of  ,household ,wastes1  
#ahij47    ,irrigation4--,the disposal  
of sewage by irrigation is by far the   
best  method now within reach4 ,two     
methods are in use1 viz1 surface and    
subsoil  irrigation4 ,the first in its  

most complete form consists in carrying 
the  liquid sewage to a piece of ground 
set apart for the purpose and carefully 
underdrained4 ,the sewage is allowed to 
flow over the ground in shallow         
channels4 ,the fluid slowly disappears  
in the soil and enters the drains  as   
comparatively pure water1 which may be  
allowed to flow into a stream4  ,for    
villages this is the best means of      
disposing of sewage4 ,those who as      
village officials may be interested in  
this method will find plans of  such    
sewage farms1 together with faithful    
accounts of their operation and  the    
results obtained1 in the annual report  
of the ,state ,board of ,health  of     
,massachusetts for #ahib1 page #eei1 and
 same report for #ahic1 page #efc4      
,suggestions for its application to     
country houses are given farther on4    
,for isolated rural homes1 or village   
homes commanding a certain amount of    
ground around the house1 the liquid     
sewage from water-closets1 the kitchen  

and chamber slops may be disposed of by 
the simple means of subsoil  irrigation1
 first described by ,mr4 ,moule and     
subsequently elaborated by  ,colonel    
,waring4    ,the system as used at      
present in its most successful form     
consists1  outside of the house1 of the 
following parts 7see fig4 #f73    ,two  
adjoining water-tight receptacles of    
brick4 ,one of these receives  the      
sewage from the house and is intended to
 act as a settling chamber  for the     
coarser particles1 paper1 etc4 ,this    
communicates with the second            
receptacle1 which receives from it the  
fluid sewage4 ,this chamber is  called  
the flush tank and is provided with a   
siphon4 ,when the fluid has  reached a  
certain level1 the siphon is set in     
operation and discharges the  contents  
of the chamber at one time into the     
subsoil pipes4    ,illustration3 ,fig4  
#g4--,subsurface irrigation of sewage3  
a1 absorption  tiles 7,gerhard's ,the   
,disposal of ,household ,wastes72 b and 

c1 lines  of absorption tiles showing   
their relation to flush tank 7,from     
,waring's  ,sewerage and ,land          
,drainage74    ,from the second cistern 
a system of subsoil pipes laid over a   
treeless  piece of ground1 preferably a 
lawn1 receives and discharges the sewage
  into the ground4 ,these pipes should  
consist of porous tiles1 #b inches  in  
diameter and about #a foot long1 laid   
from #h to #af inches beneath the       
surface of the ground1 and with a gentle
 inclination of #b or #c inches for     
every #ajj feet4 ,the tiles should have 
open joints not less than one-fourth  of
 an inch wide4 ,they are laid upon      
earthen gutters and the joints are      
protected above by caps from being      
clogged with earth4 ,the intermittent   
discharge of the liquid sewage is quite 
essential to the successful  working of 
this system4 ,if the sewage is allowed  
to dribble away into the  pipes certain 
portions of these will become           
supersaturated with fluid and  others   

will not receive any2 the purification  
of the sewage in the soil is  thereby   
rendered imperfect4 ,the discharge of a 
large quantity of fluid at  one time1   
besides scouring the system of pipes1   
fills it more uniformly  and distributes
 the work to all parts of the subsoil   
system4    ,the successful construction 
of such a plant requires the services of
  someone familiar with it1 and it is   
therefore not necessary for me to  do   
more than call attention to it here as a
 highly recommended system  for homes1  
especially in villages1 where the proper
 amount of land is  procurable and where
 the sewage must be disposed of in a    
manner both  inoffensive and safe4 ,in  
any case the soil of such land must be  
porous1  not clayey and retentive4      
,those who wish to familiarize          
themselves with  the details will find  
descriptions in the ,sanitary ,engineer 
for #ahhc1 page  #ecj1 by ,philbrick2 in
 ,the ,disposal of ,household ,wastes1  
by ,gerhard1 and  in ,sewerage and ,land

 ,drainage1 by ,waring4 ,the entire     
plant is said to  cost #bjj to #cjj1 the
 annual expenditures for cleaning1      
repairs1 etc41  about #aj4    ,the      
method of subsurface irrigation just    
described may be too complex  and too   
expensive where land is abundant and    
neighboring houses at some  distance4   
,the simpler method of surface          
irrigation may be resorted to by  laying
 out at some distance--at least #ajj    
feet--from the house a small  sewage    
farm where the sewage may flow in       
shallow trenches over the surface  and  
slowly sink into the ground4 ,such an   
irrigation field must have the  same    
qualities demanded by subsurface        
irrigation4 ,its surface should have    
sufficient slope and the soil should be 
porous1 not retentive4 ,the liquid      
sewage1 including kitchen and chamber   
slops1 is conducted to this field in  a 
water-tight tile drain and then allowed 
to flow into shallow trenches4  ,to     
avoid the overloading of the soil with  

sewage at any one place the  main       
distributing trench should be so        
arranged that it and the irrigating     
trenches branching from it may be       
temporarily blocked at any point to     
divert the sewage into one or more      
different trenches every day4 ,in winter
  the warmth of the sewage will keep it 
in motion and the filtration will  go on
 although the field may be covered with 
snow and ice4 ,the use of the  flush    
tank as described above would cause a   
more uniform distribution of  the fluid 
over the field and make the filtration  
distinctly intermittent4  ,the ground   
between the trenches may be cultivated  
to increase the amount  of evaporation4 
,if conveniently situated1 an orchard   
may be used as the  irrigation field4   
,it should be distinctly understood1    
however1 that  marketable fruits and    
vegetables should not be carelessly     
allowed to come  in contact with fresh  
sewage1 nor should the irrigation field 
be near the  well unless the latter is  

fairly deep and tubed or tiled to the   
surface of  the water4      ,,kitchen   
,,and ,,chamber ,,slops4    ,the removal
 of kitchen and chamber slops is a      
matter which also requires  proper      
attention1 as this liquid frequently    
gives rise to unhealthful  conditions1  
annoying alike to sight and smell when  
carelessly disposed  of4 ,the simplest  
way to utilize kitchen slops is to pour 
them upon plants  about the house in    
summer1 in winter upon the soil1 each   
time in another  spot1 so as not to     
supersaturate the surface layers of soil
 in any one  place4 ,a means of less    
trouble recommended by ,waring is to    
partly fill  with soil a barrel with    
leaky bottom and cover this with a layer
 of stable  manure to prevent the       
puddling of the soil4 ,the slops filter 
through the  soil and leave the barrel  
below as a clear fluid4 ,the barrel is  
emptied  two or three times a year and  
the contents used for fertilizer4       
,house slops may be disposed of by      

surface irrigation or by subsoil pipes1 
as already described4 ,the originator of
 this method1 ,mr4 ,moule1 may here  be 
profitably quoted as to its simplicity  
and success3      ,where there is a     
garden the house slops and sink water   
may1 in most    cases1 be made of great 
value and removed from the house without
    the least annoyance ,the only       
requirement is that there shall be a    
gradual incline from the house to the   
garden4 ,let all the slops fall    into 
a trapped sink1 the drain from which to 
the garden shall be of    glazed socket 
pipes well jointed1 and emptying itself 
into a small    tank1 #ah inches deep1  
about a foot wide1 and of such length as
 may    be necessary4 ,the surplus rain 
water from the roof may also enter      
this4 ,out of this tank lay #c-;inch    
common drain pipes1 #h feet apart    and
 #ab inches below the surface4 ,lay     
mortar at the top and bottom    of the  
joints1 leaving the sides open4 ,if     
these pipes are extended    to a        

considerable length1 small tanks about  
#a foot square and #ah    inches deep   
must be sunk at about every #bj or #dj  
feet to allow for    subsidence4 ,these 
can be emptied as often as required1 and
 the deposit    may be either mixed with
 dry-earth or be dug in at once as      
manure4 ,the    liquid oozes into the   
cultivated soil1 and the result is      
something    fabulous4 99 99 99      ,on
 a wall #ee feet in length and #af feet 
high a vine grows4 ,a #c-;inch    pipe  
runs parallel with this at a distance of
 #f feet from it for the    entire      
length4 ,the slops flow through this    
pipe as above described4 ,on    this    
vine year after year had been grown #djj
 well-ripened bunches of    grapes1 some
 of the bunches weighing three-fourths  
of a pound4 ,during    a period of four 
years1 for a certain purpose1 the supply
 was cut off4    ,to the surprise of the
 gardener scarcely any grapes during    
those years    appeared2 but afterwards 
the supply was restored1 and the        

consequence    was an abundant crop1 the
 wood grow fully #af feet1 of good size 
and    well ripened4    ,in place of an 
indoor sink1 an upright tube or hopper  
may be constructed  out of doors in     
communication with the subsurface pipes 
into which the  waste fluids are poured4
      ,,waste ,,and ,,garbage4    ,the  
attractiveness of a rural home depends  
largely upon the promptness  with which 
all kinds of waste material are disposed
 of4 ,the abundance  of space around the
 house is a great temptation for the    
members of the  household to use it as a
 place for storing rubbish and useless1 
worn-out  things4 ,sifted ashes are     
easily utilized in earth closets and    
upon walks  and roads1 to make them     
compact and firm4 ,other articles of no 
use1  such as broken crockery1 bottles1 
tin cans1 etc41 can be thrown into      
depressions and gullies and covered over
 with earth1 or else buried in  trenches
 where subsoil drainage is desirable4   
,the removal of rubbish is a  very      

fruitful theme and might be dealt with  
at length4 ,its importance as  related  
to health and disease is a subordinate  
one1 and the reformer must  appeal to   
the love of order1 propriety1 and beauty
 in and around the home  in order to    
make an impression4    ,garbage is of   
much less annoyance in the country than 
in the city1 where  its collection and  
destruction is a great expense1 and is  
frequently very  unsatisfactorily done4 
,in the country1 the household garbage  
is fed to the  swine and poultry1 and is
 in this way profitably used4 ,there    
are1 however1  homes where garbage must 
be taken care of in other ways4 ,it may 
be buried  in the garden or else burned 
in the kitchen range4 ,recently a device
 has  been patented which enables the   
housekeeper to place the garbage in a   
section of the smoke pipe of the range1 
where it dries out rapidly1 burns1  and 
leaves only a little charcoal behind1   
which may be used for fuel next  day4   
,this device has been well recommended  

by sanitarians 7see fig4 #h74           
,illustration3 ,fig4 #h4--;,garbage     
cremator4 ,the garbage is placed in the 
perforated frame4 ,the latter is pushed 
into the smoke pipe1 where the  garbage 
becomes slowly carbonized4              
,,protection ,,of ,,drinking2 ,,water4  
,the next subject to claim our attention
 is the protection of the sources  of   
drinking water4 ,in the country water   
is1 as a rule1 obtained from wells  and 
springs4 ,the important bearing upon    
well water of soil purity demands  a few
 explanatory remarks concerning the     
origin of well water4 ,wells  are       
excavations made into the ground to a   
variable depth until water is  reached4 
,this water is denominated ground or    
subsoil water4 ,its origin  may be      
better understood if1 for the moment1 we
 conceive the surface of  the earth as  
more or less irregular and entirely     
impervious to water4 ,the  rain would   
collect on this surface and form lakes1 
ponds1 and streams1  according to the   

configuration of the surface4 ,if1 now1 
we conceive this  surface covered with  
sand or other porous earth to a greater 
or lesser  height1 and the top of this  
be considered the earth's actual        
surface1 the  water will remain in the  
same position1 but it will be buried    
within and  fill the pores of the       
overlying soil as subterranean lakes1   
ponds1 and  streams4 ,in digging a well 
we remove this porous layer of earth    
until we  reach these subterranean      
streams or reservoirs of ground-water4  
,if the  above description be thoroughly
 understood1 the condition under which  
well  water may be obtained at different
 depths will become intelligible1 and   
it will also appear plain why           
ground-water may flow as any surface    
stream  and pick up on its way various  
substances which have percolated into   
the  ground4    ,when the bed of porous 
soil overlying the impervious layers is 
very deep1  wells will have to be dug   
down to a considerable depth to reach   

the  surface of the ground-water4 ,where
 this layer of pervious earth is of     
slight thickness wells will be shallow1 
and the ground-water may appear on  the 
bottom of gullies1 trenches1 and        
wherever the porous layer has been  dug 
or washed away4    ,the movement of the 
ground-water depends on the inclination 
or slope of  the impervious strata1 and 
has been observed to be quite rapid in  
some  instances4 ,by adding common salt 
to the water in a well its detection  in
 other wells at a short distance has    
been found a guide in the  determination
 of the rapidity and direction of the   
underground current4    ,when the       
ground-water resting on the uppermost   
impervious layers is near  the surface1 
and therefore not safe or fit to use as 
drinking water1  it may be possible by  
digging below this layer to find another
 porous  bed containing water4 ,this    
source will1 in general1 be much purer  
since  it is less exposed to pollution  
from above1 and since the water has to  

travel longer distances underground4    
,such a deep supply must1 however1 be   
protected from the superficial supply by
 a water-tight wall extending to  the   
surface of the deep supply1 otherwise   
the water from the upper layers  will   
simply drain into the well4      ,,ways 
,,of ,,contamination4    ,wells are     
exposed to contamination in two ways4   
,the surface water from  rain1 house    
slops1 and barnyard drainage may find   
its way into the well at  or near the   
surface of the ground4 ,or the          
ground-water stream supplying  the well 
with water may in its subterranean      
movements encounter cesspools  or       
seepings from cesspools1 and carry with 
it soluble and suspended  particles1    
some of which may enter the well4 ,there
 can be no doubt that  a large          
percentage of the wells are exposed to  
contamination with refuse  matter in the
 manner described2 and it now remains to
 gauge the danger  to health and life   
which may be carried in the             

contaminating substance4  ,the danger of
 typhoid-fever bacteria entering the    
water has already been  mentioned4      
,these may be washed in from the surface
 or they may pass from  cesspools near  
by through fissures in the ground1      
passages dug by rats1  etc4 ,whether    
such bacteria can pass through the pores
 of a compact1  unbroken soil from a    
cesspool to a well near it is a matter  
not fully  settled4 ,since1 however1 the
 actual condition of the deeper layers  
of the  soil between cesspool and well  
can not be known1 it becomes imperative 
to prevent all pollution of the         
ground-water current supplying wells by 
either abolishing the cesspools or else 
placing them at a considerable  distance
 from all sources of water4    ,beside  
typhoid-fever bacteria1 those organisms 
which cause digestive  disturbances1 and
 severer troubles1 such as diarrhea1    
dysentery1 and  possibly other unknown  
diseases1 may be carried into well      
water4 ,during  cholera epidemics1      

polluted wells might form centers of    
infection4 ,eggs of  animal parasites   
may be washed in from the surface4      
,again1 the barnyard  manure1           
representing the mixed excrement of     
various animals1 may under  certain     
conditions be bearers of disease germs1 
and such excrement  should1 under no    
conditions1 be looked upon as entirely  
harmless to human  beings4#b    #b ,it  
is probable that the filth which gets   
into cow's milk and which  appears to be
 mainly excrement of cows is largely    
responsible for the  severe summer      
diseases of infants fed on cow's milk4  
,besides the protection of the          
ground-water near the well from         
pollution  emanating from cesspools1    
etc41 the surface of the ground about   
the well  should be kept free from      
manure1 slops1 and other waste water2   
hence  the well should not be dug under 
or close by the house1#c nor should  it 
be located in the barnyard1 where the   
ground is usually saturated  with       

manure4 ,it should be surrounded by     
turf1 and not by richly manured1        
cultivated1 or irrigated soil4 ,the     
ground immediately around it should     
slope gently away from it and be paved  
if possible4 ,the waste water from  the 
well should not be allowed to soak into 
the ground1 but should be  collected in 
water-tight receptacles or else         
conducted at least #be feet  away in    
open or closed channels which are       
water-tight4    #c ,the water may be    
carried into the kitchen by running the 
pipe from the  well1 horizontally1 under
 ground4      ,,construction ,,of       
,,wells4    ,the well itself must be so 
constructed that impurities can not get 
into  it from above or from the sides4  
,if water can soak into it after passing
  through a few feet of soil only1 it   
can not be regarded as secure from      
pollution4 ,to prevent this1 the well   
may be provided with a water-tight  wall
 built of hard-burned brick and cement  
down to the water level4 ,the  outside  

surface of this wall should be covered  
with a thin layer of  cement1 and clay  
pounded and puddled in around it4 ,or1  
tile may be used  to line the well and  
the joints made water-tight with cement 
down to the  water level4 ,driven wells1
 i4 e41 wells constructed of iron tubing
 driven  into the ground1 are1 perhaps1 
the safest where the quantity of water  
needed is not large and where other     
conditions are favorable4    ,these     
different devices are all designed to   
keep water near the surface  of the soil
 from percolating into the well4 ,to    
keep impurities from  entering the well 
directly from the top considerable care 
is necessary4  ,such impurities are     
likely to prove the most dangerous      
because there is  no earth niter to hold
 them back and destroy them before they 
can reach  the water4 ,adequate         
protection above may be provided in     
several ways4  ,the sides of the tiled  
wells should project above the surface  
and be  securely covered with a         

water-tight lid4 ,the ordinary well     
should also  have its sides project     
above the surface and a water-tight     
cover of heavy  planks provided1 which  
should not be disturbed excepting for   
repairing or  cleansing the well4 ,under
 no circumstances should objects be let 
down into  the well to cool4 ,a still   
better method of protecting the water   
from above  is to have the lining wall  
of the well end #c feet below the       
surface of the  ground and to be topped 
there with a vaulted roof1 closed in the
 center  with a removable iron or stone 
plate4 ,the top should be covered with  
#ab  inches of clay or loam2 above this 
there should be a layer of sand1 and    
lastly a pavement sloping away in all   
directions4    ,too much care can not be
 bestowed upon the household well4 ,it  
should  be guarded jealously and all    
means applied to put the water above any
  suspicion of being impure4 ,this is   
especially true in dairies where well   
water is used in cleaning the milk cans1

 and where steam and boiling water  have
 not yet found their way for this end4  
,polluted wells in such houses  not only
 endanger the health of the inmates but 
that of a more or less  numerous body of
 city customers4    ,in those regions   
where rain water is the only safe       
drinking water1 the  same care is       
necessary to protect the stored supply  
from contamination1  and no suggestions 
beyond those already given are necessary
 here4          ,,conclusion4      ,in  
the foregoing pages it has been the aim 
of the writer to give a few  facts and  
supply a certain number of ideas which1 
in the mind of any  person who has      
thoroughly understood them and who      
thinks for himself1  may be safely left 
to ripen into schemes adapted to his own
 wants and  surroundings4 ,how many     
resources a man armed with correct views
 may find  in the simplest appliances   
the reader may judge for himself by     
consulting  ,chapters ,,ix1 ,x1 and ,,xi
 of ,dr4 ,vivian ,poore's very          

interesting volume on  rural hygiene4   
,whether the means for utilizing        
household wastes there  described and   
adopted by him would be adequate outside
 of a limited  territory of our own     
country1 ,i am not prepared to state4   
,for the same  reason no definite       
suggestions can be made in these pages1 
owing to the  wide diversity in the     
climatic and other conditions obtaining 
over the  vast territory of our country4
 ,the writer has1 furthermore1 omitted  
all  statements of detail which properly
 belong to the sanitary engineer4 ,the  
works referred to will1 however1 supply 
those more directly interested  with the
 facts and figures desired4    ,the     
principles to be kept in the foreground 
are the disposal of sewage  in the      
superficial layers of the soil in not   
too great quantity1 the  disinfection of
 the stools of the sick with lime before
 such disposition  is made1 the digging 
of wells in places kept permanently in  
grass and at  some distance from        

barnyards1 and1 above all1 their        
thorough protection  from contamination 
from the surface and from the soil      
immediately below  the surface4    ,in  
every community there are               
public-spirited citizens who could do   
much  good by taking hold of the        
simplest and safest methods of disposing
 of  sewage and refuse1 putting them    
into practice1 and showing the rest of  
the community just what good can be     
accomplished and what harm avoided  by a
 little continuous attention to sanitary
 matters4 ,in this way many  may be led 
to undertake improvements who1 with no  
definite knowledge of  the expense      
involved and with misgivings as to the  
final success of the  undertaking1 would
 otherwise hesitate to make a beginning4
             99       99       99       
99       99      ,,farmers' ,,bulletins4
    ,these bulletins fire sent free of  
charge to any address upon application  
to the ,secretary of ,agriculture1      
,washington1 ,d4 ,c4    ,only the       

bulletins named below are available for 
distribution4      ,no4 #ae4 ,some      
,destructive ,potato ,diseases3 ,what   
,they ,are and ,how to                  
,prevent ,them4 ,pp4 #h4    ,no4 #af4   
,leguminous ,plants for ,green ,manuring
 and for ,feeding4 ,pp4 #bd4    ,no4    
#ah4 ,forage ,plants for the ,south4    
,pp4 #cj4    ,no4 #ai4 ,important       
,insecticides3 ,directions for ,their   
,preparation and              ,use4 ,pp4
 #bj4    ,no4 #bj4 ,washed ,soils3 ,how 
to ,prevent and ,reclaim ,them4 ,pp4    
#bb4    ,no4 #ba4 ,barnyard ,manure4    
,pp4 #cb4    ,no4 #bb4 ,feeding ,farm   
,animals4 ,pp4 #cb4    ,no4 #bc4 ,foods3
 ,nutritive ,value and ,cost4 ,pp4 #cb4 
,no4 #bd4 ,hog ,cholera and ,swine      
,plague4 ,pp4 #af4    ,no4 #bf4 ,sweet  
,potatoes3 ,culture and ,uses4 ,pp4 #cj4
    ,no4 #bg4 ,flax for ,seed and       
,fiber4 ,pp4 #aj4    ,no4 #bh4 ,weeds2  
and ,how to ,kill ,them4 ,pp4 #cj4      
,no4 #bi4 ,souring of ,milk and ,other  
,changes in ,milk ,products4 ,pp4 #bc4  

,no4 #cj4 ,grape ,diseases on the       
,pacific ,coast4 ,pp4 #af4    ,no4 #ca4 
,alfalfa1 or ,lucern4 ,pp4 #bc4    ,no4 
#cb4 ,silos and ,silage4 ,pp4 #ca4      
,no4 #cc4 ,peach ,growing for ,market4  
,pp4 #bd4    ,no4 #cd4 ,meats3          
,composition and ,cooking4 ,pp4 #bi4    
,no4 #ce4 ,potato ,culture4 ,pp4 #bc4   
,no4 #cf4 ,cotton ,seed and ,its        
,products4 ,pp4 #af4    ,no4 #cg4 ,kafir
 ,corn3 ,characteristics1 ,culture1 and 
,uses4 ,pp4 #ab4    ,no4 #ch4 ,spraying 
for ,fruit ,diseases4 ,pp4 #ab4    ,no4 
#ci4 ,onion ,culture4 ,pp4 #ca4    ,no4 
#dj4 ,farm ,drainage4 ,pp4 #bd4    ,no4 
#da4 ,fowls3 ,care and ,feeding4 ,pp4   
#bd4    ,no4 #db4 ,facts about ,milk4   
,pp4 #bi4    ,no4 #dc4 ,sewage ,disposal
 on the ,farm4 ,pp4 #bb4    ,no4 #dd4   
,commercial ,fertilizers4 ,pp4 #bd4     
,no4 #de4 ,some ,insects ,injurious to  
,stored ,grain4 ,pp4 #cb4    ,no4 #df4  
,irrigation in ,humid ,climates4 ,pp4   
#bg4    ,no4 #dg4 ,insects ,affecting   
the ,cotton ,plant4 ,pp4 #cb4    ,no4   

#dh4 ,the ,manuring of ,cotton4 ,pp4    
#af4    ,no4 #di4 ,sheep ,feeding4 ,pp4 
#bd4    ,no4 #ej4 ,sorghum as a ,forage 
,crop4 ,pp4 #bd4    ,no4 #ea4 ,standard 
,varieties of ,chickens4 ,pp4 #dh4      
,no4 #eb4 ,the ,sugar ,beet4 ,pp4 #dh4  
,no4 #ec4 ,how to ,grow ,mushrooms4 ,pp4
 #bj4    ,no4 #ea4 ,some ,common ,birds 
in ,their ,relation to ,agriculture4    
,pp4 #dj4    ,no4 #ee4 ,the ,dairy      
,herd3 ,its ,formation and ,management4 
,pp4 #ba4    ,no4 #ef4 ,experiment      
,station ,work--,i4 ,pp4 #cj4    ,no4   
#eg4 ,butter ,making on the ,farm4 ,pp4 
#ae4    ,no4 #eh4 ,the ,soy ,bean as a  
,forage ,crop4 ,pg4 #bd4    ,no4 #ei4   
,bee ,keeping4 ,pp4 #cb4    ,no4 #fj4   
,methods of ,curing ,tobacco4 ,pp4 #af4 
,no4 #fa4 ,asparagus ,culture4 ,pp4 #dj4
    ,no4 #fb4 ,marketing ,farm ,produce4
 ,pp4 #bh4    ,no4 #fc4 ,care of ,milk  
on the ,farm4 ,pp4 #dj4    ,no4 #fd4    
,ducks and ,geese4 ,pp4 #dh4    ,no4    
#fe4 ,experiment ,station ,work--,,ii4  
,pp4 #cb4    ,no4 #ff4 ,meadows and     

,pastures4 ,pp4 #bd4    ,no4 #fg4       
,forestry for ,farmers4 ,pp4 #dh4       
,no4 #fh4 ,the ,black ,rot of the       
,cabbage4 ,pp4 #bb4             99      
99       99       99       99           
,transcriber ,note    ,illustrations    
were moved to prevent splitting         
paragraphs4