A better means of disposing of the excreta, where water-closets can not be had, is the earth-closet, of which there are several varieties. These are so constructed that they resemble a water-closet in appearance, but the excreta are caught in a receptacle beneath the seat, and covered with earth, when the handle beside the seat is raised. Dry earth is an excellent disinfectant,[1] and when excreta are thus mingled with it they are gradually oxidized and disappear, so that after a time the same earth may, with proper precautions, be used again.
[1] Its disinfectant properties have been shown to be due to the presence of microscopic organisms, which decompose the excreta in the act of nourishing themselves. A little chloroform paralyzes them, and deprives the earth of its disinfecting properties, which return, however, when the chloroform is washed out, and the organisms recover their natural vigor.
The earth for these closets must be dry, and sifted of coarse particles, and enough must be deposited upon the excreta to cover them and to absorb the urine.
Its advantages, as compared with the water-closet, are, that it is cheaper, requires less repair, is not hurt by frost, is not injured when improper substances are thrown down it, and requires no water. Its disadvantages are, the trouble of collecting and drying the earth, the necessity of frequently removing the soil, the dust sometimes caused by its use, and the necessity of providing additional means for the disposal of slops.
A perfect method of disposal of excreta and other house refuse would be one which would insure their prompt and rapid removal in such a way as to prevent the contamination of the air of any inhabited locality during such removal, or after their final deposition. The most convenient and economical means yet invented of accomplishing this object is water-carriage; i. e., the matters referred to are conveyed from the house, with the addition of sufficient water to insure a rapid flow, through a series of pipes and tunnels into a large body of running water, or over the surface of the earth, under conditions which insure their rapid conversion into harmless substances.
The water-carriage system includes bowls or sinks for the deposit of refuse matters, connecting-pipes to remove such matters from the house, and public sewers for their further conveyance away from human abodes. The construction and care of public sewers belong to the local government; we have here only to do with house-drainage.
The essentials of house-drainage are: 1. The primary receptacles (bowls, sinks, water-closets, etc.) should be of such material and so constructed as to be impervious to fluids, and easy to clean and keep clean. 2. The pipes should be of such material as to be as durable as possible, and so laid and connected as to form gas-tight conduits, and to insure the rapid passage of whatever enters them, so as to prevent the formation of deposits or incrustations. 3. The drainage system should be so planned and constructed that neither the atmosphere of the house nor the drinking-water can be polluted by anything escaping from it, and no noxious matters can enter it from any other house.
The following plan of construction is that recommended by the Board of Health of New York city:
1. All materials must be of good quality and free from defects; the work must be executed in a thorough and workmanlike manner.
2. The arrangement of soil and waste pipes must be as direct as possible.