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Sewerage
CORRESPONDENCE.--OBITUA
O_~ CORRESPONDENCE.
ALCOHOL AND PUBLIC HEALTH, To tke Edibar of PUBLIC HEALTH. SIR,--While thanking your reviewer for his careful review of my little book on " A l c o h o l and Public Health," I should be obliged if you would allow me to say that my object in laying stress on the experiments is because they show that the transient effect of alcohol is not to improve the individual, but otherwise. It may or may not be true that manual exertion blunts the senses, but, if it does, this is inevitable, whereas the depression of alcohol is artificial and unnecessary. Moreover, the narcotic action of alcohol is exerted not only on the special senses, but also on the mental and moral powers, which are more difficult to test. It is a question for moralists to decide whether the voluntary and needless weakening of moral power and self-control is justifiable. Wilh regard to his proper method of experiment, I would say that he appears to misapprehend m y conclusions. In testing the action of alcohol or any other drug, it would be absurd to wait until the effect had passed off. I have, too,eover, seen no reason to believe that organic changes can be demonstrated after a month's moderate drinking. T h e vital and the chemical actions of alcohol are distinct. T h e former may last for a few minutes or a few hours, according to dose ; the latter will need months or years to declare itself, according to dose and other circumstances. T h e fact remains that the transient effect is temporarily injurious, and the chronic effect to promote degeneration of tissue. I am not prepared to admit that fermentation is a normal process in the intestines. It is certain that the undoubted Iermentation which attends some forms of indigestion makes itself very perceptible in very unpleasant ways, and is quite abnormal.--Yours truly, J . J . RIDGE. SEWERAGE. :To t~e E d i t o r of PUBLIC HEALTH.
DEAR SIE,--About I4 years ago, in a town of Io,ooo inhabitants, the " p a i l s y s t e m " was adopted, and this has been kept up to the present time, though to a much less extent. The Local Board have also, from the year 1878 , devoted a certain sum annually (out of revenue) towards " ' m a l n d r a i n " extensions ; thus, thousands of yards of main drains have been laid. T h e original plans of main drains were sanctioned by the L.G.B., but these have not been followed in detail. No loan was obtained, or even asked for. T h e provisional order obtained when pail system was first adopted has now expired. I. Can we, as L.B., compelhouseholders in the immediate ne~ghbourhood of the main drains already laid~ and who come within the IOO feet limit (see. 22 P.H. Act, '75), to join with the same, thus doing away with the pails ? 2. Does the fact of the pail system having been once adopted to a limited extent do away ~ith the provisions of this section of the Act (P.H. Act, '75) ? I maystate that there are dozens of houses in the immediate neighbourhood of our main drains still unconnected, the L.B. having to pay a large sum annually in clearing the pails. I have moved, in our Board, " T h a t all houses within ioo feet of main drains laid be joined with the same." Can this be done, under the circumstances ? - - I am, yours ~c.p RICHARD JONES. Brynmarlan, Blaenau Festiniog. fit is doubtful if the Local Board can, as a matter of course, compel every owner now having a pail closet within IOO feet of the sewer to construct a water-closet and drain into the sewer. Each individual case would have to be treated on its merits. If a nuisance existed, the Local Board could serve a notice to do the works necessary for its abate. merit, including the provision of a water-closet and drains
RY.
{under see. 91 P . H . Act). Here, again, the answer might be different if the Local Board themselves do the present scavenging, and are consequently responsible for any nuisance arising in connection with emptying, or delay in emptying pails. Under sec. 36 P . H . Act, or rather the analogous clause of the Metropolis Management Act, 1885, it has beeh held that the Board is authorised to require a water-closet to be provided for premises in lieu of a privy already existing thereon (St. Luke, Middlesex v. Lewis, 5 L.T. (N.S.), 608). In a previous case it had been held that the Board must exercise their discretion in each particular instance~ and that it was not competent to them to lay down a general rule requiring that in all cases water-closets should be provided in lieu of privies.--Editor, PUBLIC HEALTH.] To t~e E d i t o r olc PUBLIC HEALTH. DEAR SIR,--Absence from the country prevented my seeing your issue of July until this late day. On page 319 you have a cordial and kindly review of my " S e w e r a g e and Land Drainage." I ought, in justice to myself, to say that the quotation glveu as to " a perfect system of s e w e r a g e " is copied from a paper that I read twelve years ago ; and that, since that time, m y ideas have been somewhat modified. For example : There are circumstances under which I should use 8-inch pipes instead of 6.inch pipes as the minimum size. I do not now use gratings or perforated covers to manholes for the ventilation of the sewer, finding in practice that ventilation through soil pipes only is amply sufficient. There is no marked advantage in making the inlets to the sewer funnel-shaped. If the branches enter above the medial line every useful purpose is served. I do pay great attention to the ventilation of the house drain, which is more completely affected by its open conaeolian with the sewer than it would be in any other way, while the absence of traps prevents deposits in the house drain--these deposits being often the chief source of foul air in the soil pipes.--Very truly yours, G~o. E. WARING, JUN. Newport, R.I., October 13th , 1892.
OBITUARY. W E r e g r e t t o a n n o u n c e t h e d e a t h of D r . C o n w a y Evans on October x9th. Dr. Evans was medical officer o f h e a l t h for t h e S t r a n d d i s t r i c t , a n d h a d b e e n f o r m a n y y e a r s a m e m b e r of t h e S o c i e t y of M.O.H. D r . E v a n s h a d a d i s t i n g u i s h e d c a r e e r as a student, obtaining the gold medal and scholarship in medicine at his M.B. Land. examination in i855. He formerly edited a weekly return on "The Health of the Metropolis," one of the earliest a t t e m p t s at s e c u r i n g a c o n j o i n t s y s t e m of v o l u n t a r y notification of sickness.
]~EVER HOSPITAL A C C O M M O D A T I O N AT PLYMOUTH.--There has recently been a large amount of scarlet fever in Plymouth, the hospital accomm o ' d a t i o n a v a i l a b l e n o t s u f f i c i n g for all t h e c a s e s r e q u i r i n g i s o l a t i o n . P l a n s h a v e b e e n s u b m i t t e d to the Local Government Board for a permanent h o s p i t a l to r e p l a c e t h e t e m p o r a r y b u i l d i n g . Two other buildings adjoining the workhouse, which h a v e b e e n in t h e p a s t u s e d f o r f e v e r c a s e s , h a v e b e e n d i s c a r d e d , o w i n g to t h e i r d i l a p i d a t e d a n d insanitary condition, and this fact has increased the congestion.
O_~ CORRESPONDENCE.
ALCOHOL AND PUBLIC HEALTH, To tke Edibar of PUBLIC HEALTH. SIR,--While thanking your reviewer for his careful review of my little book on " A l c o h o l and Public Health," I should be obliged if you would allow me to say that my object in laying stress on the experiments is because they show that the transient effect of alcohol is not to improve the individual, but otherwise. It may or may not be true that manual exertion blunts the senses, but, if it does, this is inevitable, whereas the depression of alcohol is artificial and unnecessary. Moreover, the narcotic action of alcohol is exerted not only on the special senses, but also on the mental and moral powers, which are more difficult to test. It is a question for moralists to decide whether the voluntary and needless weakening of moral power and self-control is justifiable. Wilh regard to his proper method of experiment, I would say that he appears to misapprehend m y conclusions. In testing the action of alcohol or any other drug, it would be absurd to wait until the effect had passed off. I have, too,eover, seen no reason to believe that organic changes can be demonstrated after a month's moderate drinking. T h e vital and the chemical actions of alcohol are distinct. T h e former may last for a few minutes or a few hours, according to dose ; the latter will need months or years to declare itself, according to dose and other circumstances. T h e fact remains that the transient effect is temporarily injurious, and the chronic effect to promote degeneration of tissue. I am not prepared to admit that fermentation is a normal process in the intestines. It is certain that the undoubted Iermentation which attends some forms of indigestion makes itself very perceptible in very unpleasant ways, and is quite abnormal.--Yours truly, J . J . RIDGE. SEWERAGE. :To t~e E d i t o r of PUBLIC HEALTH.
DEAR SIE,--About I4 years ago, in a town of Io,ooo inhabitants, the " p a i l s y s t e m " was adopted, and this has been kept up to the present time, though to a much less extent. The Local Board have also, from the year 1878 , devoted a certain sum annually (out of revenue) towards " ' m a l n d r a i n " extensions ; thus, thousands of yards of main drains have been laid. T h e original plans of main drains were sanctioned by the L.G.B., but these have not been followed in detail. No loan was obtained, or even asked for. T h e provisional order obtained when pail system was first adopted has now expired. I. Can we, as L.B., compelhouseholders in the immediate ne~ghbourhood of the main drains already laid~ and who come within the IOO feet limit (see. 22 P.H. Act, '75), to join with the same, thus doing away with the pails ? 2. Does the fact of the pail system having been once adopted to a limited extent do away ~ith the provisions of this section of the Act (P.H. Act, '75) ? I maystate that there are dozens of houses in the immediate neighbourhood of our main drains still unconnected, the L.B. having to pay a large sum annually in clearing the pails. I have moved, in our Board, " T h a t all houses within ioo feet of main drains laid be joined with the same." Can this be done, under the circumstances ? - - I am, yours ~c.p RICHARD JONES. Brynmarlan, Blaenau Festiniog. fit is doubtful if the Local Board can, as a matter of course, compel every owner now having a pail closet within IOO feet of the sewer to construct a water-closet and drain into the sewer. Each individual case would have to be treated on its merits. If a nuisance existed, the Local Board could serve a notice to do the works necessary for its abate. merit, including the provision of a water-closet and drains
RY.
{under see. 91 P . H . Act). Here, again, the answer might be different if the Local Board themselves do the present scavenging, and are consequently responsible for any nuisance arising in connection with emptying, or delay in emptying pails. Under sec. 36 P . H . Act, or rather the analogous clause of the Metropolis Management Act, 1885, it has beeh held that the Board is authorised to require a water-closet to be provided for premises in lieu of a privy already existing thereon (St. Luke, Middlesex v. Lewis, 5 L.T. (N.S.), 608). In a previous case it had been held that the Board must exercise their discretion in each particular instance~ and that it was not competent to them to lay down a general rule requiring that in all cases water-closets should be provided in lieu of privies.--Editor, PUBLIC HEALTH.] To t~e E d i t o r olc PUBLIC HEALTH. DEAR SIR,--Absence from the country prevented my seeing your issue of July until this late day. On page 319 you have a cordial and kindly review of my " S e w e r a g e and Land Drainage." I ought, in justice to myself, to say that the quotation glveu as to " a perfect system of s e w e r a g e " is copied from a paper that I read twelve years ago ; and that, since that time, m y ideas have been somewhat modified. For example : There are circumstances under which I should use 8-inch pipes instead of 6.inch pipes as the minimum size. I do not now use gratings or perforated covers to manholes for the ventilation of the sewer, finding in practice that ventilation through soil pipes only is amply sufficient. There is no marked advantage in making the inlets to the sewer funnel-shaped. If the branches enter above the medial line every useful purpose is served. I do pay great attention to the ventilation of the house drain, which is more completely affected by its open conaeolian with the sewer than it would be in any other way, while the absence of traps prevents deposits in the house drain--these deposits being often the chief source of foul air in the soil pipes.--Very truly yours, G~o. E. WARING, JUN. Newport, R.I., October 13th , 1892.
OBITUARY. W E r e g r e t t o a n n o u n c e t h e d e a t h of D r . C o n w a y Evans on October x9th. Dr. Evans was medical officer o f h e a l t h for t h e S t r a n d d i s t r i c t , a n d h a d b e e n f o r m a n y y e a r s a m e m b e r of t h e S o c i e t y of M.O.H. D r . E v a n s h a d a d i s t i n g u i s h e d c a r e e r as a student, obtaining the gold medal and scholarship in medicine at his M.B. Land. examination in i855. He formerly edited a weekly return on "The Health of the Metropolis," one of the earliest a t t e m p t s at s e c u r i n g a c o n j o i n t s y s t e m of v o l u n t a r y notification of sickness.
]~EVER HOSPITAL A C C O M M O D A T I O N AT PLYMOUTH.--There has recently been a large amount of scarlet fever in Plymouth, the hospital accomm o ' d a t i o n a v a i l a b l e n o t s u f f i c i n g for all t h e c a s e s r e q u i r i n g i s o l a t i o n . P l a n s h a v e b e e n s u b m i t t e d to the Local Government Board for a permanent h o s p i t a l to r e p l a c e t h e t e m p o r a r y b u i l d i n g . Two other buildings adjoining the workhouse, which h a v e b e e n in t h e p a s t u s e d f o r f e v e r c a s e s , h a v e b e e n d i s c a r d e d , o w i n g to t h e i r d i l a p i d a t e d a n d insanitary condition, and this fact has increased the congestion.