N. MATERIA MEDICA, THERAPEUTICS, AND HYGIENE. 5 75 



5000 gallons of liquid sewage per day, for the sum of 1000 

 pounds sterling per annum. This substance is to be sub- 

 jected by the purchasers to a chemical treatment for the pur- 

 pose of converting it into sulphate of ammonia. 3 A, No- 

 vember 4,1871,351. 



EFFECT OX DRAINAGE AND SEWAGE ON MORTALITY IN 



CALCUTTA. 



The extent to which disease depends upon drainage and 

 sewage may be gathered from the report of the results of 

 sanitary improvements in Calcutta. In that portion of the 

 city inhabited by the native population, the cholera fatality 

 for twenty years prior to 1861 averaged nearly 5000 deaths 

 per annum. In 1860, the deaths were 6000 by cholera; and 

 in 1866, nearly 7000. About this time works of drainage and 

 water supply were commenced, and have been gradually ex- 

 tended, and, as a result, the use of foul tank and river water 

 was discontinued this benefit being conferred upon the city 

 in the beginning of 1870. As the first result of this action, 

 which is confined to a limited portion of the city, the mortali- 

 ty from cholera in 1870 was only 1563, the general mortality 

 also diminishing year by year with the extension of the works. 

 The entire death-rate in 1870 was only 23 in 1000 considera- 

 bly less than half what it was in 1865. 12 A, December 2,1, 

 1871,150. 



SEWAGE COMMITTEE OF BIRMINGHAM. 



A committee was appointed by the town of Birmingham, 

 England, to inquire into the best method of disposing of the 

 sewage of that city, an injunction having been obtained re- 

 stricting them from allowing it to be discharged into the 

 small river Tame. They reported that they felt inclined to 

 follow the example of other towns in England, of precipitating 

 the solid portion of the sewage and converting it into useful 

 products, and to apply the remaining water to purposes of 

 irrigation. On this subject they remark, as the result of their 

 inquiries elsewhere, first, that land improves greatly under 

 this irrigation ; second, that, as a rule, no complaints are 

 made of nuisance arising therefrom (in the few instances in 

 which nuisance has arisen it has been the result of careless- 

 ness in conducting irrigation) ; third, the health of the district 



