464 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



occurred to me, and I went at once to the head of the rain- 

 water pipe. There was a most offensive odour rising from it. 

 The tops of two bay-windows were fitted in the same way, and 

 above each there was a bedroom-window. I found the rain- 

 water pipes connected directly to the drain, and had them at 

 once cut off above ground, so that they should discharge into 

 the open air. The reasons which make foul air so ready to 

 enter a house will be dealt with presently under the heading 

 of "Ventilation." Plate XLIX., fig. 2, shows a system of 

 water- wastes arranged in the way described. As each prin- 

 cipal part is named, it will probably explain itself pretty fully. 



The next point with which I will deal is the connection of 

 the soil-pipe with the drain. This should be done in such a 

 manner as to insure the carrying-out of the same principle as 

 that adopted in connecting the water-closet and soil-pipe. 

 This principle is the prevention of the escape of foul air from 

 the pipe into the house when each discharge is made. In the 

 case now under notice we must similarly prevent the passage 

 of foul air from the drain into the soil-pipe. The trap which 

 forms the connection must not therefore be of the old air-tight 

 description, but must contain a vent open to the air from the 

 house-side of the water-seal of the trap. If such an opening is 

 provided it will prevent any foul air from passing into the soil- 

 pipe, because it supplies an easier outlet. This opening will at 

 the same time answer for the fresh-air inlet required at the 

 foot of the soil-pipe. Care must of course be taken that this 

 vent shall not be directly under, or near to, any of the windows 

 of the house. Plate XLIX., fig. 1, shows the position of this 

 intercepting trap, and Plate XLVIIL, fig. 1, gives a detail 

 of it. 



The final point of importance is the ventilation, where 

 practicable, of the drain connecting the house with the main 

 sewer. This will not be possible in a public street, but there 

 are many cases where a house stands well back from the road, 

 and others where there is a private cesspit in the grounds. 

 To insure real ventilation, here as in other cases, an outlet 

 merely is not sufficient, but an inlet must also be provided. 

 Both should be kept well away from windows or much- 

 frequented paths, and the outlet should be carried up as high 

 as possible. An exhaust ventilator on the outlet, and an inlet 

 ventilator, such as a cowl arranged to keep its mouth instead 

 of its back to the wind, will greatly add to the efficiency of the 

 ventilation. Of the two arrangements possible, the better one 

 would be to have the inlet at the end near to the house and 

 the outlet at the distant one. 



In endeavouring to make sanitary arrangements, do not be 

 deceived by the supposed efficacy of deodorisers when applied 

 to the various openings. It is not the mere smell of the foul 



