146 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



of worms and insects, which work the substances into the 

 earth ; and, lastly, the nitrifying organisms, which form the 

 simple salts and gases which the plants can take up to build 

 once more the complicated organic tissue, so completing the 

 cycle. 



We should imitate Natuke. 



I have given but a brief outline of the process, which, if 

 followed out in its entirety, would occupy a great deal of time. 

 Many important questions remain undecided. But at least 

 we know sufficient of the general plan Nature follows to be 

 able, if we are alive to our duties, to copy it in our own 

 sanitary arrangements. We cannot, I fear, do this on the 

 same economic lines, for, however, much in theory we can 

 deplore the massing of our population in towns and cities, it 

 is the inevitable result of civilisation, and we must face the 

 problem of dealing with accumulations of filth which Nature 

 never intended should exist. 



Dr. Poore, whom I have already quoted, is rather an 

 idealist in his advocacy of trusting entirely to the humus, 

 placing all our waste on the land. He rightly considers that 

 drainage schemes favour overcrowding, which is at the root of 

 most sanitary sins. He has for many years at his country 

 house in England demonstrated what may be done in a care- 

 fully tilled garden in the way of refuse disposal. In the 

 centre of the garden is a shallow surface well, in which, 

 owing to its carefully constructed cement walls and cover- 

 ing, pure water is obtained, in spite of the quantities of filth 

 dug into the soil round about it. This is all very well when 

 some one is in charge who can take a scientific interest in 

 doing the work as it should be done ; but I fear the result 

 of intrusting it to the care of the population at large would 

 be disastrous. Moreover, in few towns do even the larger 

 houses possess sufficient land for the purpose. We must 

 remember that, however perfect the earth may be as a 

 filter, it will not stand overwork any more than any other 

 form of apparatus. If we heap 2 ft. of manure on a soil 

 having only 2 in. of humus we must not be surprised if 

 the result is offensive. The ground will deal with a certain 

 amount of organic matter, but it must be given a fair time 

 in which to act. Overtax it and there will remain an 

 amount of undecayed organic matter which will be carried 

 by the rain either down through the subsoil to our well 

 or washed over the surface to our streams, causing pollu- 

 tion. We have, therefore, to look to drainage schemes and 

 systematic removal of filth to preserve the balance of 

 health. The worst thing we can do with such substances 

 is, as pointed out by Dr. Poore, to carry it past our humus 



