154 BOARD OF ACxEICULTURE. [Jan., 



Dr. BowEN. They cause a great deal of disease from sewer 

 gas, as it is termed. It is a thing against which the city phy- 

 sician has to contend more than any other one source of dis- 

 ease, probably. All our hotels are subject to the same condi- 

 tions. 



Mr. Wetherell. Is that a necessity, or 'is it owing to the ' 

 want of good plumbing and care ? 



Dr. BowEN. Generally it is owing to the want of sanitary 

 plumbing. 



Mr. Norton. I would like to say a word in regard to lead 

 pipes, with which I have had some experience. I was gone 

 from here for ten years, living at the west, and before I had 

 been here a year, after my return, I was attacked with dread- 

 ful distress in the pit of my stomach. The doctors did not 

 seem to know what it was, but I had those spells every little 

 while for two years, until my hands were paralyzed, so that I 

 could not hold a cup to my lips or cut up my own food. I 

 had been drinking water from a lead pipe, and I attributed 

 my trouble to that. I have given up the use of it entirely, 

 and driven a well for my water. 



Mr. . Will you allow a practical plumber to say a 



few words on that subject ? I have worked at the business 

 for twelve years, and have had considerable experience. I 

 have worked at both city and country plumbing, and have 

 given the subject a good deal of attention and thought. I 

 have never known or heard of a case of lead poisoning occur- 

 ring in a city. I find that some of the healthiest cities in 

 the world, that have the lowest rate of mortality, are sup- 

 plied entirely by lead pipes, and the water is used for cooking 

 and drinking purposes. Those cases that occur in the coun- 

 try are almost invariably cases where the water was con- 

 ducted from springs, and the pipe had been disused for some 

 time before the lead poisoning occurred. Lead pipe will cer- 

 tainly oxidize, and, after the pipe has been disused for some 

 time, this oxidation dries on the inside, and when the water 

 comes* through again, it is liable to carry along some pieces 



