1898] Notes and Comments. 159 



the disposal of sewage and garbage, the pollution of water sup- 

 plies, disinfection, quarantine and kindred matters occupied the 

 attention of the members throughout the three days during 

 which the society was in session. 



Three papers were presented by Ottawa gentlemen. The 

 first was by Thos. Macfarlane. F.R.S.C, Chief Analyst of the 

 Inland Revenue Dept., " Upon the disposal of refuse in some 

 European cities." This was an exhaustive account of how 

 sewage is disposed of in many cities and towns of Great Britain 

 and the Continent, and comprises the carefully recorded obser- 

 vations made by the author in person on a recent tour made 

 purposely for that object. It is a most valuable paper for 

 reference, since it contains in concise form useful information 

 not hitherto collated. Mr. Macfarlane emphasized the use of 

 " moss litter " as an absorbent and deodorizer and stated that 

 the experience of all who had tried it for this purpose showed it 

 to be entirely satisfactory. 



"The Interpretation of the Chlorine number in Well Waters" 

 was the title of a paper read by Mr. A. McGill, B.Sc. The 

 author claimed that most valuable data would be obtained if the 

 chlorine content of the ground waters throughout a district were 

 determined and tabulated according to locality. Such results 

 would materially assist in the diagnosis of rural well waters. 



A paper on a closely allied subject was given by Mr. 

 Frank T. Shutt, M.A., Chemist of the Dominion Experimental 

 Farms. It was entitled " The Farm Well." Since the institu- 

 tion of the Experimental Farms the useful work of examining 

 well waters for farmers has been done, free of charge to the 

 agricultural public, and the writer stated that in this way the 

 water from more than 1,000 wells had been analysed. The 

 results, as regards the general quality of the waters were far from 

 satisfactory, the chief cause of pollution arising evidently in the 

 majority of cases from the proximity of the well to the barn 

 yard or a similar source of contamination. It was pointed out 

 that life was being jeopardized for the sake of convenience in 

 too many farm homesteads. The paper concluded with a use- 



