"94 some remarks on sewerage systems. 



Historical. 



The introduction of drainage systems appears to date 

 from, the commencement of civilization. In many ancient 

 cities, such as Carthage, Jerusalem, Nineveh, and Rome, 

 there were complete systems of sewerage. In Rome, under 

 one of the Tarquins, the Cloaca Maxima was constructed : 

 and, though originally intended for draining the marshes, 

 became afterwards used for the purpose of sewerage, and is 

 -Still used, though some 2,500 years old. 



Sanitary science was much better known in the time of 

 the Romans than was the case in the succeeding Middle 

 Ages. It is uncertain whether cesspools were ever used in 

 ancient Rome, but in later times they became almost univer- 

 sal ; and, with the decadence in the knowledge of the laws 

 of health, were so carelessly constructed and neglected that 

 they became at last hotbeds of disease, which obliged com- 

 munities to rouse themselves from their lethargy in regard 

 to these matters. The invention of water-closets, and the 

 increasing density of population in various centres, necessi- 

 tated the introduction of sewage works on a much larger 

 scale than previously ; whilst the improved intelligence of 

 the people, and the great advances of science during the 

 present century, have led to a larger amount of public 

 attention being drawn to these matters than had probably 

 ever been the case before. There are some, indeed, who 

 are beginning to doubt whether, in the craze for sanitation, 

 we are not beginning to overstep the bounds of reason, and 

 to conjure up evils where they probably do not exist. Be 

 this as it may, we have now spent millions in England 

 alone on works of sewerage ; and it cannot be doubted that 

 in health at any rate we have so far been benefited. The 

 following statistics, given by Sir Lyon Playfair, conclusively 

 prove this. According to him, the death-rate in London — 



