lb THE TONER LECTURES. 



after this manner were put in houses in this city, and some of them 

 fcie doubtless still remaining, the occupants resting easy in the 

 belief that their sewers are ' trapped.' " 



I learn from his report also that out-of-door privies are still 

 largely used in this modern Capital. It seems almost an insult to 

 the intelligence of such an audience as this to call renewed attention 

 to the fact that under uo circumstances should a privy vault, a 

 cess-pool, or any other device for retaining within the limits of the 

 city the frecal matters and other wastes of the household be per- 

 mitted to exist a day longer than is required for its destruction, and 

 for the connection of the house with a public sewer. 



The palpable public nuisance of the old-fashioned privy vault, 

 has been vastly alleviated by the use of the odorless excavator, and 

 I think it is fair to say that, for this reason, the invention of the 

 odorless excavator was a public calamity. Even supposing that it 

 were practicable to make any considerable proportion of privy 

 vaults tight — which it is not — or supposing even that the Charles- 

 ton earthenware receptacle should be adopted, the difficulty would 

 be only slightly mitigated ; it would be by no means removed. 

 However effectually such work might prevent the contamination 

 of the soil, its inevitable contamination of the atmosphere con- 

 demns it totally. During the limited time required for the entire 

 abolition of these nuisances, the odorless excavating apparatus 

 may render a most useful public service, but its continued existence 

 can only be a continued advertisement of the fact that the 

 community employing it has a greater regard for outward decency 

 than for radical purity. That such nuisances should still exist 

 in Washington is a disgrace to the country. 



Hardly more are you to be complimented upon the condition of 

 the alleys of the city. Dr. Townshend describes the populated 

 alleys as follows : " Drainage is generally effected by the placing 

 of a sewer-trap, or drop, at the mouth or entrance, to which all 

 wash-water, etc., is directed by a surface-drain having but a slight 

 fall. Into this drain all slops, wash-water, etc., must go, and into 



