16 Ptoceedhif/s. 



explained, pointing out the locality, direction, etc., of the principal sewers in 

 different districts. The general plan was said to be to deposit all sewage 

 below the falls if possible. A diagram of a so-called well connecting with the 

 sewer was shown and explained; also the connection of the well with a 

 tunnel. Reference was made to a method of permitting the "storm water" to 

 be run off without passing through the sewer tunnels. In reply to a ([uestion 

 by Dr. Hewitt whether it was possible to convey the sewage to some place 

 south of the city and deposit it on the land instead of passiig it into the 

 river, the engineer thought it was possible to utilize land between the 

 Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway bridge and Minnehaha creek for 

 this purpose. He stated further that only about one-tenth of the people who 

 could avail themselves of sewer privileges had as yet done so. 



Dr. C. H. Hunter then presented a piper on "Specific Bacteria." He 

 began with an aphorism — "Nature abhors death" — referring in this to the 

 extraordinary rapidity and universality of the development of infusoria and 

 bacteria in filth. Among those forms generally recognized as germs, the 

 doctor discussed that which is so often introduced into wounds and cause 

 pytemia; that which is the cause of typhoid fever; that of consumption, dis- 

 covered by Koch ; that erysipelas ; that of pneumonia. 



Professor Dodge discussed "the filtration of water." Several results of 

 analyses of unfiltered and of filtered water from the Mississippi river were 

 given. The unfiltered water gave about five times as much ammonia as the 

 filtered, and so far as this is a criterion of purity the filtered water is by far 

 to be preferred. The permanganate test gave- substantially similar results.. 

 Some discussion followed bearing on the different forms of filtering appa- 

 ratus, and the different kinds of filtering media. 



The chairman, Dr. Hewitt, recommended Tobin's ventilation for cesspools ; 

 Waring'-* system of cess-pool arrrangement was also recommended, and the 

 well water of the city was condemned in the strongest terms. The chairman 

 concluded by alluding to the hygienic errors in the home life of the people 

 which were not connected with infectious diseases and to the general care- 

 lessness of people about health questions. 



December 2, 1884. 



Thirteen persons present. 



A paper by Geo. R. Stuntz, of Duluth, was read by the Secre- 

 tary, entitled: ''Early Man in Northwestern Minnesota.'' 

 [See paper K.] 



The paper provoked some discussion which led the Academy to direct 

 the secretary to solicit from Mr. Stuntz another paper which should describe 

 somewhat in detail the method of improving navigation adopted by the early 

 navigators of the streams of northeastern Minnesota. 



N. H. Hemiup then read a pap^r.on "The Characters of the 

 Marsnpialia." 



