306 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY CHAR 



getting rid of the wastes. Various methods are now 

 used. 



Dumping garbage on vacant low grounds where it 

 may serve to fill up low places is the simplest method, 

 but this cannot be used except by some of the smaller 

 cities. Such dumps are nearly always dangerous pub- 

 lic nuisances. Dumping it in water is another method, 

 but this cannot be safely used in most cities. It is usu- 

 ally worse than dumping on the ground, because the 

 wastes pollute the water and become a nuisance for 

 neighboring cities. Plowing it under as a fertilizer is 

 being abandoned by most of the cities which tried 

 this method, because it is a great nuisance and costs 

 too much. Feeding it to animals, as swine, sheep, 

 poultry, is a method employed by many of the 

 smaller cities. There is a growing feeling against this 

 method. At present the hog is the only animal to 

 which garbage is fed extensively. This should be dis- 

 continued, for the pork is of an inferior quality and is 

 more likely to contain trichinae. In many cities gar- 

 bage is sold for fertilizing purposes or for feeding ani- 

 mals. In 1898 the city of Boston received over $10,000 

 from this source. Reduction processes are used in some 

 of our large cities as a means of using the valuable oils 

 and grease the garbage always contains. These pro- 

 cesses are not yet perfected, so that the returns are not 

 very large. Cremation or burning is the method used 

 in Europe, and is being used more and more in this 

 country. This is doubtless the most satisfactory method 

 from a sanitary point of view, but it is quite expensive. 



