936 TYPHOID OR ENTERIC FEVER IN INDIAN GAOLS. 



Thirdly : I think Dr. Parkes's name must be added to those of 

 the *very few dissentients,' who will thus, without counting the 

 Calcutta magistracy, comej to number seventeen, as against the 

 seven gentlemen named by Dr. Buchanan. For in the third edition 

 of Dr. Parkes's 'Practical Hygiene,' which bears date April, 1869, 

 I find the following words, which do not appear in the edition of 

 1864:— 



* There is one evident objection to all these dry plans — namely, that the excreta are 

 retained about our houses for some time. No doubt when mixed with earth they are 

 inodorous, and it is presumed harmless, but of this no evidence has been given. What 

 would be the result of cholera or typhoid discharges received in earth and allowed to 

 remain in the house ?' 



I have upon other occasions pointed out times and places in 

 which a dry-earth system of conservancy may have claims upon our 

 favourable consideration : those times, I have always held, are not 

 times of epidemics; those places do not lie within the enceinte 

 of large towns. In several of the Reports which I have consulted 

 I have found more or less favourable mention made of the system ; 

 these passages I have not thought it my business to quote, for 

 reasons which may be readily imagined. I propose at a future 

 opportunity to offer a further communication on this subject, in 

 which, I trust, the readers of 'The Lancet' will find something of 

 greater interest than they can, I fear, have found in this inter- 

 minable array of authorities. The immoderate length to which my 

 paper has reached may be justified, I hope, upon the principle that 

 a man who goes a little out of his own proper line, as I suppose 

 I do by meddling with hygiene, ought to be doubly sure of his 

 ground. I trust I have shown that I have not been wanting in 

 this alundans cautela. 



