188 KEroiiT— 1871. 



nitrogen was only about 0-15 each, time the soil was used ; and, even after 

 using twice, the soil was not richer than good garden-monld. It is obvious, 

 therefore, that such a manure, even if disposed of free of charge, would bear 

 carriage to a verj' short distance only. It may be added that the percentage 

 of nitrogen in the soil after using once, as given above, agrees very closely 

 with that recorded in the report of tlio Eivers Pollution Commissioners, as 

 found by them in the manure obtained, under professedly the same system, 

 at Lancaster. 



In conclusion, when it is borne in mind how small is the proportion of the 

 nitrogen voided in the 2-1 hours that is contained in the faeces, how small is 

 the proportion of the total uriue that is passed at the same time, and how great 

 is the dilution of the manurial matters bj'^ the amount of soil required, it is by 

 no means surprising that the manure produced is of such small value as the 

 results would show. It is obvious, too, that our domestic habits and practices 

 would have to be cntii'ely revolutionized to secure the coUeetion and absorp- 

 tion of the whole of the urine, which contains by far the larger proportion of 

 the valuable mani;rial matters voided. Moreover, assuming 2 or 2| lbs. of 

 soil to be required for each use of the closet, if the whole of the liquid, as 

 well as the solid excretal matters, were to be absorbed, there would pro- 

 bably be required from 9 to 10 lbs. of soil per head per day, or about 1| ton 

 per head per annum. This, for London, taking the population at three and 

 a quarter millions, would represent a requirement of about five million tons 

 of soil per annum, or nearly 14,000 tons per day ; and the quantity to bo 

 removed would, of course, be considerablj^ greater. This illustration is 

 sufficient to show the impracticability of any such system for large popula- 

 tions. Nevertheless it may readily be admitted that it would be of great 

 advantage, in a sanitary point of view, in the cases of sick rooms, detached 

 houses, or even villages, and that it might be even economical where the earth 

 for preparation and absorption, and the laud for utilization, are in close 

 proximity. 



APPENDIX B. 



Iiej)ort on tJie Post-mortem Examination of an Ox. 

 By Dr. T. Spencer Cobbold, F.E.S. 



Tour Committee having invited me to examine the carcass of an ox fed 

 for two j-ears past on sewage-grown grass at Mr. Hope's farm near llomford, 

 I have to report the perfect freedom of that animal from internal parasites 

 of any kind. 



I attribute this marked negative result to the following circumstances : — 

 First, the animal did not graze on the farm, but was fed exclusively upou 

 vegetable products cut and carried from the land. Secondly, the porous na- 

 ture of the soil and subsoil alike would rapidly carry off the sewage, and thus 

 ensure the passage of parasitic germs into the soil itself. Thirdly, I noticed 

 on the irrigated portions of the farm a remarkable absence of those-molluscan 

 and insect forms of life which frequently play the pai't of intermediary 

 bearers. Fourthly, the only moUusks I detected were examples of Lijmncus 

 pereger ; these were obtained from a small pit of water to which the sewage 

 had no access, and when examined after death were not found to contain 

 any cercarian larvaj. Fifthly, the flaky vegetable tufts collected by me 

 from the sides of the furrows occupied by sewage-currents consisted chiefly 

 of Batracliospermiim moniliforme, in the filaments of which were numerous 

 active free nematodes, but no ova of any true cutozoou. Sixthly, the sewage 

 had a strong smell of beer, suggesting the presence of sufficient alcohol to 



