DISPOSAL OF EXCKETA 357 



exists, and the excreta of a farm has to be dealt with, the 

 veterinary hygienist may play a more active part, for the 

 drainage of the homestead becomes one of the greatest 

 moment. We have previously learned the supreme impor- 

 tance to the farmer of saving all liquid and solid manure, it 

 is everything to him and represents so much floating 

 capital. In endeavouring to carry this out we must avoid 

 sacrificing health to prejudice, though no effort should be 

 neglected to provide for the liquid and sohd manure being 

 saved as far as possible. 



The influence of good drainage on the general health of 

 the community is undoubtedly very great, and the ill effects 

 of bad or defective drainage are equally well marked ; but 

 among animals there are certainly no diseases specially 

 attributable to defective drainage, though it contributes 

 with other insanitary conditiqns to a general lowering of 

 the state of health, and hence of body resistance. 



In dealing with the question of stable drainage it will be 

 found intimately mixed up with that of flooring. This was 

 referred to before in dealing with stable pavement. It is 

 also necessary to remember, and the point was noted 

 previously, that the question of ventilation is associated 

 with the removal of excreta, owing to the fact that animals 

 have to live, eat, and sleep on the ground, often in the very 

 place where they defsecate and urinate. 



The removal of solid excreta by hand, such as occurs in 

 stables and cowsheds, is a great help to the drainage 

 system, as the bulk of the material which then finds its way 

 into the drain is the urine. From a manurial point of 

 view urine is bulk for bulk infinitely more valuable than 

 the solid excreta, but it is very often lost through ignorance. 



The daily amount of excreta evacuated by animals must 

 necessarily vary with the nature and amount of the diet. 

 The mean of several experiments made by different observers 

 is here given : — 



The daily average mixed exoretti of the horse is 47'8 lbs. 

 „ „ cow is 82-0 „ 



,, „ sheep is 3'8 ,, 



„ ,. .. pig is 10'7 „ 



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