101 Dry Earth System of Conservancy. 



of its more recent adoption in various establishments in England, 

 but it has, at my suggestion, been put in operation in the Military 

 Barracks at Paddington, when I was in medical charge there in 

 1864 and I860. 



In July, 1865, I addressed a circular letter enclosing a memor- 

 andum to each of the suburban municipalities, and I read them to 

 you as they will shew the advice I tendered, and explain the 

 plan proposed. 



" July, 1865. 



" Sir, — I do not offer any apology for addressing you on the 

 subject, as the interests at stake are so great, and. the duty of 

 guarding the public safety with reference to them is entrusted to 

 your care. 



" I will not waste your time with remarks upon the necessity 

 of getting rid, by some effective means, of the sewage from houses, 



"I need not offer any observations upon the cost of a good drain- 

 age system, — it has been realised in the money laid out in Sydney ; 

 while expense alone should not be considered in keeping a locality 

 in a condition not to produce or increase disease. Yet, if that 

 object can be most completely done at a small, instead of a large, 

 expenditure, it is much more to the interests of the ratepayers. 



" There are states of population where few houses are scattered 

 over a large area, where such a system of sewage drainage would 

 be most costly, and, from expense alone, perhaps impossible. 



" It is desirable to keep the ground of such localities free from 

 the constant contamination of leakage from extensive cesspools. 



" This is seen to be requisite in a cold climate like England, it 

 becomes doubly imperative in a warm climate with an uncertain 

 supply of water. 



" I have for years been aware of modifications of the earth 

 system of conservancy. My attention has been more particularly 

 directed to this subject by an article in the British and Foreign 

 Medico- Chirurgic.al Review, in which reference was made to the 

 adoption of the dry earth system in barracks, hospitals, and 

 prisons in Madras. 



" I have obtained from Madras two pamphlets: — One, the 

 " Reports and Orders of the Madras Government regarding the 

 adoption of the dry earth system of conservancy, being extracts 

 from the proceedings of the Madras Sanitary Commission, under 

 the presidency of the Hon. R. S. Ellis, 0. B.' The other, " On 

 some unsolved Problems in relation to Public Health,' by W. 

 B. Cornish. These works prove the great advantages of this plan 

 in the hot climate of India. 



" The simplicitv of the plan, the small cost at which it can be 

 carried out, the use of the material for agricultural purposes, its 

 peculiar applicability to ail suburban localities and to large estab- 



