288 
PROCEEDINGS OP THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE. 
relatively to the window is a question for expert consideration. 
In time of sickness, however, ventilation in any shape is strongly 
objected to by a good many people in Trinidad. Every door and 
window is hermetically closed and every chink and crevice is 
carefully packed with old linen, and woe betide the young inex- 
pei lenced practitioner who dares to condemn these time honoured 
piactices. Our houses are generally detached so that there is 
lee circulation of air on all sides, and as they are seldom more 
than one story high we get the full play of the sunshine. The 
in condition is that the sewage be removed immediately and 
pei tectly so that there may be no chance of contamination. This 
. can only apply to the water-carriage system which is the only 
one which can remove sewage immediately and perfectly. In 
us town we have different ways of disposing of excrement. We 
ave a \ery imperfect sewer system; we have the abominable 
cesspits ; and we have the pail system. In spite of the itnper- 
ection of our sewerage system I do not hesitate to say that the 
sewei district is the healthiest part of the town of Port-of-Spain. 
Uut of 83 cases of typhoid fever admitted into the Colonial 
ospita in the years 93-94 and 95 only 5 came from the sewer 
< is iic . Later on I shall refer to the advantages that will result 
tom in introduction of an efficient sewerage system. I may 
ca attention to one or two things in reference to our sewer 
sys.em. Two years ago there were complaints that the water 
8U PP y m the houses was at times contaminated with sewage ; 
on examination it was found that this was due to the fact that 
as ie water pipe opened directly into the closet-basin, it was 
asy oi sewage to find its way into the pipe by suction, — and 
an interimttent water supply favours this suction action. The 
au o Health, or some other authority, immediately ordered 
, . ® , P ‘Pf t( ? ,JC removed from the basins and to be placed away 
is tl t • , 111 at a certain distance from it. The result 
c m . g re ater part of the sewer district very little water 
nn . 0 j 1 ' 1 lt0 basins. An occasional pail of water may be 
the pGi basm b y , a ver y energetic servant. We have escaped 
Doisonerl°v. "'i contamination of our water, but we are now being 
closets tl 'u r; wei ' " as coming from these waterless water- 
to be nrnv'.f i ea tb authority ought to have provided, or caused 
certain^ l.n,' 1 ) T ’i. a se P ara te cistern, or flushing box, placed at a 
be effect-,]' '"’ll" t !' 0 c ' osot basin from which the closet could 
vativ?m"S y K fl f USl !f and cleanse d. Pails . — Of the . conser- 
lesser of the + f ° r ^ 6 disposal of excreta the pail system is the 
out with rI llS ' ^ is a si 'nple system which if carried 
objection. ^ Thp U l 1 ^ t ^° r . 0U ^ Iiess °^ ers no very serious 
to be provided ' >* 1 ?^ ao . e , 18 an b'on or galvanized pan and ought 
every d P U ; h a tlg , h, i fitti “S JM- ^ ought to be removed 
y ay, or every second day, and the hour of removal ought to 
