The sanitation, water supply and sewage disposal of country houses

Preface

The first part of the book treats of the general sanitation of country houses, brings a comparison of Hfe in the city and in the country from a health point of view, dwells on the advantages of country life, and gives a condensed summary of the essential requirements of healthfulness in country houses. The soil, the subsoil, surface drainage, aspect, healthful surroundings and those which are objectionable, the cellar of the house, the lighting, heating and ventilation, the water supply, sewerage and plumbing, are briefly discussed.

In the second part detailed adv-ice is given as to how to procure a satisfactory water supply. The sources of water, the various modes of raising it, the storage in reservoirs, elevated tanks or underground pressure tanks, and finally water distribution, are dwelt on at length and illustrated by actual examples from the author's engineering practice. This part of the book is the outcome of a number of lectures given recently by the author before the Civil Engineering Section and the Engineering Society of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The third part discusses the all-important question of the sewage disposal for houses not in reach of sewers. Particular attention is given to the latest development in disposal methods, to the so-called biological or bacterial purification systems, including septic tanks, culti-

VI PREFACE

vation tanks, contact filter beds and sprinkling or trickling filters.

The illustrations accompanying the descriptions of examples of water supply and sewage disposal are largely taken from the author's practice. The author does not consider it necessary to offer an apology for doing this, as the reasons are sufficiently self-evident ; but the statement is made in order to anticipate criticism on the part of reviewers. At the suggestion of his publishers, however, a few examples of water supply and sewage disposal plans from the practice of other engineers and engineering contractors have been added. In the list of illustrations the source from which they are taken is given.

Throughout the book the aim of the author has been to inform and tell his readers *'what to do" rather than "How to do it." In other words, he has endeavored to establish leading sanitary principles which in turn should lead to correct sanitary practice. He thought it best to omit from the book many details regarding the execution of sanitary methods, thereby perhaps avoiding the encouragement of "amateur sanitary engineering," which is quite frequently met with nowadays, and which generally leads to dismal failures.

THE AUTHOR.

33 Union Square, New York.

February, 1909.

Contents

I. SANITATION

Page

Essentials of Sanitation in Dwellings i