Specification of Henry Young Darracott Scott : treating sewage.

  • Scott, H. Y. D.
Date:
1873
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Specification of Henry Young Darracott Scott : treating sewage. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Scott’s Improvements in Treating Sewage, 8fc._ done in the desiccating process), and it is then applied in dry closets or privies, or may be applied to cesspool matters either by any of the well known mechanical contrivances or by hand. When the contents of cesspools or pails are carried to a dep6t to be 5 dealt with, I mix the excreta with a sufficient quantity of the dried sewage deposit to make it into forms (such as bricks) suitable for drying. The bricks thus formed are then desiccated either by exposure to a current of air or in any other way, and are ground to powder and reused to mix with a fresh quantity of night soil. This compound after being 10 made into bricks is subjected to similar treatment, and the process may be repeated several times. I sometimes mix with the powdered deposit, lime, chloride of lime, carbolate of lime, or chlorides of the cheaper metals (such as iron and zinc), or I may use sulphates of these metals for the same purpose j or any other available disinfectant, as for instance 15 sulphate of lime, chloride of sodium, or charcoal may be employed. I find that for certain purposes I can with advantage modify the above mode of procedure. In the case of cesspools the process described is perhaps the best and simplest, and indeed in all cases in which the absorbent and deodorant is applied by persons specially appointed for the 20 purpose of spreading it over the excreta from time to time, no modifi¬ cation of the process need be made, but there are other cases in which certain peculiarities of the dried powder thus obtained should be removed. First. Unless the deposit has been heated to the point of scorching, it 25 does not always readily wet when applied to liquids but will float on their surfaces, the air contained in the pores of the powder being with great difficulty expelled. Secondly. The dried powder is too dusty for use in Moule’s and other * dry closets when the charge (applied after each use of the closet) is 30 thrown down suddenly by mechanical contrivances. Each of these defects may be readily cured by the very simple expedient of com¬ pounding with the deposit before it is dry deliquescent salts which may prevent the material from becoming dusty; and for this purpose I prefer to employ those which are in themselves disinfectants and deodorants, 35 such as chlorides of iron, calcium, and sodium, but I may also mix with it shoddy or dried road scrapings.