Eighth annual report of the managers and officers of the State Asylum for the Insane, at Morristown, N.J., for the year ending 1883.

  • State Asylum for the Insane, at Morristown, New Jersey
Date:
1883
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Eighth annual report of the managers and officers of the State Asylum for the Insane, at Morristown, N.J., for the year ending 1883. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    33/46 page 27
    thirty-four per cent from 1876 to 1881, by the occupation of the land by farmers, coming from other parts of the state, to profit by the fertility of the soil. The sanitary condition is excellent, with no pollution of the well-water in the territory, as oxidation, vegeta¬ tion and animal life, completely disposes of all matter, and the water leaving the land is purer than that which the citizens of Paris drink. The frosts of Winter do not interfere with its successful opera¬ tion, as the water melts the snow and ice so that it finds it way in¬ to the ground quite as well as in Summer and without injury to the slumbering vegetation. A great many chemical experiments were tried before the adop¬ tion of this system. They were very expensive and none purified the water although many clarified-it. Finaly, the experiment on a little field of about three hectares or seven-and-a-third acres, near the City of Berlin resulted so satisfactorily, after a trial of nine¬ teen months, that this plan of disposing of the entire sewage was adopted. There is some odor at the opening of the large sewer, but in the fields there is no smell and the sanitary condition is all that can be desired. There never has been any complaint, from the numerous adjacent habitations. The water furnished by the drainage of this territority M. Claye drank and found it absolutely clear and pure. It is impossible to recognize any foulness in it. Vegetables grow luxuriously on the land as well as fruit trees. In some parts thirteen and one-quarter tons of grass have been cut on two and one-half acres. The tvork was begun six years ago. A description of the system at Breslau corresponds practically to that at Berlin, and is perfectly satisfactory. M. Claye concludes by stating that, in Germany, it is admitted without question, that municipal healthfulness depends upon three principles: First, the total discharge of water-closets into sewers. Second, the distribution of an abundant supply of water into dwell¬ ings and frequent flushing of drains. Third, the purification of sewage by soil arid vegetation. The experience of London in sending the sewage twenty-one miles, and then into the maritime Thames, is mentioned as being deplorable, as the city soon perceived that it resulted in depositing offensive matter, by the action of the tides, along the shore above
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3