Military hygiene and sanitation by Melville Charles Henderson 1863-

Author:Melville, Charles Henderson, 1863-
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Military hygiene
Publisher: London, E. Arnold
Published: 1912-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

208 MILITARY HYGIENE AND SANITATION

the physiological waste matters form a constant factor in the problem, the other class is more or less variable, and under control, both as regards quantity and quality.

The reasons why these matters have to be removed and disposed of are three in number : (1) Since they are to a great extent of an organic nature, they are putrescible, and in the process of decomposition they produce offensive gases, which, if not in themselves actually the cause of disease, do undoubtedly lower the vitaHty of those exposed to them, and also certainly cause what is legally termed a "nuisance." (2) They afford a favourable breeding-ground for flies ; and (3) in the case of the physiological waste matters they may contain the germs of certain intestinal diseases which, by some means or another, and very largely by the agency of flies, may get access to the air, water, or food-supplies of the community, and thereby give rise to fresh cases of the diseases concerned.

These evil consequences can be absolutely prevented only by complete disposal of the waste matters, though the risk of actual disease or serious nuisance can be largely mitigated by rapid and distant removal. We must decide first, then, what we mean by the word " disposal." In the case of organic matters this can only mean oxidation, and waste matters of organic origin can only be said to be disposed of completely when their chief component elements—^nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen—-are converted into nitric acid, carbonic acid, and water. It is important to note, however, that this process of oxidation need not necessarily of itself affect the vitality of the disease organisms which are—at least, potentially—present in the waste matters. It will only do so with certainty if it is carried out in such a manner as to result in a rapid evolution of heat, as in the case of incineration. Slow oxidation, which is the method most usually adopted, does not of itself destroy disease-producing organisms, and cannot, therefore, be looked upon as, strictly speaking, a complete method of disposal. Now, it is obvious that with any method of oxidation less rapid than incineration, if the waste matters are great in amount, there wiU inevitably be, especially in a warm climate, a certain amount of putrefaction and fly-breeding, and since at the same time the disease-producing organisms will be un-

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