F-Cork placed in bottom of trap, for the purpose of allowing it to
be cleaned out, instead of a brass "cap" screw.
G-Accumulation of refuse matter from sink.

H-End of trap eaten away by rats.

In some of the houses occupied by the poorer classes in the city it is frequently found that the back court is common to four or five separate houses. Generally a water tap is placed in some out-of-theway part of the court, to supply, it may be, two or three houses with water for cooking and drinking purposes. In close proximity to the well there is a trap-usually the Liverpool trap-to receive the waste and surface water. Now, it is beyond doubt that all manner of refuse and filth is deposited into the trap and on to the court surrounding the well. When this state of matters exists, the ground and walls of the house near the well become impregnated with foul air. The water also, when being drawn, is contaminated by the effluvia arising from the decomposed matter lying near the well.

Fig. 17 is a back elevation of a house with a court common to six separate tenements, where, immediately at the back of the house, and near the corner of the adjoining one the water tap was placed. A Liverpool trap, with the part which forms the water seal broken away, was placed on the drain to receive the waste and surface water. When any of the tenants went to draw off water, it became contaminated by a constant current of foul air from the common sewer, for there was no intercepting trap in the main drain. Again, when the window of the house in the ground floor was opened for the purpose of admitting supposed fresh air, the inmates were compelled to inhale the foul air which entered the house through the defective trap. It is interesting to note that a case of typhoid fever occurred in this house, and that on an examination of the property these discoveries were made.

Table of reference for Fig. 17:

A-Liverpool trap, with bottom broken away.

Thus the foul air

passed into the atmosphere, and through the windows of the house near the well.

B-Catch pit.

C-Decomposed matter lying in bottom of catch pit.

D and E-Accumulation of filth on surface of Court.

F-Open window in ground floor through which foul air from the

drain entered the house.

In large family houses it is a very difficult matter to deal

effectually with the disposal of grease so as to prevent it from entering the drains of the house. Unfortunately sculleries are usually situated at the remotest part of the building, and very often near the extreme end of the drain, where all the grease is allowed to travel along a great length of pipe. The consequence is that in a short time, the drain becomes completely choked up, and in order to remove the grease, a considerable amount of expense is incurred.

Fig. 18 is a representation of a sink found a short time ago in the scullery of a large house in the west-end :

A-Sink.

B-Trap of sink.

C, C, C-Accumulation of grease.

D, D, D-Branch drain from sink.

E-Main drain passing underneath lobby to common sewer.

When a large quantity of grease is put into a sink—which, by the way, is indicative of waste in the household-a grease intercepting trap should be placed in the drain from the sink immediately on the outside of the house, where the grease can be readily removed.

In the drawing, Fig. 19, a representation is given of a tenement house with the drains built of rubble stones of all shapes and sizes. It will be seen that the syphon trap on the drain is not properly set, and from the fact of its being so placed it afforded little or no protection to the inmates of the house against the foul air from the common sewer. The earth underneath and around the drains was saturated with sewage to a great extent, and the drain itself had not a sufficient fall to keep it free from deposits. The earth underneath the floors of the kitchens at the back of the house was so saturated with sewage, and the effluvia arising therefrom was so strong, that it was almost impossible to remain in the house during the time the alterations were going on. In fact, some of the workmen were so overcome by the bad air that they had to leave off work and go home. Owing to the ground subsiding, the pipes from the W.C. collapsed, and all the contents were discharged into the vacant space underneath the floor. About two cart loads of sewage were taken from this part alone. The waste pipes from the sinks were all connected direct with the drains, and there were no attempts whatever to ventilate the soil-pipe of the W.C. or drains. The drain in the washhouse had no trap, but merely a piece of perforated iron laid on the open end, and the foul air flowed in a continuous stream into the face of any one engaged in washing, Now, no one will hesitate to admit