THE ENGINEERING RECORD, prior to 1887 The Sanitary Engineer, has for 17 years given much attention to domestic water supply, house drainage, ventilation, and plumbing. Beside the frequent illustrated descriptions of notable and interesting current work, a great variety of questions in this field have been answered. In 1885 "Plumbing and House Drainage Problems" was published.

The present volume, "American Plumbing Practice," is a compilation of illustrated descriptions of plumbing installations in modern buildings of every character, together with Notes and Queries touching interesting points developed in practice, from articles which have appeared in The ENGINEERING RECORD since the publication of "Plumbing and House Drainage Problems." Within this period the towering office building has been developed, involving special problems of drainage and plumbing. The equipment of hotels, hospitals, amusement halls, swimming baths, and other public buildings has been upon the most thorough and elaborate scale, and in the description of the plumbing of residences examples may be found of nearly every class of dwelling. Its division of Notes and Queries is intended to supplement "Plumbing Problems," bringing these queries well up to date. The greater part of the book consists of descriptive matter nowhere else available in permanent form.