It would almost seem superfluous to state that vent pipes from closet bowls should never enter a soil or waste pipe, or a vent pipe from traps. But such cases are not rare, and an instance of such pernicious practice - which should be considered either as criminal carelessness or else as utter stupidity and inability of the mechanic - was related to me only a short while ago.

While speaking of the proposed use of kitchen flues for vent pipes of closet bowls or containers, I might mention the fact that it has repeatedly been proposed to utilize the heat of the kitchen chimney for the ventilation of soil pipes, by running these from above the highest fixtures into such heated flue. Such practice is not permissible under any circumstances whatever, for there are at times downdrafts, which would force soil pipe air into the house. Besides this, it is well known that bricks absorb gases, and would thus in time become impregnated with sewer gas.

For public places, such as railroad depots, schools, colleges, hotels, etc., where water closets are likely to be used in rapid succession at certain times of the day, a special ventilation of the apartment is necessary, even where windows are provided, to remove offensive smells from the use of the closets, which may arise, however well the closets may be trapped and the pipes ventilated. It would lead too far to consider in detail the best means for ventilating such apartments. Suffice it to say, that providing only an exit for the foul gases cannot be regarded as ventilation. To preserve the purity of the atmosphere in such apartments it is necessary to introduce a sufficient quantity of pure air, moderately heated in winter time, and to provide an outlet for the foul air. A much disputed question in locating this outlet is whether it should be near the floor or near the ceiling. The former may have advantages from an economical point of view, but from a sanitary point of view, which should only be taken into consideration in the ventilation of such apartments, I should always advise locating the outlet near the ceiling of the room.

No amount of ventilation, however, will keep the air of the apartment pure unless the water closet is frequently and thoroughly washed and scrubbed. Such cleansing is much facilitated with the above suggested arrangement of a water closet.

The following valuable remarks of Mr. Edward S. Philbrick upon this subject so fully express my own views, that I quote them in extenso: "The location of plumbing fixtures in dark corners, under stairways and in closed closets is always to be avoided. Such fixtures, even if of the best materials and design, need frequent washing and even scalding to keep them sweet, and the more light and air can be admitted to them, the more likely will the occupant be to enforce such cleanliness. The best authorities in England recommend the location of water closets outside the house walls, in towers or outside appendages. The rigor of our climate forbids such an arrangement in the Northern States, but they can often be so placed near the outer wall of the house as to allow of a window for the direct admission of light and air, i. e. in the same apartment. This can be done in all suburban houses without an undue sacrifice of light in the living and sleeping rooms, though city houses can rarely afford anything better than skylight and well light for them.....The water closets on the basement floor are generally the source of much trouble by injudicious location and subsequent neglect. The rareness of the inspection generally given to such fixtures by heads of families renders it all the more needful to place them where they can be readily and easily cleaned and well aired. . . . But however good the apparatus and however well located, nothing will compensate for neglect by the occupants of the house. Frequent applications of hot water and soap are just as needful to the surfaces of such fixtures as to the bodies of the persons who use them. Of course the woodwork about them should be so put together as to be readily taken apart without tools by any house-maid, to be periodically cleaned and aired. What is the custom in this respect? Expensive apparatus is often seen so boxed up by screwed and even nailed joinery, that the spaces so enclosed are practically inaccessible and soon become abominably foul from spat-terings. The less amount of woodwork the better, but by all means have the whole so as to be ready of access without the need of so much as a screwdriver, and let every house-maid be taught the necessity of a regular routine in the cleansing operations, scalding and scouring every surface which has been exposed either to the spattering of urine, or even to the perspiration of the body. It may not be always possible to enforce such discipline, but the less it is enforced, the more important become the items of light, air and simplicity of construction, as aids in the same direction. The latter are generally under the control of the architect, and his mistakes of planning entail a permanent and incurable evil, which it is therefore all the more important to avoid.....While every aid should be given to cleanliness by simplifying the apparatus, no amount of perfection in this respect will avoid the need of constant thought and care on the part of those who use the fixtures, as well as those whose duty it may be to cleanse them. Such perfections of apparatus are but aids, and though not to be ignored by any means, are after all but of little avail if the people who use them are reckless and wanton in their habits. It is difficult enough to keep such apparatus in good order in private houses where not used by any one beyond the supervision of the head of the family, but the trouble increases in a manifold ratio where fixtures are applied in hotels or public places, or in tenements to be used by more than one family."