In speaking of plumbing fixtures in general I have decidedly condemned the usual manner of encasing fixtures with tight woodwork. While this is objectionable with any kind of plumbing apparatus, it is even more so with water closets. With a tightly boxed-up water closet ventilation is impossible under the seat; the frequent cleaning of the apparatus is neglected, the floor often becomes wetted with urine drippings or water spilled in carelessly using the closet as a receptacle for slops; the filthy liquid soaks into the absorbent floor, which constantly remains damp and emits unpleasant odors into the apartment.

As an abundant supply of water is most essential to the interior of the bowl and closet, so is plenty of light and air indispensable to the outside of the closet. A water closet should stand free on the floor, readily accessible on all sides. The only woodwork necessary is the seat; this should be without a cover and can be hinged and leaned against the rear or side wall, when the closet is not in use. Such an arrangement looks especially neat where the floor is laid in tiles, and if the water closet is entirely of white crockery ware, for instance a long or short flushing rim hopper, or an earthenware wash-out closet.

Col. Geo. E. Waring, Jr., thus describes such an arrangement: a closet, "made of white earthenware, and standing as a white vase in a floor of white tiles, the back and sidewalls being similarly tiled, there being no mechanism of any kind under the seat, is not only most cleanly and attractive in appearance, but entirely open to inspection and ventilation. The seat for this closet is simply a well-finished hardwood board, resting on cleats a little higher than the top of the vase, and hinged so that it may be conveniently turned up, exposing the closet for thorough cleansing, or for use as a urinal or slop hopper. Such closets ought entirely to do away with the use of urinals in private houses, and if, for convenience or to prevent the possibility of baths being improperly used, separate slop sinks are desired, these should be constructed like the hopper closet, the outlet being protected with a movable basket of wire cloth made for the purpose."

The arrangement suggested adds, of course, to the expense of a water closet, but, where white Minton tiles should prove too costly, a plain cement floor, or slate, or else enameled tin may be substituted for them. A tight hardwood floor is well suitable, and may be covered, if desired, by oilcloth.

Wherever woodwork is used for the sake of better appearance of closets having mechanical parts (plunger closets, valve closets), at least the riser should be arranged with lattice work or a great number of perforated holes to provide ventilation under the seat.

It is desirable to locate water closets near an outer wall, in order to give the apartment ample light, and a window opening on the exterior of the house, for ventilation. Where such an arrangement cannot be secured - and it is seldom possible to do so in American city dwellings - the apartment should have borrowed light and special means for its ventilation should be provided. A dark, unventilated, narrow space for a water closet, opening into a dressing room, or situated off a staircase landing, or even close to sitting rooms, is an abomination. In England water closets are "constructed inside a house with an intermediate vestibule, with a cross-current of air, so as to cut off the air in the house from that in the closet." The rigor of the climate in our Northern States forbids such an arrangement, but in moderate climates it is quite practicable to locate water closet and slop sink apartments in a tower connected to the main building by a passage or hall, which, however, is separated from it by double doors, the hall being efficiently ventilated by two windows on opposite sides. If located in the center of the house such apartments need sometimes artificial lighting by gas, in which case the heat of the gas flame can be utilized to create a constant draft and thus to ventilate the closet apartment by means of tin or galvanized iron pipes, extended - independently for each apartment - through the roof. Fresh air should, in such a case, be supplied to the room, either by blinds in the door, or else by cutting away its lower two or three inches.

Sometimes in order to remove noxious gases generated in using the closet, a special vent pipe is attached to the closet bowl, leading into a constantly heated flue, used for this purpose only; or else an upward draft is created in the-vent pipe by connecting it with a chamber, in which a gas jet is burning, and the outlet pipe of which enters the flue, or extends up to the roof. Such a venting of the closet bowl is provided, for instance, in the Zane plunger closet, in R. D. O. Smith's "Odorless Hopper Closet," in the "Worcester Hopper," Maddock's "Inodorous" Hopper, Moore's "Sanitary" Water Closet, Huber's hopper, with vent pipe attached to bowl, Wat-son's hopper, Mott's ventilated hopper,. Harrison's drip tray bowl hopper, and others.

Sometimes such a ventilation is applied directly under the seat, by using an annular flat zinc tube, provided with a number of openings at the inner edge, and connected to a special flue.

It would be a serious mistake to run such vent pipes into a kitchen flue, and far more so to run them into any other chimney of a building. There is at times a downward draft in these - even in the kitchen flue, the fire of which may go out over night - and thus offensive gases from the closet would be carried into the house. Another reason against such a course is that small vent pipes would soon become obstructed by soot. The best course, where a special flue has not been arranged, is to run the vent pipes along some heated flue up to the roof, and terminate their ends at a point where they are well exposed to the currents of air. These remarks apply also to the vent pipes of containers of pan or valve closets.