It cannot be too strongly recommended to every householder to keep for future reference, for cases of inspection or repairs and alterations, a complete plan of all the drain, soil and waste pipes in and outside of the house, a record of the depth of the drain, of the sizes and material of pipes, of the location of junctions, traps, fresh air pipes, access pipes or cleaning Y's, of all fixtures on every floor, etc.

Frequent inspections of the plumbing of buildings are by no means superfluous. They are very important in the case of public buildings, schools, hospitals, asylums, jails, hotels, but especially BO, for such buildings as are occupied only a part of the year (summer residences, seaside hotels, mountain resorts, etc.). In some cities "'sanitary associations" have been organized, such as at Newport, R. I., Lynn, Mass., Brooklyn, N. Y., and other places. The members of these associations can avail themselves of the services of an inspector of plumbing employed by the association, in order to assure themselves by frequent inspections of the sanitary condition of the plumbing in the house, of its outside drainage and water supply, its ventilation, etc.

In the case of new buildings the architect's plans should show the exact location of the proposed plumbing work in the house. The work should be done according to written specifications, carefully drawn up by the architect or a sanitary engineer, under whose immediate direction the plumber should work. It is a mistake - but, alas ! how often is it made - to give the plumbing work of a new building out by contract. The slight amount saved in first expense is almost always followed by an increased outlay for repairing and altering defects, which appear only after the house is occupied. A prudent house owner will prefer to have his plumbing done by day labor, by honest, conscientious plumbers - and these are by no means rare, as the universal cry against them would seem to indicate - who care more about their reputation than about a few dollars earned through dishonest and reckless work.