The various plumbing fixtures which receive and deliver to the drain the foul wastes of the household, will be reviewed here only from a sanitary point of view. For more detailed technical descriptions of plumbing appliances I refer to the interesting series of articles on "Modern Plumbing," by T. M. Clark, Esq., in the American Architect for 1878, and to numerous papers on " Plumbing Practice " in the Sanitary Engineer.

Plumbing fixtures should be concentrated in a house as much as possible, so as to render necessary only few vertical stacks of soil and waste pipes, and to avoid long horizontal runs of pipes, which are objectionable inside floors, first, because they necessitate the cutting of beams; second, because they prevent the running of waste pipes with proper fall. Much may be effected in planning a new building in this direction by a proper attention of architects to its drainage system.

To householders and persons about to build a house I would give the general advice to have only few plumbing fixtures, as few as they can possibly get along with, but to have these of the very best quality and fitted up in the very best manner. It is much better to have only one water closet in a house, used constantly by all its occupants, and therefore frequently flushed, than to have half a dozen or more, each used only little.

It has recently been proposed by some, in view of the great danger to health from defective plumbing, to arrange all fixtures in an annex, separated from the living and sleeping rooms of the house. This would be not only inconvenient but impracticable in cold climates and seems entirely unnecessary. All that needs to be done is to remove plumbing fixtures from sleeping rooms, as sewer gas entering these through leaky joints or defective traps and fixtures, would be much more dangerous to persons inhaling it during sleep than during hours of active exercise. Wherever possible, it is desirable to locate water closet apartments and slop sink closets so as to be cut off from the main part of the house. This would involve the separation of the water closet from the bath room, such as is common in Europe, but little known in this country, and which arrangement I am inclined to favor, especially in the case of a house, occupied by a large family, and having only few plumbing fixtures.

If proper regard were paid to the ventilation of rooms, containing plumbing fixtures, the risk from sewer gas would be infinitely reduced. Unfortunately, it has hitherto been the habit with most people to care more for the bright look of their fixtures, for decorated china ware, costly marble slabs, silver-plated faucets, chains and tubs, for handsomely finished woodwork around bowls, water closets, sinks, than for the proper trapping and ventilating of such apparatus. Tight woodwork around bowls, tubs, sinks, slop hoppers and water closets, which is the rule in ninety-nine out of every hundred houses, forms harboring places for vermin; they in time accumulate dust and become exceedingly filthy, damp and foul smelling. The encasing of plumbing fixtures should be discouraged for sanitary reasons. Dampness and nasty odors can be prevented by keeping such spaces entirely open so that a free current of pure air sweeps around the fixtures, the most remote corner of which is thus made accessible to servants for cleaning purposes. But even with good sanitary appliances, properly ventilated and connected with self cleansing traps and waste pipes the householder should not forget that con-stant care and watching is imperative, as well as a thorough cleansing and scrubbing as often as once a week and preferably oftener.

Sufficient hints will be given in the following pages as regards the merits and defects of the various plumbing fixtures, especially the different types of water closets, to guide the householder in selecting proper and satisfactory appliances. In regard to the selection of a proper water closet - and, in fact, of every plumbing fixture - a certain embarrassment arises to every householder, in so far as almost every manufacturer naturally thinks his goods the best and safest to be used. Should the householder be unable to make a selection from his own judgment, he should consult an architect or sanitary engineer of reputation. Should he decide from personal opinion and examination of closets, let him bear in mind that closets almost without exception present a good and cleanly appearance in manufacturers' showrooms. The real test of the efficiency of a water closet is some months' severe use in a frequented place (which, however, should be under constant supervision of a janitor). In this connection 1 would advise to choose none but the very best apparatus for the use of the servants. A servants' water closet is likely to receive a rougher treatment and less cleaning than closets for use of the family; closets with movable machinery (pan, valve and plunger closets) are especially objectionable, as they frequently get out of order; no cheap kind of hopper should be used. An automatic flushing arrangement for servants' and children's closets will secure better cleanliness than arrangements to be worked by hand.

In speaking of water closets in general further points of importance for the selection of such apparatus will be mentioned.