11. A plug or plunger-closet is a simple device for keeping water in a basin. It has been much used in connection with trapless closets. I have discussed this class of

Fig. 132.-SHOWING TRAPLESS CLOSETS. BAD ARRANGEMENT. closet at length in another work; and as no sanitarian of authority would allow such a closet to be fixed on any of his works, it is not necessary to enlarge upon it here. The illustration, fig. 132, which I have extracted from my

"Lectures," speaks for itself. Apart from the great risk of bad air entering a house through a trapless closet-basin, which had lost its water through a defective basin-plug, B, fig. 132, there would be the continuous contamination of the water in the basin, or the air in the room, by the filth which would accumulate upon the exposed surface of the plug, A, or plunger, G.

CHAPTER XXX.

WATER-CLOSETS (continued).

1.

N public buildings and for general purposes, where the closets would be in constant use-to prevent evaporation of the water-seal of the trap-I should be content to fix self-cleansing wash-down closets, though I should want the traps of lead when they were fixed upstairs, for connection to the soil-pipes, as shown in fig. 138, by wiped soldered joints.

2. For private closets, and where the closets would not be used for weeks together, I should greatly prefer valveclosets, of the best description; and I should consider that I had gained the following advantages by adopting this class of closet, viz. :—

(1) A large exposed surface of water in the closet, greater in area than the seat-hole, to prevent the fæces falling upon any part of the basin, and adhering to it.

(2) A large body of water to receive fæcal matters, (a) to dilute the liquid portion, and (b) to convey the solids away through the closet-trap and soil-pipe in a sort of water envelope.

(3) A great depth of water, for a costive motion to (a)

be well and completely submerged under water; and (b) to prevent fumes rising from it into the closet-room.

(4) The thorough emptying of the basin, together with the flush of water coming into it, simultaneously, to free the closet from every vestige of matter passed into it.

(5) Supposing the closet to be out of use long enough for the water to evaporate out of the basin, there would still be the basin-valve to exclude the soil-pipe air; or if the basin

valve were defective, the water-seal of the trap would remain as an air-barrier to the soil-pipe. I have made many trials, and have found that after several months, when the water has evaporated out of the basin, the trap has still retained a seal, though after a few months the seal gets much reduced. A trap ventilated on the crown of its outgo would not maintain its seal anything like so long as a trap ventilated some little distance away, as shown in fig. 112 and fig. 112A. (Chap. XXIII., Art. 13.)

P

Fig. 134.-SECTION SHOWING TWO VALVE-CLOSETS, WITH TRAPS, SOIL-PIPES, AND TRAP-VENTILATION.1

(6) The trap being independent of the closet, a removal of the latter for repairs, or in case of breakage, leaves the trap still standing, to keep the soil-pipe air out of the house.

(7) The trap being of lead, its connection with the soil-pipe by a wiped soldered joint is permanent and reliable-a most important consideration. (Chap. XXXI., Art. 1.)

3. In using a valve-closet strangers often pull up the handle such a little way that there is no room for the paper to pass out of the basin, the consequence is that pieces of paper are often caught between the outlet of the basin and the basin-valve, and then when the next visitor comes to the closet he finds no water in it, and condemns the closet, instead of condemning the person who so badly treated it. [A printed notice put up in a conspicuous place in the closetroom, telling strangers how to pull up the closet-handle, generally corrects such an error.]

4. There is another drawback to valve-closets. Where there are no slop-sinks, a servant wishing to empty a pailful of slops into the closet finds herself for the moment in the want of three hands, one to pull up the closet-handle, whilst with the other two she empties the pail. I have provided for this in my patent " Optimus " closet with downright overflow, etc., fig. 133. A pailful of water can be emptied into the closet, and then when the handle is pulled, a flush of water will pass into it, to cleanse the closet and charge the basin with clean water.

5. Many valve-closets are made with most defective overflow arrangements. An overflow-pipe is often carried from the basin into the valve-box without a water-seal, or with a seal so small that for the purpose of preventing a passage of air from the valve-box into the closet apartment it is practically of no value, and is worse than useless. The evil of an inefficient seal (fig. 135) is further aggra