the mill in which green paint was made. Much lead was saved by these tanks and little wasted from them. No provision had been made to save the yellow wastes, a considerable flow of which was passing into the brook at this time. Samples taken from the brook, lake and wastes from the drains discharging yellow lead chromate at this time were collected and analyzed for lead, with the following results: THE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL OF MUNICIPAL REFUSE. While there has been a marked improvement in recent years in many branches of municipal service having to do with the public health and comfort, the methods of disposal of refuse in American cities and towns are still for the most part inefficient and unsatisfactory. The objections to the methods used have in many cases long been recognized by municipal health authorities, but the difficulty and cost of improving them, and especially the uncertainty of the results obtainable by any of the methods which have hitherto been available, have caused hesitation in the making of changes and delayed the introduction of the necessary improvements, a delay which has been to a considerable extent justifiable and perhaps not wholly unfortunate. It is proposed here to review briefly present conditions and describe the methods available for the disposal of municipal wastes and the results which may be expected from them. CLASSIFICATION OF MUNICIPAL REFUSE. The materials ordinarily included in the term "municipal refuse " are classifiable generally as follows: 1. House offal or garbage. 2. Ashes and house dirt. 3. Waste and rubbish, chiefly wood, paper, etc. 4. Market refuse. 5. Street sweepings. 6. Cesspool and catch-basin cleanings. Earth excavations and other wastes from building operations are a considerable item of city waste, and, while their removal is regulated, their disposal is not commonly undertaken by cities and towns. Stable manure is often included in the wastes to be dealt with by the municipality, though not ordinarily in large quantities in Massachusetts cities. The disposal of snow, an important problem in the larger cities and towns, is sometimes carried on in connection with the collection of other city refuse, but it does not ordinarily seriously affect the problem of city waste disposal. The disposal of dead animals and of slaughterhouse |