On the Development of Toilets in Korean Rural Areas for Preventing Transmission of Communicable Diseases

질병전염 방지를 위한 농촌변소 개량에 관한 연구

An experimental study was carried out to develop a rural type toilet of which the effluent could not transmit parasitic diseases at a village in Kangwon Province, Korea, during the period of January through December 1978, A drum tank (dia. 57cm$\times$90cm) and a cement tank (100cm$\times$100cm$\times$100cm) were filled with human excreta collected from toilets of the villages (the ratio of feces to urine was estimated approximately 1: 5) at once and three threecompartment toilets were constructed and used by people. pH, temperatures and viability of parasitic eggs were examined with the content of toilets. Rusults are summarized as follows: 1. pH increased from 7.0 at the beginning of experiment to 7.5 or 8.0 after 4 months of storage in drum tank as well as in cement tank and so did from 7.0~7.5 in the first tank to 8.0~8.5 in the third tank of all three-compartment toilets. 2. Temperatures of content at middle part of toilets in January through March ranged from 2 to 6$\circ$C which were 2-4$\circ$C higher than those of air, and those of lower part were again 1~2$\circ$C higher than of middle part. but temperatures of air, at middle part andat lower part in April were 14$\circ$C, 9~10$\circ$C and 8~9$\circ$C respectively, in July 29$\circ$C, 20~21$\circ$C and 19~20$\circ$C respe ctively and in October 17$\circ$C, 14$\circ$C and 14~13$\circ$C respectively. 3. All the parasitic eggs were degenerated about 4 months after filling drum tank with human excreta on 10th April while 10% of eggs were degenerated on 15th May, and all the eggs were degenerated about 4 months after filling cement tank on 24th August while about 10% were degenerated on 11th September and 20% on 4th October. 4. Degeneration rates of eggs were only 5~15% at 5cm below surface in the first tanks of three-compartment toilets while 45~65% at 50cm below, and concentration rates of eggs in second tanks were 8~12% of those in first tanks and only a few eggs were found in third tank but all of them were degenerated. Specific gravity of liquid of 1.022~1.024 in second tanks was not enough for overflowing eggs into third tanks.