The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-07-21
Impure Water
5 IA TIE C-KE I.


causes and remedies Of this great evil may not
be entirely lost. We depend upon cistern
water, supplied to. US from the earlier and
later rains" When the rains of the colder
months are received, and large quantities thus
collected, there is seldom any reason for com
plant but when the cold water is used up be-
fore warm weather comes, and we depend
upon the heavy warm rains Of summer, we
cannot have pure water. More or less fetidi-
ty is unavoidable. Tt should be matter Of
the first importance, therefore, with all who
can, to collect and keep sufficient supply of
c0ld winter water to last Throughout the warm
weather. The causes Of the difference be-
tween water collected at the different seasons
of the year above mentioned, will appear, upon
reheston, perfectly plain The rains Of the
warmer months wash into the cisterns large
quantities Of organic matter, both of vegetable
and animal origin. The fine dust so album
dainty f,ing through the air in dry warm
weather is not clay or sand simply, but is COM
posed mostly Of infinitely pulvenzed organic
substances. THIS nsinuates itself into the
crevices Of our 70 0ts, in the cutters and con-
duits, and IS washed into Re cisterns. An
other source otorgsric matter, is the immune
rable small insects surprised in their nests and
hiding places, washed down and drowned in
the water In winter there Is no dust float
ing in the arr. and the insects of summer have
disappeared
60 SON, ID this 1orrra mir matter is thrown
down into the water II commences a process
ofdeeomposltion, which resu is IN its resolu-
ton into primary elements. The production
oil the offensive gases (sulphuretted and car
buretted by drogen) is an early part of this
process. These are held in solution by the
water-hence the taste and smell. In the
early part of sea voyages the same taste and
smell are often Observed on the water and
continue until-as the sailors say-the wa
ter has purified ITSELF The quantity Of organ
ic matter will determine the intensity OF the
offensiveneSs. Much valuable water is lost
by injudicious attempts to purify it. Lime, a
valuable, convenient, and cheap disinfectant,
for filthy streets. alleys, cess pools and sew
ers, is worse than useless as purifier of water.
1t is soluble in water to a sufficient extent to
render it hard in quality, and alkaline in taste,
and thus units this element for use.
It may be taken as a retle Of 5niuersal applica-
tion that any Substances held in solution by a0ate'
instead of cleansing only changes one condition q
ipap,uttg for another. Pulverised charcoal is
preferable to all other substances for this pur
pose Indeed it is the only one with which
am acquainted. 1t should be proportional tc
the quantity Of water, bushel to the hun
bred barrels is probably sufficient. This sub
stance is not soluble in water, and having
wrought its influence upon the gases in the
water, settles down to the bottom, and there
remains, not only innoculous, but purifying
substratum to the water until removed Ii
order to be effectual, it should be minutely
pulverised and strained with the water, unit
diffused throughout the entire contents of thu
cistern, else it would fail perfectly to answe
the purpose The best of all purifyers is tim
and gentle, but deep agitation. The agitation
caused by chain pumps is Of the right kim
but the same ought to extend over the who'll
cistern. The gases evolved by decomposition
OF organic matter, are quite volatile. In
short time after they are separated, they ar
exhaled from the water into the air, and if w
wait short time-from one week to twent,
days, they fly off and leave the water withou
any disagreeable odor or taste, provided W
do not introduce a fresh supply from without
We should recolect that everytime we admi
a summer shower we unaVoidably admit i'm
purities along with it, and may expect fres
evolution Of Sinking gases.
To sum up these l should say that tn
remedies Cor impure water, are: 1st, to collec
water from winter rains. 3D. when this is no
practicable allow the roof to be well cleanse
before conveying any water into the cistern.-
Sd, when water begins to taste and smell
cease using. but e6en agitate it, and it wi
speedily become good. 4th. if any purfyer
desired charcoal used as above directed, is tn
only reliable substance The question ofte
suggests itself to the mind; is the use Of TIN
water injurious to health? ! should unhesita
tingly answer this question in the affirmative
But it certainly is not really so much so a
might be expected from its offensive qualities
"a 80 e,,nroca that fu-en4v NOR rent of RI