, 1862-12-13

IMPURITIES IN WATER.-Few people are
aware of the impurities in the water which they
drink. The following extract from lecture be-
fore the South Kensington Museum (London), by
DIR. Lunkester, may enlighten them:
''Now l will call your attention to those sub
stances which occur more or less in all our drink
ing waters. There are, in the first place, certain
gasses contained in water, which will just men
ton, and there are two which more especially char
aterize waters: 1st,there is carbonc acid gas. This
is found in variety of substances, in nature
Thus, it is found in carbonate of amonia, and by
pouring acid of any kind upon this substance
we are able to liberate the carbonic acid. If you
take piece of chalk and expose it to action of
any acid, you will produce bubbling, which is
the carbonic acid gas escaping. Now this gas has
certain properties BY which we recognize its pres
ence anywhere; for instance, if you put lighted
match into it. it Immediately extnguishes the
light; if you put little clear lime-water into a
jar containing it, the water becomes turbid, Now
this gas accumulates in such quantities in some wa
ters, that they are called mineral on account of
its exstence-such are the waters of Carlsbad and
Seltzer. Soda water as it is called, is an imita-
ton of these waters Spring waters frequently
contain from y to 20 cubic inches of carbonic
acid gas to the gallon. 1t is not contained in so
large quantity in river waters as in well waters;
fer when water is exposed to the atmosphere it
flies off
"Then there is sulphuretted hydrogen gas, of
which I spoke just now. 1t is not contained in
waters ordinarily drank. 1t is, however, formed
under two circumstances First it occurs in GER
tain mineral springs and here it arises apparently
from the decomposition of sulphides, which ex-
ist in the rocks through which the water flows.
In the next place, it exists in waters where ami
NAL and vegetable matters are allowed to remain
in contact with the salts called sulphates This is
a very curious subject, and one in which many
years ago I took good deal of interest. 1t was
asserted that sulphuretted hydrogen produced
yellow fever, and that it had been found to exist
in the water of the sea off the coast of Africa.
The late Professor Daniel examined specimens of
water brought from the delta of the Niger, and
found that it contained large quantities of sulphu
retted hydrogen"
SPANISH PBovERBs.-I. Don't speak i'll of
the year till it is over.
2. Water hat has run by wilt turn no mill.
8. Rising early does not make daylight
come sooner.
4. Let an idle man buy ship or edit news
paper.
3. Marriage was designed by God to be the
happiest mode of living.
6. The swallow is fled, the opportunity is
gone
7. He who would live long must grow old
easy.
8. Men are as grateful for kind deeds as the
sea is when you fling into it cup of water.
8. Shining wishes-what God does not wish.
10. man in debt is stoned every year.
Il. A leap over a ditch is better than another
mans prayer
70. Your rising early does not make the sun
rise.
13. Poverty is often brand of knavery.
H. Memory runs from man like a slave
from a master.
10. He who builds, turns gold to dust, but he
who buys land turns dust to gold.
How PoNTooN BRIDGES ARE MADE-Pon-
toon boats are aat-bouomed, thirty feet long,
two and a half deem in the centre, two and half