Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-08-02
PERk WATER.


Now that there is so much talk about the
prevalence of epidemic diseases, it is natu
raj that attention should be turned to die
tary matters, and, although less is said
about the matter, it is quite as important,
says the Boston Globe that we drink pure
waller as that we eat wholesome food. In
speaking Of p ire water, the purest attain
able is meant; for so quickly are impurities
absorbed from the earth, from metallic
pipes, and even from the air. that 1t Is al
most impossible to obtain water that is ab-
solutely pure. In the matter of purity
there is no comparison between water
brought Though metallic pipes and the
wells that are sunk into the virgin soil Of
the country and supplied directly from
natural springs. A city well, however, is
a vastly different thing; and the experience
of those cities that have, from deficiency
of the water supply, resorted to the old
wells has proved that there is no surer me-
dunn for the dissemination Of disease than
wells sunk amid the drain-pipes and in
close proximity to the sewers that under
lie closely populated place
Ore of the best authorities Of this coun-
Try on the subject of drinking water, Pref.
Chandler, of Columbia College, New York,
tells us that in bis opinion sudden out
breaks OF disease, especially such as is of a
dysenteric character, are often caused by an
irruptinn Of sewage into wells. The FL
tered sewage, often passing through several
feet of earth, carries with it no perceptible
change in appearance, but hides thousand
germs of disease. There is a convent at
Munich in which terrible epidemic of ty-
phoid fever broke out, and one hundred aud
tTenty-One Of the inmates were seriously
affected, many of whom died. The well
being examined by an expert, it was found
polluted by sewage, and although no change
had been perceptible in the water the dis
ease aba.ed as soon as the proper repairs
were made. We can recall a similar expe-
riencs at young ladies' boarding school ia
this STATE, and a score of similar instances
might be cied. Before the introduction Of
Croton water to the city of New York,
there was every few years some deadly
epidenie that swept away thousands and
spread the most dread spprehensions
amOJg the entire population. Cholera
came, aud its proportion of victims was
much greater than now. Typhoid fever
made It's appearance, not in isolated cases
as it does to-day, but as an epidemic, and
hundreds lay sick of it at one time. 1t is
easy 10 see how much the impure water If
the wells had to do with these visitations
by comparing the health statistics Of that
time with these of the past few years, max
= due allowance for the present crowded
state of the population.
Cholera, especially, thrives upon impure
sir aDc water. In 1852, in Exeter, Eng
land, one thousand people were swept into
the grave By this disease. The authorities
wisely suspected impurities in The water,
and at once took measures to secure
supply from another source. The chOl-
era MADE is appearances again in ls40
and the correctness Of their sds-
picions Was manifested in the fact that only
forty four cases occurred; and in the
cholera season of Is A, wien the disease
was so fatal in other plact }, hardly case
occurred. During the cholera epidemic Of
1850 was estimated that the famous
Bros 'et pump in London killed five
aa s.az b. 'issem ;aa'ing the dis
ssss. certain was thIs water 10 carry