The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1873-07-03
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The following article taken from the
New York 7ima IS from the pep Of d
distinguished chemist, and applies t.
this locality ia common with others
A. regularly sa the warm weather
scis ia, and the quaaiity Of water used
for drinking purposes is largely IN
creased, up starts the subject Of water
poisoned by lead pipes, and with il the
yexed question Of what is good OF
bad water. Though one might think
that tbe composition. quality, aad
character Of water would be as well
kn0wr as that Of the air we breathe
ordinary acquaintance with either Of
them il generally Of most limited
character To consider the question
Of lead poisoning by water, or the pow
er water has Of dissolyiug lead by
passing through pipes Of this metal,
requires a knowledge OF the eompo-
siti0n Of the water
There is no such thiug as perfectly
pure running water for common use q
by this is meant a fold containing
notbing else save the elements ofhy-
drogeu and oxygen, aqua dtadlata,
water distilled or condensed from
steam, is chemically pure water, but is
impractcable fer common use. Rain
water is rather purer water, so is dis
solved snow water, though both these
last contain traces Of ammonia. In all
waters in common use there are from
FIVE TO eight salts, composed Of the
alkaline earths, the metals, and holding
two or three gaseous compounds in So
luton. These salts are generally the
compounds Of alumina, potash, soda,
lime, magnesia, and iron combined as
sulphatcs, and carbonates, not count
lug some other rarer salts, only discov-
cradle by solar spectrum analysis. In
addition to these there are natural ami
malcule aud vegetable formations OF
complex form, capable Of producing
ammonia. All these substances being
found in water, it is questionable
whether absolutely pure water would
be as wholesome for use as the ordinary
water nature has given US. The terms
pure and impure water are often care
lessly used, aud cause considerable
confusion in the public mind. All
sources Of water, pure or impure,
whether hard or soft, owe their quality
to their source Congress or Vichy
water abounding with all the alkaline
salts, is a pure water, while the water
Of the Thames, impregnated with the
/ filth Of sewage, is an impure water
his distinction is by no means visible
to the eye. A water perfectly adapted
to drinking purposes, like the water Of
the Mississippi, may want sparkle AND
briIliancy, while another water, clear
as crystal aud Inviting to the eye,
may come from a pump in Bedford St,
where the water has taken up all the
filth Of the sewers. 1t is a mooteC
question, discussed every day by thost
who, in their country places, dig a wei
or by the municipality who construc
their reservoirs, whether hard or sof
water is the best to drink. A careful
calculation shows that four-flths of tn,
human race use hard water The mos
| rigorous examinations have been gon'
through, and scales Of longevity hay'
been calculated, without coming t,
any fixed opinion on this subject !
French commission stated that tn
tallest soldiers came from a hard-wate
country, while other countries cite
exactly opposite cases There is
tendency however of late, on the par
Of water experts, to lean towards bar
water, and both in Paris aud Vienna
where a soft and a hard water eoul,
be obtained, the latter as preferred
Here comes in another phase of til
, question, 10 which the chemical qualt,
Of the water enters, and that is it
storing qualities , and the explanatio
Of it will show Why hard waters ar
preferable, aud as this has mainly t
do with the question OF lead poisoning
, il may be worth while to enter som,
p, what fully into the details. II sol
water be taken from a confined source
say IRON a vat lined with porcelain, S
that nothing can be taken up in SOLE
ton from the material OF the vat, and
similar one be Ellcd with hard water
the question Is which would keep ia
better Al drst sight one would b
Inclined 20 Trims that both would "a,
alike. bat this, practically, is not tn
, case. The soft water parts with th
airii has mixed up with il more rapid
than does the bard water; il become
dattcr aud iusipiI aud viii not kec
sweet Carrying further the sabies
ol water confined ia vessels. whe
VIC use wooden OF metallic reese
yoifs, the conditions are decided
az Aiast soft water Soi watt