, 1877-06-03
LAKE MICHIGAN.
DR.. Knox Makes an Analysis Of
the Watcr We Drink.

The Recent Freshet Responsible for
Increased Enterio Disorder.
Or. J. Suydam Knox, Assistant Health Commits.
stousr. who was deputed sorue time aInca By ps,
Do Vol, the Health Commissioner, to investigate
the purity Of the lako watsr,- has concluded bis
labosious task and smbodies tho frntts OF hls ex-
hausttsa researches in = report Of grcAt length.
though Of considerable interest not only 10 stien-
lists but to practical peopla generally.
Tho sepor: atsFts out with the decisive statement
that strictly speaking absolutely pare water ID An
unknown quantity sxcept in the laborstors. Rain,
spring. river. and lake or pond watsr-ths four
used for dtInk,n2-pattake Of this general tmpus.
y. Rain wates, tc'ides containing animal and
nitioaea, estIonle aeid md e.,bona.e 81 Il
asses sp''a sn Ts,af :s sssa =. Which s';
passes, and river water contains tic earthly salts
fonnd la sprinRs, besides much surface watei, with
md vegetable matter. Lake water, composed Of
rain. spring and river vatera. contains tho inpur,
Cd - .ediment nd ssfty dowa with taom n'ro Maeh
.nd deeayIng vegetable and snimal iifs add to
etnsins waters polluted ty shemiea 1sssiaSs
aud ma!tets ptoeeed,nx from certain refuse pro.
nms Of water to those waste products. Al times
o.,s sS shii secone: s: T. s.set t. T. :p td
stsa tSs pnrest sni !ssteiore tho '' best a. il ono
Ssyoad C sro IT, Doetos Sa se' sne aaie
impurities, a. suaphats Of Tins, carbonate "
ligs, carbonate Or nagne.a, sl!iea, Per.
ides Of sodium. and pots.siu'a organic matter,
fscs csrbonIc 9cII, aud sediment: of these, the
ss easSons s ssteS e ta IL e.sa
In some elaborate tests to determine tbs amount
Of organis matter found ia water 4tswn ft9n vatl.
stssss'' s''sst' IL p "1tss
ths recent fte.het In each gallon Il I'll, daIiSS
supply of water there are about .oo8o Of organic
matter. Samples Of tlta water stood lightly cookcl
eIanss and Isre Va. mo not tSo ea.t
offensive taste or smell, and 9uly. : very slight
duas he r e.hs "a. anS
uEcAAR VERT oFFaHsivH
TO tho smell on standing. During tho frcshet, the
tossr :s y snas at
re South gsane6 Ths va. nothing L.. shan
ID Ills ibe Doctor traces the. eauss Of 10
much satcriu3 from entetic dl.orlcra. Tho report
moi fssosaSly viii to wates supplied iSnpSse 70 ethe;
cities n regard to thts matter Of organic taInt ltls
putef IT, othSf wors than water drawn from cIo.
Delaware, Hudson, Lake Eric. OF tho Paskaic- Tho
Doctor diacoserud no loctonn or rbros In tho crib
sns " 10 s:n' 81 .ts tsep
around, after duo comparison Of vurtous sats.ies,
that hard water il the most favored for drinking
IN tho cnb waler it4 peculiarly sparkling
sssS ~ .xy Si;! .a,ssa e s .lsss
properties OF the laEo water tend to dccteass il.
iant mortality during the GUNNER. rhs alaountof
water 10 not poisoned with lead.
ros si , e s TT es r. ssm. r. .ass
and eminent authorttoa arc qnoted to suoslantlnto
tue op!nlou that sewa9e ought not to enter Into
troduses another subjeet-ths influence ot contaal-
.o5 s'ss IL
10 10 notes a soma iaasth
tn ha.e been distinctly traced % this fruitful
daMle diseases ths inaaones {, unseen. but tho
daily reeepiion Into t!o body Of tho latnutest guam
oissaso when an epidemic docs appess a. wa vol
illustrated In the London cbolora epldamlo Of
ls54: This suo}est becomes ~ especially ln,' |
to rcndcFit
and yet give no evidence to either sight or tsrte
Of saeh pol!utlon. The fact .hat, two miller 10.
yond thS CRIB The amount of organic matter to tho
ftoa 10 pisf il ri.es % o7ss ErsIp., Il asssd
an evidence that tbs lake water Il being steadily
po'lnted. Tho sources Of till. pollution arc the |
tls Ogdon-WentwoEth ditch. In ro9atd 10 Tho |
former tho citxens OF Chicago ate tolersbly |
- % shs subject I ssa @sl wassSy 81 pos. % " from
sts uo h9 ks
e.eias tuoy. II ss LAKE, - p i"setly n.E x
the throe mills limit. within which sho isx pro: