New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-20

PURIFY THE WATER

i III every glass of water from city aqueducts or
1'illaRe wells or rural streams, bore visible tcst-
|. nony to the tlth of animals and men, the decaying
carcasses or the putrid refuse and drainage
thrown into it passed through il within
Z twenty-four hours it would secm an object too
loathsome 10 be touched. Or. If every such glass
were microscope to the moro dangerous organic
Z germs with which 1T is charged revealing them in
the forms and sizes they liable to assume IN the
human system, and in the effects they often produce
terror would almost invariably dash il to the
/ ground untasted. The malignant and unaccount-
able epidemcs that sometimes rayage even rural
localities of the most saluhrous reputation are
nothing new. The modern newspaper system
gathers these appalling Incidents for the FIRST time
! IN great number, under observation but they
I have happened from time imrnemorial
9Otcn they are clearly traced to tho drinking water
from subterranean or surface streams secretly
contaminated by the drainage of sinks or
ccsSpools, the course of which can rarely be wholly
forcsecn. No man can tell what sub-surfaco veins
supplying wells and springs may be intcrsectcd by
the course OF drainage FROM nclghbOring or remote
sources OF NTH ana poison. Medical and micro
scoplca authorities competent 10 inform us on such
subjects. are unanimous in the opinion that general
danger aud frequent calamity, luIx here and there
4 IN tho drinking water of al cities and villages
! whether obtained through wells, streams or aque-
ducts, notwithstanding tho provision of nature for
! filtration through the carbonaceons and silicions
disinfectants of the soil
Nature, however has absolute purifying pro.
cess which initiate as easily as her uncertain
method of filtration Evaporation draws pure water
INTO the clouds, and ut the moment they condense
/ again in rain pure water is tho result. That
which falls on high mountains, whore the pure air
yields no contamination supplies the most delicious
and wholesome of the elements of health lair only
excepted, for which such regions are resored TO by
lnnunerlble sufferers from the contaminated eIe.
J. ments IN lower and more populous quarters. Cen
orally after few hours Of steady rain has washed
the atmosphere of It's suspended impurities rain
water caught on perfectly clean surfaces. is
probably the purcst water afforded by nature.
There is reason why every family may not
supply itself with water of even absolute purity
on tho same principle. of dstiation, and with
hardly aprreciable expense trouble; no matter
iVhat the source of their supply may be-whether
r1in. aqueduct stream, we spring. even the salt
sea- Probably the best and cheapest at once of
All ways to provide for the drinking water of n
family when building, is TO make q good roof and a
good and ample cistern for gathering and storing
rain water with n simple domestic still such as NAV
now be obtained to stand on tho kitchen stove or
: at least a filter.
1t is interesting to note tho remarkable relish
found in absolutely pure water. regardless of its
temperature. ana independently of ice even in the
warmest weather Whoever will Try the export
mcnt will be surprised at his own discovery: and.
I If little thoughtful and intelligent viii be struck
1 with the sensible demonstration thus afforded of
the impurty and unwholcsomcneSS that must be the
true explanation of the dead taste of all ordinary
water at temperature above 40 or 50 degrees
The simple fact thus demonstrated is that Urinary
4 water requires an antiseptc temperature, hot or
cold. to arrest while drinking it, the family
offensive organic processes with which 1t is tenn
ing. DistIllatlon entirely removes these organisms
and other impurities from the vatcr--or rather re
9 moves the water from thcm-eaving the pure ale
men that of itself refreshes the thirsty absorbcnts
az the surface Of tho amcntarv canal without the
need of heat cold to over-exctc and then weaken
them by reaction, or TO dcaden their sensitive nerves
q against the perception of n semi nasty flavor Thus
TO supcrscdc the demand for extreme heat and cold
in drink, is still another most Important hygienic
a result of purifying the water. Iii any tla& flavor
4 remains in distilled water it may he oxygeuated by
shaking or pouring. passed through pounded
charcoal.