The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-02-26

FOURTH eERIEs, FEB. 1881.
I'd ward school house. ................ SO. 80
. Carse & Ohlweiler's spring 465
s Mouth OF conduit r. l. water works IS. 10
Hydrant, Occidental hotel $4,000. $50
5 Miss. river under Coy bridge --...-...... ID. 20
q above Moline. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. rs 95
Morris drug store. Moline. ...........--. "a IS
The specimens sent me were merely
numbered l had no knowledge whatever
of the nature of the different specimens
when the analysis were made except that
they were sent from Rock Island Since
the receipt Of the papers mentioned above
| procured the description of the speci
mems from the Office of the State Board OF
Health at Springfield. and these descrip
tons SO far as they could be obtained. |
have added in their proper places in the
tables
AS regards the results OF the analyses,
however, i wish to state emphatically,
that they would have been the same If the
specime ems had come into my possession.
labelled as above. 1t is a painful duty
for me to be obliged to defend the science
which represent at our ststs university
and which [ am daily called upon to teach
to the young minds of our state. against
the charge Of "trickery,"
IN all the analyses given above the
figures represent emily that organic m after
which was actually in solution in the water
The specimens were allowed to stand at
rest until the solid matter had completely
subsidized, and the portions Of water taken
out for analysis were in each case perfect
ly clear and colorless.
In reference to the 4th series of snaly-
ses it will be seen, that No. is spring
water, Now to person, who is convers.
ant with the contamination Of natural
waters by organic matter specimen
marked -four or FIVE parts of organic
matter in a million parts of water" 10 just
as satisfactorily labelled pure sspring
water" as if. it were marked "Carse l.
Ohweiler spring. and if. as was done in
this case, chemical analysis can select and
label this water. from seven unknown
specimens having the composition given
above, it ought to conyince the most
skeptical mind, that the methods employ
for the determination OF sorganic matter
are at least worthy of some confidence.
The same argument. obtains for the 3rd
series Of analyses.
| have still in my possession that portion
of specimen No of the 3rd feries Of
the analysis made. 1t has been
standing since the first part of January
in a cold room in the same
stone jug in which it was sent. During
this time the jug was securely corked
For my present purpose to-day shook up
the sediment and poured the contents of
the Jug into a clean glass beaker. The
water thus presents the most filthy ap-
learence. Ii teens with animal life,
some forms are visible. to the naked eye
and Vulnerable ones were revealed In every
drop under the microscope. Ii this
specimen at all represents the average
condition of the water, from which it was
taken, | sh sud pot hesitate moment in
pronouncing its.utterly UNFIT for domestic
use.
There is one thing 10 this matter which
is hard to explain, namely, that 10 the
Erst TIRES series of analyses the water
from Moline should be more highly
charged with organic matter. than below |
Not being acquainted with the location
and the condition under which the water
was collected l have no theory to offer.
Taking all the evidence together. which
pour local board of health have collected
it would seem unwise to drop the investi-
CATION of your future water supply at this
point. HAil investigations tend to show |
that the water above Moline under the |
conditions. which obtain this winter. IL
highly charged With organic matter. 1t
is true, that 10 sanitary point of view re-
cent sewage contamination OF potable |
water is the most ebiectio nsbls. But
when water reaches the amount of organic |
matter indicated by the analyses given |
above, it should be unhesitatiniy condemn
Cd &C unft 70. domestic use. whatever the
source Of that organic matter may be-
The investigation OF your health oEcers
have shown that your water supply is in
. deplorabls condition. The work 10
which ttheg are Engaged is of vital i'm
portsnce to your city, and they are en-
ployiDg the only means. by which the
problem Of your future water supply can
be solved 10 satisfactory manner. I'll
results are reached, which are not In
wiki the ideas. to which some of
POUR citissns thsve become attached, they
should nevertheless be Idaiy considered.
these efforts will not solve the
problem, ner save your children from
disease and death. III. A, WEBER.