The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-12-16
What to Drink:

There is no question that in all coun.
tries water is the natural drink for both
man and animals; but there is a great
difference in water. and some kinds are
SO adulterated as to be entirely unfit fol
drink. To go no further, we have the
two kinds of water designated as hard
and soft, Rain water is never hard,
though spring water is often so. II
water with good soap will not make a
lather it is called hard, and will be found
to contain lime or magnesia, or both.
When such water is rubbed in contact
with soap some of the constituents OF
the latter unite with the minerals con-
tanned in the water, and form an indis-
soluble compound. On the other hand,
soft or pure water holds the soap in solu-
tion, and makes suds readily. OF hard
wator there are two kinds, one is perma-
nently hard and the other can be made
soft. When lime and magnesia are in
water in form of sulphates it cannot be
changed, but when in the form of car
donates 1t is only temporarily hard, and
the hardness can be removed by any
process that will eliminate the carbonic
acid gas. This can sometimes be done
by boiling. when the gas is expelled and
the mineral becomes attracted to the
kettle in the form of incrustation. Or,
II anything be added to the water that
will combine with the carbonates, they
will sink to the bottom and leave the
water soft. This is the case when slaked
lime or soda is used.
Some have the idea that hard water,
because OF the mineral it contains, is bet
ter than soft for children from the fact
that just such ingredients are necessary
for the growth Of their bones. A suffi-
Gent answer to this is that, if it be given
to child or adult not in the habit of
using 1t, the i'll effects can at once be
seen, while there is plenty of natural
aud proper food that will furnish the
same minerals in abundance. II it be
said that in regions where hard water
abounds it is used by old and young
alike without apparent harm. we merely
call attention to the word apparent"
and add that the human system is OF
such a nature that it can become habit
uated to the use of almost any poison,
as arsenic, alcohol. or tobacco.
But soft water is not always, or usu-
ally, pure water. 1t, as q rule, holds
in solution more or less organic matter,
mostly vegetable, that contains the seeds
of disease and death. and should be
cleansed from these by filtering, boiling,
or other means. No house in city or
country should be without its cistern or
tank for the reception of rain or soft
spring water with an attached filter of
gravel and charcoal, through which all
that is used for drinking or cooking
should be drawn. 1t is true that so far
as cooking is concerned, the boiling in
a measure remedies the evil, but it is
best to have no evil to remedy.
Sufficient care is not taken to have
wells situated away from all possible
contamination by drainage into them of
cesspools, barnyard, or other things OBJ
jectionable. 1t has become common to
say that earth is a perfect filter, disin-
fectant, and deodorizer; but it must be
remembered that the best filters become
stopped and impaired by long use-so
much 50 that even pure water passing
through them becomes polluted. A
little care and forethought will prevent
trouble from this source. In some
things we find more attention given to
the sanitary condition of horses and cat
tie than to that of their owners; but SO
far as their drink is concerned, this is
not the case, the wells from which they
are supplied being most frequently sunk
in barnyards or their close proximity. 1t
is true that our domestic animals are not
so easily affected by what they take in
ternally as is man, but it is nevertheless
desirable that all causes of disease should
be avoided.-N. Y. Sun.