The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-01-07
WATER AND HEALTH.

One of the most important subjects
for the consideration of the inhabitants
of any thickly populated district is the
sanitary chemistry of waters. Particu-
larry is this important to the inhabitants
of large cities, where the death rate is
increased by a number of diseases that
have been, and others that perhaps may
be, traced to the imperfect and the inn
proper supply of water.
Good water, fresh air and sunlight are
three of nature great remedies, but they
are not advertised by our druggists be-
cause there is no money to be made.
And if they were brought more forcibly
to our notice, the chances are that we
would prefer some of the more costly
cures done up in bottles and wrapped in
papers printed with the recommends
tions and opinions of those who, per-
haps, are unconsciously victims to the
patent drug. We people of the nine
teenth century would, like Naaman of
old, rather do some great thing than to
wash and be clean.
The character of spring water depends
largely upon the nature of the soil
through which it flows. Although spring
waters may appear very clear and
sparkling, yet they may contain large
quantities of impurities held in solution.
The fact that the water flows through
earth and gravel is enough to account
for its clearness-the soil, although Civ
hight its impurities, filters from it any
sedimentary matter.
The total quantity of dissolved impur-
ity in spring waters varies from one or
two grains to eighty OF ninety grains in
one q. S. gallon, (231 cubic inches.)
Waters are said to be hard or soft Lime
salts make water hard. These lime salts
decompose the soap and destroy its de-
tergent properties. u,
With hard water much more soap is
necessary, as some is used up in making
the water soft. 1t is said that the people
of Glasgow, in introducing the pure
water of Lock Katrine in place of the
hard well water, made saving of $780,
600 per aunum.
Some hard waters may be made soft
by boiling, viz, such as have bicarbon-
ate of calcium. This compound may be
destroyed by boiling, hberating carbonic
acid gas, and forming insoluble calcium
carbonate, which will settle and may be
removed by filtration.
This explains how certain incrusta-
tons are formed in tea-kettles. l have
specimens of incrustations more than an
inch thick that were precipitated in the
above manner in the boilers of an ocean
line of steamers.
While bicarbonate of calcium produces
only temporary hardness and may be re-
l,rh D.l,,aor SO, 10
nently hard when the calcium is there as
the sulphate.
Organic matter is almost always pres
ent in water. There must be distinc-
ton made between vegetable, matter
which is harmless, and the Objectionable
organic matters derived from decompos-
ing animal and vegetable substances.
These last rarely occur in spring waters.
One word in regard to living animals
and plants in water. Although these
animals when seen under the microscope
are very formidable in appearance and
frightful in motion, yet they are not OBJ
iectionable. They only inhabit very
pure water The plants exercise puri-
fying influence on the water by hber-
ating oxygen. fas .fn
1t sometimes happens, owing perhaps
to sonA popularity of the season, that
these little animals multiply to such an
extent as to produce serious annoyance.
Although our waters are perhaps free
from Objectionable animals, yet | may
saw that it is stated that one-sixth of the
deaths in Iceland are caused by little
animals being taken into the system.
Young leeches, contained in drinking
water, sometimes fix themselves on the
pharynx. In Algiers 400 French sol
6ers were sick at one time from this
Cause. sI
These waters contain about the same
class of impurities that springs do. In
addition to this they sometimes contain