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

large quantities of purifying animal
matter on account of their too close
proximity to cesspools, privy vaults or
sewers. These matters, while they hardy
affect the taste or smell, carry with them
deadly results to the persons using the
water Wells in the neighborhood of
grave yards often contain water contain
mated with animal matter from the re-
Gently filled graves. In 1903 law was
passed in France prohibiting the digging
of a well within 100 metres of any Gene
terry.
Very good water is often supplied by
artesian wells when they are bored down
so as to receive their supply of water
| from below a stratum of soil impervious
to surface drainage.
Lakes and ponds contain less, but the
same kind of impurities as springs.
While the water from springs all flows
through soil from which it dissolves its
impurities, much of the lake and pond
water only flows over the surface of the
ground.
Rivers or any rapid streams contain
generally large amount of suspended
matter which makes the water thick
and dark in color. Very little of this
suspended matter dissolves, and it may
be removed by filtering or allowing it to
settle.
When these turbid streams empty into
lakes or ponds the suspended matter set
ties, leaving the lake water clear, but in
running streams tho : opportunity
for the sediment to c't
The water of the contains
forty grains of N u hon Lt IS
estimated that this asr.i-. d. u, o.
600 tons of sedime per anuum into fhe
| Gulf of Mexico. This mud Is rta
plant food, and pr tucss f.a iH
The water of ii rs Is oil.u uaCa gsrv
impure by receiving the drainage OF towns
on its banks. These impurities ofteu
make the water unfit to drink. Rivers,
however, will purify themselves by
oxidation in short time.
| The quality is often of more import
ance than the quantity of the impurity.
Five or six grains of lime or magnesia
will render water unfit for the cooking
of some vegetables, while such impurity
will be of great advantage when the
water is used for making tea or coffee
Soft waters are generally better for cook
ing and for washing purposes, and hard
water for tea or coffee 1t is on account
of this that certain wells have reputa-
ton as tea wells. In years gone by there
were two or three such wells in New
York City and a boy was employed by
the corporation to pump water for the
benefit of the inhabitants
The reason why hard water is better
| for making tea or coffee is because the
lime salts prevent the water from dis
| solving the astringent matter contained
in the tea or coffee, but it does not pre-
vent the extraction of theme.
Larger quantities of these above-men-
toned impurities make water injurious
to health. If it is known that water has
high degree of permanent hardness,
the chances are that it is a bad water.
1t will probably contain the sulphate of
| lime, chloride of calcium, and perhaps
salts of magnesium. Magnesium salts
are especially Objectionable to water, and
water containing even small amount of
these salts should be rejected. Water
containing these salts causes diarrhea
when drank. They are also said to cause
dyspepsia. 1t is supposed to be the pres
ence of these salts in water that produces
g:oitre Ga swelling of the glands of the
neck.) Cretinism, which is certain
kind of idiotic insanity, is also referred
to the same impurities in large quanti-
ties. Among the inorganic impurities
of water, lead and copper are often
found, and especially is lead found. A
water which acts freely upon lead is not
suitable for the supply of town, as our
service pipes are made of lead. Almost
any water will act upon lead if left in
contact with it long enough For this
reason we should always empty the house
pipes of water which has stood in them
over night, before drawing any for cook
ing purposes. Lead is cumulative
poison, and very small quantity taken
into the system each day will finally
produce lead-poisoning,
The products of the decomposition of
animal matter in water are the most OBJ
jectionable impurities. These are high
ly dangerous even when in minute guam
titles. They are the more dangerous be-
cause waters containing such poison, in
stead of being disagreeable to the taste,
are frequently of very fine flavor and
much sought after Many cases of dis
ease have been traced to the use of water
contaminated by drainage from sewers,
cesspools, etc.
The old saying ''There was health in
the old houses; while there is death in
the new'' is easily explained. New vii
lagos are generally supplied with water
from springs, and as the number of in
habitants increases wells are used for
greater convenience. Wells often re-
ceive contamination from sewage and
cesspools, while spring water is free from
such contamination The famous Broad
Street pump in London in 1913 killed 500
persons in a single week by dissemina-
ting cholera. In 1866 many deaths oc-
Cured from the use of water from fa-
nous pump in Brooklyn. All trouble
was brought to an end when the Health
Officers removed the pump handle.
There are substances dissolved in water
sometimes, which are themselves harm
less, and yet they should cause the water
to be looked upon with great suspicion.
The first is sodium chloride or common