Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-03-08
Cucumber or CarhoIie Acid.

America is suffering in q very marked de-
gree from the pollution OF drinking water
which is so apt TO be the Nemesis OF the ac-
cumulstion of great city populations, unless
primary regard be paid to scientific santa
ton, and especially TO the supply of pure
drinkiDg-water, as well as the preservation
of purity in the soil and air. The drinking
water of the great cities of America appears
to be in some instances little better than
sewagewater, and in numerous cases the poll
luton of potable water in great ci les is such
as to cause, at the present moment, consider
able disgust on the part of city residents, and
to call for government intervention, which is
unfortunately slow, and not always satisfac
tory in its action. From comparative results
which have been pub ished by DR.. A. r.
Leeds in the Chemic0i Netrs, it would appear
that the water at Newark. jersey City and
Hoboken had become suddenly noticeable for
the highly marked flavor Of carboIic acid,
indicating that the pollution of that partic
ular water-supply was at that moment Of an
especially chemical nature. When the board
was made aware of the nuisancei il was ing n
iously urged that wat=r was ali the better
for being polluted with caTiolic acid, mas
much as 1t served to disinfect the other kinds
of filth which got into the drinking-water.
This plea, however ingenious, was not held
TO be good in Law, and so for the moment, the
inhabitants of Newark, Jersey City, and Ho-
bOken have to drink their potable water
without the preliminary distinction, which
made it more unpleasant TO the taste, if less
noxious to health. Boston is suffering from
what is described as a striking and interest
ing and scientific peculiarity. Its drinking
water shows albumenOid ammonia TO the ux-
tent OF 0,0605, a statement which analy ticai
chemists and medical officers Of health will
read with grim surprise. L is stated how
ever, that The peculiar interest H. that this is
due, first, TO the pollution by isw manu-
featuring towns, and, secondly, to the growth
of alge. There is especially an extremely
interesting and rare fresh-water sponge
Spungdla daUidtiIis, which accounts for the
peculiar "cucumber taste" Il is thought
that the Boston people would be more recon-
ciled to the "cucumb5- taste" if they took
little more scientific interest in the SpunqiH1
f,TiGtitis, which is accordingly elaborately de-
scIibed and figured, ard recommended as an
obi ct of interest under the microscope. Ar H.
tr source OF pollution Of the Boston water i
Pagan brook, which flows through a town Of |
10000 inhabitants, almost entirely engaged |
in The dressing of leather and manufacture |
of shoes; the outflow from which factories is |
supposed to complicate the cucumber /
flavor Philadelphia and New York also, |
it appears, receive their water from polluted 1
sources. The feeders, which empty them |
selves into Crotou lake, the principal reser- |
voir of the New York water, pass through a |
settled country, with numerous tanneries, |
c:ories, etc, along their banks. Whining /
ton, Del, also ranks among the towns sup |
piled with polluted water. Under these cir !
il Is satisfactory, that an energetic 1
effort is promised to maintain the public in
terests and to protect the public health by |
improving the sources Of water-suPply and |
guarding them agaIns. contamination; and, /
meantime, 1t is not surprising that Apo!lin- /
arts water is stated to have become so general |
a favorite in the United States, that its con-
sumption there as daily Underwater equals |
that OF Great Britsin.--British Medical Jour
nal