Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-04


.'safe Disposition of Sewage" to be poured
into rivers, and the water from them to be used
fordrinking water and the household. This was
pointed out some years ago in the water analysis
made of the Sacramento river water. and pub
lished in the REcoRD-UNIoN.
The idea entertained that water purifies itseli
may be correct, i. e., the matter in suspension
may be preeipitated by coming in contact with
certain salts in solution, as for instance, chio
ride of sodium INA CO. or salt water, which, by
the way is the real danger to the bay. where the
debris-charged water of the Sacramento river
comes in contact with the salt water. Ii the
tides do not carry out the precipftates, IL Is Only
a question of time as to the bay being gradually
filed I'D with the suspended matter. With the
free and noxious gases the Bee may be right
for if these are not found two bases will be
liberated in the constant hoW OF water, or 10
large extent With the salts i'll solution, par
ticularly the chlorideS Sulphates and phos-
pilates, which, with other combinations are all
found in the liquid eXcrementation OF man and
the animal, it is quite another thing; these COM
binations, or salts in solution, VIII not preclpl
tate themselves but be carried to the ocean.
Professor Won Pettenkofer of Munich, is eX-
cellent authority upon some matter, but yet
nearly if not all noted physicians OF the Old and
New World are of the opinion at present that
tious diseases can be carried for miles and cause
similar diseases. That Pettenkofer should init
mate that the salts i'll solution OF rivers flowing
past large cities, and emptying their refuse into
it. should be the same as he judges from the
Isar will not entertain for this question has
been proved too often to be otherwise The late
works have upon water from Germany do not
mention anything of that sort about Professor
Pettenkofer What he doubts is the carrying oil
infectious germs in flowing waterwithout being
DESTROYED.
The writer has drank the water of Hamburg
six successive times while sojourning there, and
does not blame the most fanatic temperance
man if he should prefer the Teuton beverage to
the Doggy, yellowish water they have there,
and yet this is to be preferred to the water from
the Isar, which flows past Munich, where at
present Pettenkofer holds char al the Uni
versity. Although this water Is more palatable
than that of the lower country, it has proved
itself nevertheless absolutely dangerous in many
cases. In the year 1871 the undersigned spent
four weeks in Munich while visiting Europe,
and previous to the visit to that city was eau
toned by physicians of kissingen not to drink
the water of the Isar or the drinking water OF
Munich, and in not obeying their advice he had
to suffer with an attack similar TO cholera,
which might have cost his life, for that dreaded
disease was then reported to be in Munich. The
reason why the people of Munich are such great
beer drinkers is partially due to the unwhole-
some water they have there. 1t produces good
beer but is bad, or rather dangerous water to
drink unboiled.
Most travellers who have investigated or paid
some attention to the drinking water of the
cities in the civilized countries of Europe find
that where the sewage is passed into the rivers
such water is not again used for drinking water.
The matter at present agitatlng the people OF
Sacramento shoul be permanently settled, for
it is the future we have 10 fear. 1t appears
plain enough that if this city is permitted at all
times to pour its foul matter into the river, then
all towns and villages above this city can claim
the same liberty and as we are entertaining hopes
that the Sacramento valley be gradually and
surely built up, these towns and villages are
supposed to grow not only in size and pOpUla-
ton, but may also increase in number and
when the river becomes low, then our druggists
will not say that the water of this city Is chemi
cally pure. Even now would like to know the
druggist who wants the world to believe that the
water we use is chemically pure. The water we
use is fair and far better, despite the slickens,
than many large city can boast of; but that is
no reason that the water cannot be more and
more polluted, or made unfit for drinking. "Do
unto others as you would have others do unto
YOU" is to be recommended in this case.
Sooner or later provision has to be made for
the disposal of our sewage otherwise than by the
river. Let us make beginning soon by first
having sewers built upon q modern plan-let
the force of water and air play an important
part in it. Pour the same into the river by de-
vices so well known and adopted IN other cities,
but don't rest contented by imagining this sort
of water can be tolerated always in the river,
for the present age is and will be in the future,
more and more opposed TO it. Read the dis
patches from France, and the ideas DR.. Koch
VI
Even your so-called chemically pure water is
open to danger when the inhabitants of a town
are afflicted with infectious diseases, and they
are permitted to pass their excremental matter
into Il river which the people of other cities
below are compelled TO use.
With properly constructed conductors the sew
age can be carried to the lower part of the city
for the present, and commencement made to
obliterate the cesSpool system in the older part
of the city as soon as practicable. Of course
the water would have to be pumped into the
river first but IN the meantime the people have
to look TO other means, as in many parts OF the
world, TO dispose of their sewage. In the disin-
fecting idea Of filed and pumped out cesspools
with suphate of iron, about as much faith can
be placed as in the remedy the sea Captain
adopted when he cured all diseases with sea-
water This salt is excellent in binding the
ammonia compounds, as sulphureted ammonia
On II ~ IS, which causes preciptate with the
iron falling down as sulphide, and with am
monia it forms hydrate, and thereby re
moves the obnoxious smell. With sulphu
reted hydrogen, however, no precipitate is
formed and the very disagreeable odor remains
Besides the porous condition of our ceSspOols
will not permit thorough disinfecting, there
fore the worst cases should be pumped out and
filed with dry road dust or fine sand. The best
would be coarsely powdered charcoal, pre-
viOusly heated, fine road dust Tor fine sand and
lime finely divided Charcoal and lime are
excellent for disinfecting on a smaller scale
providing ofcourse the chareoals are not already
filed with noxious gases, and for that reason
they ought to be heated previously. The 5. A
Supplement of February S, 1879 p. 1888. pub
fishes Il number of disinfecting compounds
adopted by several States some of which may
cause some benefit in adopting them. The &C
ton of copperas Tor FeSO4 7H2O) upon sulphu-
reted hydrogen (H2S) is open to doubt, while in
ammoniacal compounds and foul gases it is an
undoubsed disinfectant This is mentioned be
cause this salt in the list of disinfectants in
cludes sulphureted hydrogen, upon which il
appears to have no effect when tests are made
for iron is not precipitated by that gas or sOlu
tons. OF course if Il sufficient quantity of am
mona is present the liquid containing sulphu
reted hydrogen will combine with ammonia
forming sulphureted ammonia (NH4)2S, and so
lutions containing these gases Will precipitate
the iron, and it is there where the benefit may
be expected in the use OF iron, when both gases
are at once neutralized, and have their smell
made odorless, or at least less obnoxious.
Be it as it WILL quite certain it is that large
quantities of sulphates must be used, for to dis
infect a ceSSpool thoroughly will be found nj
easy undertaking, while with a smooth glazed
surface like porcelain it would be an easy mat
ter. II is quite different with porous bricks
which are charged with the foul matter, includ
JOHN EITEL.
Sacramento, August 2 1884.
ARREsTs-The following arrests wer,
made Saturday and yesterday NJ. CORR
gan. by officer Rider, for being drunk +
De House, by officer Rider, for misde
meanor; Richard Coote, by officer Frazee
for petty larceny; George and Matte Wat
son. by officers Sullivan and Franks. fo
IL, Il