Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1884-05-02
Aarifmltmral.
Danger from Impure Water.

1t is especially in rural districts that
danger from bad water is most prevalent,
for there the long established cesspool
and barnyard are in close contiguity to
the well. which supplies the family with
drink. After certain lapse of time the
water can scarcely fail to become pol
luted, and then follows sudden and mys-
FERROUS attacks of scarlet fever, diphthe-
ria, chills, Intermittent and other fevers,
which are 20 often directly or indirectly
fatal 10 the household. Not less serious
to the domestic animals are the swampy
ponds, the stagnant bitches, streams pol
luted with drainage or the springs GOV.
cred with scum and flowing through rank
vegetation. Water from such sources
becomes fouled with excrement and filed
with infuserial germs. The same from a
diseased animal infects all its comrades,
and if the water flows in stream it may
carry the infection to farms many miles
distant. tits in this manner that the
prevalent disease among hogs, known as
cholera, but which is really intestinal
fever arising from blood poisoning, has
been carried from sick herd down a
stream to sicken every herd for many
miles along its course, and cattle drink
ing at the stream have also been stricken
with disease Of similar type by the
poisoned water. But more widespread
sourceof danger exists upon nearly every
farm at the season when cattle drink from
half dry ponds and streams. Let us STOP
to examine drop of water from such a
source. We take a drop from near some
rank vegetation that is covered with
brown slime which covers the bottom OF
remain suspended in the water. Under
the microscope this water is seen to be
filled with the most active life Scores
of round star-pointed bodies 60 sailing
about, rotating rapidly as they 60, pass
ing through and among crowds of long eel
or serpent-like bodies, or others having
the appearance of tape-worms, with
masses Of organized living forms of the
strangest and most surprising character
Here in a single drop Of water are thou
sands Of living bodies, which grow and
increase so rapidly that the generation,
birth and Independent existence of one
Of them can occur during an hours ex.
animation. All these are forms of lif.
which, hays q surprising power of repro
dnction; So that the effect Of the intro
duction of this water into the stomach o.
an animal is to fill its blood with myriad,
of constantly reproductive germs, which
sap its vitality at the fount and tax al
its powers of resistance. If the ANNA
is robust and in full health it may resis
this draft upon its vitality, and it ma,
even be able to turn the tables upon il
assailants, and by the very vigor of it,
vital force destroy them and free itse
from their presence. But if weakened
by hardship of whatever kind, the BLOOD
has not sufficient power to resist thes,
parasites and'they increase with grea
rapidity until they totally change it
character, and make it unable to sup
port healthful life. Aud this happen,
with persons and animals alike who ust
impure water. Just now when the sol
is filed with the impurities gathered
on the surface during the winter, anC
springs, streams and wells are fouled by
them, is time when the greatest pre-.
cautions should be exercised.