The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-06-19
PURE DRINKING WATER.

PURE DRINKING WATER.
The Importance 0f having pnre drink
ing water IS such that every care should
Be taken 20 secure good water supply.
and then keep Il pure. Impurities are
either animal. vegetable OF mineral
Where th4 organic matters are animal,
thev tend % become putresceut. when
into the system they produce fever or
orthar disorder When The matter is
introduced in smaller quantities, Il IN
dergoez tec0u uposition more OF less rap
5d1v. according 70 the condition Of the
air or temperature. In such cases no
smell or taste nav be psrceptible. The
constant use Of such water sometimes
causes disease even where the quantity
is small. some persons seem more sus-
cep-ible than others. and their own sys-
TENS eitde- cause OF accelerate changes
which had no. been noticeable befOle-
Vegetable Impurities also tend TO de-
coupositiUn under favOring conditions.
These disorder the system, or cause
malaria or other special forms Of di-
ssase. Mineral impurities are owing
% the suspension or solution Of mineral
particles in the water. Some OF these
as sulphur or iron. give taste TO water,
hut do not inilre il unless present in
100 large quantities. Others. as lead,
may. in small quantities. seriously af-
feet the human system. Others. as
lime, are chiefly injurious by pr0duc-
ing 100 great hardness Of water. The
taste Of water. fresh from the well. is
not BY any means a perfect guide as to
its purity. IF it has much organic mat
ter iH il which is already undergoing
decOmposisi1o. there may be taste and
odor. or its organic impurities may
have been so far destroyed as to yield
no unpleasant taste or Odor. and yet
there may remain some dangerous con
taminstion It's being an agreeable
drinking water tOtbOse accustomed to
It's use. does not prove its purity.
Water, as it comes from the clouds
and is strained through the ground, is
so nearly pure that it is generally good,
except where wells and springs are in
someway fOuled by nearness to houses
or pits Of decayahle material.
Wells and springs must be most care
fully protected from any possible de-
Element. To his end. il must be re-
mem5ered that e is not safe to place
any wen within one hundred feet OF any
cessp0ol- privy. COW OF pig-pen, OF other
deposit OF foul ui tier. Sometimes
without kuOElOdge ef. where these havs
been Before. wells are dug in too close
prsHimity. The well should be care.
fully stoned or bTicked. and for at least
four feet from the top the bricks should
y laid in cement and cone up higher
than the surrounding ground The
soil should no. he rich Just above the
weU. Tie cover Of the we'll and its
psmu should he such as not 70 admit
arv rouf matter. People are too often
careless in rf-sf-- vessels about a well
Even q cFs.eru m7v he deflsd by the
sor rr s0IEn-s about It. and wells often
are. The cfstHrn NAV have cTevfces. ~
may have something fall into It or may
have ifs water become dead by long
standing. The well may have its sUr.
rounding soil so saturated with decay.
ing material as finally 70 become unable
to 7xfdfza r.. Some new crack OF IN.
de-gr0und rilI may let into it foul liquid
from sources that have never reached il
before and which are especially liable
10 reach f. in drv weather. The same
ma~. more OF less. happen to springs.
Therefore. ft is n0t enough 70 say that q
water supply has been good. as it may
hlv- suddenly become had from causes
no. visible Where. because Of sickness
or for other reasons. there is suspicion
as % the purity of the water. resort
should be had 20 some simple tests. OF
at once 20 chemical or biological ex-
animation.