Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-03-21
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
ITS QUALITY CONSIDERED BY
THE MEDICAL FRATERNITY.
Is the Water Supplied to Sacra-
nento Healthful and Suitable
for Domestic Use?

The annual meeting of the Sacramento
Society for Medical Improvement was held
last Tuesday evening. At each meeting of
the Society a subject is chosen in advance
to be discussed at the following meeting.
and one Of the members selected to pre-
pare a paper upon such topic and follow
ing the reading Of which free discussion
of the paper and subject is engaged in The
subject chosen at the previous meeting and
discussed Tuesday evening was "0ur
Water supply" DR.. Nichols was selected
to prepare and read the opening paper,
which lac did, and the discussion which
followed was of such character and of SO
much interest to the people OF Sacramento
that the several members were requested TO
write out IL synopsis Of their remarks for
publication which has accordingly been
done, and as many our present space
will permit are given below:
This being the annual meeting. the regular
business OF which will occupy much of the even
ing shall content myself with making my re-
marks as brief possible upon a subject APP
pointed for discussion by the society, which is
Our Water supply" That pure water is alb
solutely necessary Tor drinking and household
purposes no intelligent person will deny. We
all know that pure water should be transparent,
without color, smell or unpleasant taste, and
not liable TO spontaneous change. Sacramento
contains over 10000 people. nine-tenths OF them
supplied with water from the Sacramento river.
Is this water. which so many human beings are
daily drinking, pure and healthful? If not,
what is the remedy?
Iii the early days OF the city's settlement
wells were resorted TO for water supply many
of them affording clear and very good tasting
liquid. As early rs 1852 "a private water works
WAS established just on the bank of the river
above street, from the tanks OF which water
carts took their supply, distributing ii to people
at their houses or places OF business The water
then, as now, was very muddy in the winter
and pretty clear in the summer. In 1854 the city
erected at great expense the building now occl-
pied as Il city prison upon the top of which
wels tanks supplied with water from the river
forced up by pumps of rather rude character
and from the tanks conducted in pipes to a
limited portion Of the city. This was great
Improvement upon the water cart system
In 1886 he pumps had become very unreli-
able. and Il large Northington steam pump was
ordered from New York. AT that time l was in
charge OF the city's affairs, and gave much
attention to the matter. Upon the arrival of the
new pGmp il was erected upon solid founda-
ton in the western portion Of the building new
pipes extended over the city the suction pipe
carried out quite distance into the river by
means OF ii trestlework. and the pipe so ar
ranged that it could he raised or lowered as
occasion required, keeping it near The surface
OF the river, theretrom getting clearer water.
The tanks were alternately cleansed of the
mud which S-ttled To the bottom The new
pump worked admirably, and the people were
furnished with Il tolerably tair quality of water.
The system, believe, was the best the city has
ever had
In after years. when the city had increased.
the capacity of the works was insufficient
Other pumps could have been added, larger and
higher tanks could have been built so that the
requirements of the people could have been
supplied. But change was made, and at an
enormous expense the Holly or direct service
SYSTEM was adopted. 1t furnishes an album
dance of such water rs the river at its various
stages affords The system IS perhaps very
good one when the water supply is from a clear
river or lake. excepting the danger attending
accidents to machinery, which might at any
time occur, leaving the city without water for
domestic or fire purposes.
But while We have this water in abundance
is it of such quality we require? Ii is GER
tainly offensive 10 the eye and ottentnes to the
smell and taste but the most important point is,
Is II injurious 10 health? | have no heSltancy
in saying that at some seasons of the year be-
lievc it Is. The so-callcd slickens from the
mines and elsewhere, which renders it SO objec-
tionable To the eye, do not consider very inju-
rious TO health, though certainly very uadesira-
Die; that is simply held in suspension. and with
little care and time can be preciptated: but
the dangerous matter is held in solution, and
very difficult of separation; in fact almost i'm
possible except by chemical processes. / have
had no analysis made, trusting 10 my organs of
sight, smell and taste. and noting results of its
use at times.
In 1873 all analysis was made at the State Uni !
yersity for the State Board of Health, showing /,
the following result:
Carbonate of soda III each gallon ......... O q !
Chloride OF sodium, sulphate of sodium..... LAP
Carbonate of
Carbonate Of lnagncsia. .....025
Silica IS
Sulphate OF AZ
Phosphate of 4S
Iron ana manganese carbonaies-........... 63
Alum UUf
JUtjti---- b.b9
':l:c solid contents of river water are said
to usually vary from about five to twelve
grains, 50 # VIII be seen that according to this
oars is above the minimum and below the
maximum; and as you VIII perceive, no yeget-
able m1ttel. am unable to sly at what season
OF The year this was made.
All analysis made 10y Mr.. Etel i'll November,
1881. gives chlorine, SulphliTie and caTb0nic
acids, nitric and nitrous acids, lime and mag
ne>ia, sodium. potassium; the chlorine Is given
nj LIS mlliaramS 10 the gallon Of water. He
gives Isl inlligramS of alki salts per liter, which
: Just the limit allowed for drinking water by
the Vienna Commission.
Now, while analysis may not shuw our Sacra-
mento water to be as bad some other used for
domestic purposes. nevertheless believe there
entirely unfit for use. When the water from our
hydranis Is 50 offensive To taste and smell as TO
cause persons 10 turn from it III disgust, it can
not he heaJhful. The Sacramento and its
from the various towns above us; in addition to
which is the sewerage from the prison Mt Fol-
som, and slaughter houses aud many private resi-
denies upon the banks of the rivers add their
portion to pollution OF the waters. The sloughs
and tules contain great quantities of decaying
animals and fishes, and when the rivers are
at their lowest stage they drain into
and cOmmingle with the water of our river
theiT accumulatinns OF decayed animal and
vegetable matter, aud poisoning The source OF
our SuDply. know il is commended chat running
" I mi m
certain extent. the matter held in suspension
which IS the least injurious. being preeipitatcd.
but that held IN absolute solution especially the
most injurious, still remains.
ara not one to raise false alarms: but do
believe we ought TO take some steps towards inn
proving the quality of the water we now
using, or else seek Il supply from some other
source. This question has been agtated many
times in years past, when the rivers were frecr
from pollution than now. In 1852 the matter
was considered b. the Board OF Health. A COM
the source Of supply was unfit and recon-
lncnded INC sinking OF ar'esmn wells. While
the report was under discussion, Or.
Logan said "hc thought it u sub
ject OF great Importance. materially affecting
the health OF the city. that in connection with
Dri Hatch and Hardness he hal made thor
ough examination of the locality from which
the water supply WAS obtained. and after mi
examination, which showed the
presence of a large proportion of both animal
aud vegetable examinations, had become thor
oughly satisfied that il WAS entirely unfit for
public use" Dr.. Hatch stated that he entirely
i'll the views suggested by DR.. Logan
lr. Hardness also concurfjng. The report ]
think, was made by Drs. oaiman and Montgom-
cry. The Board unanimously adopted q reSolu-
ton asking the authorities to take measures to
procure supply of pure water and recon-
as before mentioned, the sinking of ar
iesiap wells in the vicinity of the works An
attempt was made, but proved unsuccessful.
The supply pipe was then extended Stin
further into the river and the quality OF water
in measure improved, and there the matter
rested.
The opinions Of the aforementioned gentle
men know are held III high respect 10y every
member OF this Society, aud cite them in sup
port OF the position have taken in this matter
and in further support of this position | shall
refer 10 facts aud comments upon other localities
similarly situated as we are, and to persons
having experience IN such matters, and entitled
10 respect. siuch complaint OF late has been
made both in Boston and New York, where
such immense expense has been incurred for
The procuring OF good water supply. of the
of the various sources of sup
ply.
Philadelphia complains OF the pollution of