Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-17

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pended slay" Permit as 10 diysfrs =
lilt 10 say thai one Of the sblesl
snalysss. u noi tAs thlest, q river
waiff ever made in tbs country was
ne snalysis o. james fifef water made
~ Colansi n. n. Hardin. professor 81
chemistry. Virginia Military Institute.
aud q vas accompanied by thorough
and mAslsFly report on the chemical
and sanitary character q ouf water.
E,eFy citigsn should resi q. Alter
this aualysis gas Published wc were
very glad 20 6hd that ,he the
ofetical action of alum which
vs had proposed VA substantially con-
frmed by the experiments % Colonel
Ilartin. colonel Hardin IN his report
says " Experiments made In this lAbo-
rstory with The view Of determining the
smallest quantity Of alum necessary 70
produce the effect .hoW that the muddy
water an be rendered perfectly hmpid
in tWenty-four hours. and reasonably
clear IN twelve hours. by the use Il
1--WE grains q powicred alum 20 the
gallon IN ftis process a reaction oc-
ours ie'we,a ne carbonate ~ lim. ~
~, pafo and fls mipAais y ii.misa
~ ne alum. Supha', ~ Ian, ~
/ formSi. cartoaia ac,i - sH free. aai
~, aluu,Ed prectpuafes. Carrying ruth
u ne suyo,ded impur'fi,s. Much
q the organic matter IN solution
is likewise directly precipitatcd IN com
hination with the aluminA 10 the form
Of humate. by Increasing the quantity
of alum the result Is brought about
more rapidly, but It Is questionable
whether IT would bee iudicious to use
more than about five grains Of this sub
stance to the gallon
We noticed IN your issue Of to-day
18th a communication from chemist.
/ ,nr. Taylor saws Il was not he. OF
course not.l Chemist SAYS that
Pharmaceutist doesn't understand
the action of alum in the purlhcAtion OF
water. We were somewha, Of that
opinion ourselves; but being sustained
in our theoretical eAplAnation by the
experiments and report Of so thorough
a chemist as Professor Harden, Of the
Virginia Military Institute. We feel more
confident.
Chemist warn, the people that
We are misleading them, and then pro-
ceeds to tell ms what alum j. and how
II acts. lie says that alum is a double
sulphate Of potash and aluminium.
That "a strange that a chemist, who
ought to know so much more about
chemistry than Phsrmaceutist or even
a Pharmacist. should tell MS that alum
IS double sulphate Of potash and
aluminium. The United States Pharma-
| cop0ia says alum is double salt OF
/ potassium and aluminium. " AluminH
ct PotASsii Sulphas, X , Al = o 4)
4, - II 2 o. This may appear 20 the
ordinary reader TO be distinction with
out 4 difference. but scientifically IN
practical chemistry II IS q matter Of I'M
portSnce. Chemist " might proGta-
bly consult such books as Miller.
third volume, page 49j, Attfeld, &c,
for the formula Of alum. Alum IN
England Is the double sulphate OF
aluminium and ammonium. And this
is the alum that is found IN commerce.
Probably every specimen Of alum ~
our stores, except that procured for
prescriptions. is ammonia alum. Il is
the alum that is used in the arts. being
much cheaper and ammonia alum
will be used IN ihe publication OF our
water.
The Chemist says that the or
gsnic matter in the water decomposes
the alum. Colonel Hardin says that il
is the carbonate Of lime IN the water
that decomposes the alum. The =" Che
mist - ssys d" the sluminic sulphate is
precipitated." Colonel Hardin SAYS il
Is deoomposed.
The Chemist " says that alum is
cecomposed by organic matter INTO pO-
tassium sulphate and a basic sluminic
sulphate. and gives tins a. the explans-
ton Of the action of alum. Perhaps
We may be excused for thinking II
strange that Chemist" should at
tribute the decomposition Of alum to
organic matter in water when 30
strong a base as lime is present in that
water. PHARMACEUTfsT.
+. ;. There were some typOgraphi-
cal errors in my last. r., pharmacie
for pharmaeieR. &c.
I'm happy as the day is long -