Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-17
FAMILY WATER SUPPLY.
A FRUITFUL SOURCE OF SICKNESS,
SUFFERING AND DEATH.

Impurities Caught In Reservoirs for Rain
Water-MineraI Substances Found In
Water fron, Weua-Poison from Lead
Pipes-Foulinx Of Rural Well.
Pre- water is life giving fluid, imparting
health and vigor to all the tissues, while i'm
pure water is one OF the most fruitful sources
Of sickness, suffering and death, shortening
the average duration Of human life by many
years. A pure and abundant water supply
Is therefore an object Of the first importance
to every family in the city or country.
The sources Of supply are numerous. Many
families depend upon rain water stored In
cisterns or other reservoirs. Under favor
able conditions this is pure and wholesome.
1t is, however, liable to absorb dust, smoke
and other impurities IN its passage through
the atmosphere, especially over smoky cities,
and in case Of the first shower after
drought When falling on the wooden roofs
of houses the first rain washes of the dust
and weatherbeat Of the shingles, and should
be filtered before it enters the cistern- Bet
ter still, an automatic arrangement may be
used which will collect the first rainfall in
some shallow receptacle, and when this IS
filed, viii turn the pure stream into the els
tern. Ii then the cistern is divided into two
equal parts by a partition of brick laid in
cement, SO arranged that the water which
enters upon one size of the partition is made
TO filter through the wall OF brick before
being drawn of on the other side, the water
may be relied upon as sufficiently clean and
pure for ordinary uses.
VARIOUS MINERAL, SCBSrANCES
Most country people depend upon the
ground water Of springs and shallow wells
for their supply. This is liable in its passage
through the earth to absorb various mineral
substances, the most common and trouble
some Of which are the salts OF lime and mag
nasia, which constitute hard water. This
requires the use OF a largely increased
amount of soap in washing, and is therefore
much less economical than soft water. In
Glasgow it is estimated that the introduction
OF soft water in place of bard has diminished
the consumption of soap at least one-half
Hard water also produces in many persons
arrangement of digestion, chronic diarrhoea,
gravel and other inorganic deposits. One
way in which the hardness Of water may be
lessened is by boiling it. Another method,
paradoxical as it may seem, consists in add
ing lime, usually in the forP of lime water
or milk of lime Both these methods result
in breaking up the chemical combinations
and p-ecipitating the mineral substances,
which should then be removed by filtration.
In cities and large towns, the usual source
Of supply is the surface water of rivers and
lakes This is stored in artificial reservoirs,
and distributed through pipes OF lead or
iron Where lead pipes are used, either in
bringing wateIGSom reservoirs or springs, or
in pumping it from wells into houses, the
lead is gradually dissolved and poisonous
compound formed, which when drank for a
sufficient length of time is liable to produce
unpleasant and even dangerous results. Ac-
cording to Professor Mayr, water containing
one part of lead in one million parts Of water
is sufficient to produce lead colo, wristdrop
and other symptoms Of acute lead poisoning,
while q much less quantity may cause irrita-
ton of the digestive organs and loss of mus
cular control. These effects may be pro-
duced in one member of the family only,
while all are using the water, and the Others
escape, owing TO less degree OF susceptible
ity. The path of safety in this matter lies in
avoiding the use of lead pipes as far as pos
sible; and in never using water for drinking
or cooking, which has stood in lead pipe
for ally length of time, but always taking
the precaution first to run of or pump of a
sufficient quantity to completely empty the
pipes.