The Meeker herald., 1889-03-23
MEEKER HERALD.
TESTING DRINKING WATER.


l'ss.iiassrssvy Results whirh Arr Ss,ne-
ti.s~s Ossaisssi-H msrksbis TestA
We ARC giving more zEd more attention
TO the purity Of drinking water AS II DO
comes more apparent that Infection Of al
most every kind travels by water. It bs-
Gomez Of tho highest Importance to know
whether tho test, usually resor;cd to for
thu detection Of organtr impurities Arc
Trustworthy. II dangerous Impurities
slip past these tUsts. they afford no pro-
tection against tho Transmission Of dis
rnss germs. The sani,arian prints a pa
per by DR. J A Tanner. Of BOSTON. giving
results Of soms OF his experiments Ia this
direction. which may simost In called
startling.
II. Tanner declares boldly that the
chemical processes relied upon for testing
water aro "a, apt To condemn = good
water a. they Ero to commend L.. and to
commend an impure wafer when they
should condemn II. md his statements
go far to support his theory For example.
II 5 PER cent, of milk ar any beef extract
bo added 10 gallon of distilled water III.
processes will condemn I, ~ impuw b.-
raus. IL contains organic matter Add u
few million of diseas, germs to n gallon
Of distiiied water and none 81 the pro
eess-~ will discover theta. b-eauss tho
quantity Of organic matter IL not large
enough Yet the ouc mixture 10 ratir-ly
harmless. and the other " ~. Arcept tho
germ theory. Is dangerous, The eonibuB-
ton proress relies upon tho proportions
found Of carbon and nitrogen. tho AN.
moalA pror~ss upon tho prvs1ne- Of fro
ammonia and Albumold ammonia. tho
perrnangsnaio proe-ss upon the amount
Of oxygen required TO oxidiEe tho organic
matter. All Of thrs., tests arr extremely
delicate. and Sigh, insecuraey Ia enough
To cause an impure water To la rs'od a.
pur-. or tho opposite,
Tho fart that they disagree. Wildly In
theis results with tho same water Is
enough TO shake faith In all Of them. DR.,
Tanner shows thi, by reference to tho Ia
vrs,igstIoa conducted by Professor J.
Maliss for tho national i-oarl 81 health
some years ago. with which he was ron
ncci~d. Sinetr-n samples Of natural
~n,rr. believed !ron actual us, Ia d,
wholesome. Ncrp examined by thes. pro
ec,ses They agreed that ten VERY pot
able and three s-ro not. bu, q, to sit. ar
onc third Of tho number. they disagreed
totally. Then nia-i-cn samples u-rs
taken Of natural waters which shsrs
seemed TO b. fair grounds for believing
have actually caused disease Ia, only
four Of these w~r- rejected ss Ghwhol--
sotno. q, to nine. OF gu. half. there va.
no agreement. and ak. or n.-thiri. wrro
pronounced wholr.om. by all tho PRO.
rss.-s. Thrn twenty samples w-r- taken
Of natural water of doubtful but aus
I.-t-d character. and as To th-s- tho r-
cults WEIR really taorv anfa,orab!~ than
- 90 tho waters known To b- dangerous
The mos, r-marsabls ~ all tho i.s;s
WEIR with te-n,y samples q! good water.
TO which ~-f- A.ll-j various lallutlons.
such a, sewage frura various sources.
black votsl, and like offensive aud POISON
Gus substance, oniy .lFh, ~ thee
samples. irs. than half. ~-ro opadcmpci
By all tho Iro-c-aacs. d, 10 uino Tia, r~.
ports did no, AFr,-,. and ,hr-s tho pro
e~..-s actually .qaruFr,d la prunpaneius
rusi Water. 60 which enough ~ weak
Esised s~was. irorl large pgblia sewer
had t-ca ADDED to CRATE. II WAS believed.
serious danger 81 typhoid. ~ss pro
nouae~,i To l., u ''srra, osTHi.ie parity BY
two pr--yars. and good" by tho Thru
A taS1vr a,iiliSiurv of tho seinn sewage.
~ much a. 3 p-r e-ni- Wa. pronounced Il
::EotAvs odsySss hxssa .ESsss isnIhe
examples could II Given. Yet III. sassc
progresses roai"a,n~l ~ Impure tho Lake
Drum'noni wafer frpa tho DISMAL
swamp. which Ia Ia Js1 tho water .up.
ply OF Portsmouth. Va. and III. C.rhiiu
ale of Ess'oa. simply bresnss - tho
presence of vegetable ins,,.r Contributed
~ irAvss. run:a. oir.=S-s iors Ts,but!~.