The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-01
wHAT THE DoCToas SAY.
The Relation Between Public Health
and the Supply of Drinking Water

The Relation Between Public Health
and the Supply of Drinking Water.
From NE European Editor Of the Nete York
Herald.
At the last seance Of the Academy Of
Medicine NJ Olivier drew the attention of
its members TO several subjects Of inn
portance, among them
CITY HEALTH AND DRINKING WATER.
Tue hygiene of the present day has GER
tain imperious laws to which all cities must
conform. Its constant aim must be to
maintain the natural conditions of health
which the increase in the agglomeration of
human beings tends to diminish. IL must
also bring into relief the advantages of air
light and heat. just as it is its duty to de-
nounce the dangers resulting from a poor
water supply. In former times the water
with which city was supplied was in gen.
eral use for all purposes.
No systematic distinction was made be-
tween drinking water and water for clean
ing purposes. Water was taken from the
wells or from the streams which passed
through the locality without attention being
paid to the purpose for which it was to be
used. Though on some occasions the waters
of certain springs were specially appreciated
and had somewhat of a reputation, no very
great importance was attached to them,
nevertheless, and the problem for the
municipality consisted in supplying a suffi-
Gent amount of water, irrespective of It's
origin.
As cities grew larger, and since they were
usually built on rivers, IL was soon noticed
that the pollution of the river beds and Of
the water which flowed over them spread
disease, and was detrimental to public
health. To put a stop to this it became
necessary to make an absolute distinction
between drinking water and water used for
cleansing purposes; TO save the immense
amount of nitrogen contained in the excreta
for the uses of agriculture, and to guarantee
the rivers against the return of residuary
products. In Paris, Belgrand was obliged
to carry out the work of bringing in drink
ing water and of organizing the cleansing
services Mile and Durand-C Clay established
irrigation of the soil with the drainage
water, thereby increasing its productive
power ten-fold, and only allowing pure and
harmless water to go back to the Seine.
Although the work of making Paris
model city of health is not yet complete it
can be said that in three years the capital Of
France will receive each day 250,000 cubic
metres of excellent spring water, giving to
each of its 2, 500, 600 inhabitants daily sup
ply of 100 lltres of drinking water, and that
in ten years all Of the subterranean outflow
drains will be finished, carrying off the sew
age to 5000 or 1000 hectares Of purifying
lands covered with rich crops
THE SEINE CLEAR AND BEAUTIFUL.
The Seine will then be clear and beautiful
to look at as it flows along, and its waters
will then be defiled only by the matter that
falls on its surface and by the impurities
brought down by the rain from the water
shed from which it is supplied. If, when
the city grows larger, this new supply of
drinking water should prove insufficient,
the water of the Seine. properly treated,
could then be used for domestic purposes.
Should it then be filtered? Certainly not,
for though perfect filter (which is rare
thing holds back the microbes, it never re-
moves from the water the deleterious sub
stances that may be dissolved in it.
Publication through the ground should
alone be used. When water is poured at
intervals over permeable soil, says M. Ire
lat (ArchtUes q Hygiene, 1890, it leaves
behind, in passing through, any solid mat
ter that it may contain. As this matter
passes through an aerated soil it becomes
oxidized and is burned, and the water
which comes out is entirely free from
germs. If vegetation is added to a soil of
this nature, and especially if it is facilitated
and guided by the hand of man, these re-
suits reach degree that is remarkable. and
relatively limited surface Of ground will
purify au immense amount of water and
produce admirable crops.
ALFRED TENNysoN's school atlas sold for S45
at a recent sale in London.