Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-07
j. W. MALLET.


Professor Mallet plainly says that No.
Damee-riYer water) seems to be Of very fair
character, but the results for No. (Dr. BIC
Cures wel-water) rs To total solids, chlorine,
free ammonia, and especially nitrites and
nitratcs show this TO be OF totally different
nature. and class u among waters OF highly
Suspicious character. Professor Manet evil
IDENTIFY expresses an opinion here based upon
results obtained from chemical analysis alone.
II DR.. Mcclure still prefers 20 drink water OF
"highly suspicious character" am sure neither
] nor the public will object Professor Mallet
clearly does not mean 70 state that chemistry
does not show whether water is healthy and III
20 drink. he merely Il presume) means TO say
that chemical analysis does not betray the germs
OF typhoid, cholera. &C.
Or. TAYLoR's ANALYSIS.
An analysis and report was also made by Or.
William H. Taylor, State Chemist, October 10,
1891, which give below. DIR. Taylor ls I'M
biased and unprSjudiced, and most skllled In ms
Profession DIR. Taylor in this report. after
giving the result Of an analysis OF sample
OF mino water, adds:
ain connection with this investigation have
thought Il advisable also 10 examine our city
water. the results OF which examination ap-
pend. The sample was taken on the l1th In
slant from hydrant in my laboratory, ana Is
consequently not the hypothetical water OF
river or a creek or q mine, but the actual water
wo drink. IL was decidedly opalescent In APP
pearance but not az all turbid. Rain had fallen
quite copiously the day before, but there had
been no other extensive rains recently. The re-
suits are in grains per gallon OF 23l cubic
inches.
Organic and volatile matter........ 1888
Mineral matter. .4'oo1A
ro,., solids S9s7
Free ammonia OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES .uVOo
Albumnoid ammonia................' .Vu3f
lhlollne. 800
Nitrogen IN nitrateS. .OOSo
Nitrogen IN NObe'
"In respect 20 freedom from harmful sub
stances this is the best sample Of oar water
have ever examined. The results OF the Analysis
arc very satisfactory and ought 70 dispel tho de-
iusive apprehension which some or US teoi that
the water is so impure as to cause disease. That
Il can do this was never anything more than an
opinion, while the facts al point the other way"
EXAMINED FOR BACTERIA.
In consideration OF the fact that Professor
Mnllet and DR.. Taylor had made only chemical
analyses OF our drinking-Watsr, and the idea
prevailed that the water was unhealthy on &C,
count OF the bacteria it contained, concluded
that IL would be best 70 have the waters ex-
amlned for bacteria. | sent two samples OF
water, drawn from the faucet in my office, TO
Professor Z. A. Fuertes, Cornell University,
Ithica, n. Y, who made his report November
O. 1891. The number OF bacteria found per
cubic centlmeter IN one sample was nfty, ana In
the other seYenty-tHo. lilo states That tho
number Of plant forms found were small and
not OF q character 20 attach suspicion 20 them.
SO II will DO seen that q mlcroscopcal and bio
logical examination was made 10 ana what
germs our drinkng-water contained, ana those
found were few in number and unsuspicious.
That report il as follows;
Dear Sr,-The two samples Of water sent by
you TO this college on October 2Sth uitimo, for
the purpose 81 sanitary examination arrived in
excellent condition. the temperature Of the bot
tie packed In ice being between z degrees and
degrees when opened. The results d the ex-
animation fail 10 discover anything harmful in
the water, which seems to be Of good quality in
oil respects. microscopical examination
shows small number OF plant forms, but they
are not OF q character 20 attach suspicion 70 the
water. The following table contains the results
obtained In parts per million: