The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-26
OUR WATER SUPPLY.
,Y ]. FREDERICK HALLER. A. n. NJ. D.

Ii behooves us who live in towns 10 see
that all removable and available draw
backs be eliminated, in order that we may
live as healthily as possible and give our
progeny every chance we can for the bat
ties of life. A serious drawback TO dwell
ers in "a town is poor quality OF drink
ing water. Should we say that the water
supply of the city of Providence is poory
Comparison with the waters of other
large cities is rather favorable TO us, ana
while the water derived from the Paw
tuxet river is not superior in quality, IL
ranks among the best, III we base our OBJ
servations upon the quantity OF organic
and mineral matter contained therein. Ihe
recent revelations made about the pollu-
tion Of the Pawtuxet riverand its tributa-
ries are very timely aud useful, TO arouse
public sentiment TO the dangers with
which we are confronted.
But the matter should be investigated
in calm, impartial manner. A commis
sion made up of physicians. sanitary engi-
neers and Others learned in such matters
should he appointed To investigate the
question fully and report at an early date
about the extent of the pollution, the
dangers arising therefrom TO the health
of consumers ana suitable remedies
therefor
The words Of Mayor Goodwin of Paw
tucket, in his message TO the city govern
ment for 1890 are timely:
"our sewage will have to be disposed of in
a manner that will not pollute the waters OF
the Moshassuck river, If the city does not
wish To have trouble with the city of Provi-
dence."
The unsophisticated observer who re-
marked that the wisdom of the Creator
was wonderfully demonstrated by the fact
that large river always ran past an i'm
portant town" was not so far away from
truth, though he got things a little topsy
turvey. IL is fact that much sewage,
dyestufis, human and animal excretory
matter and other impurities are discharged
taries directly or during heavy rainfalls.
This has resulted III killing of or driving
away about all the fish. The Pawtuxet
Valley is dotted with mills and villages,
and no discretion has been used in empty
ing all their garbage and refuse into the
Pawtuxet river Millions OF money have
been spent elsewhere in trying TO deal
satisfactorily with such questions Before
one can properly discuss the matter, how
ever, one must consider the habits and
number of people who pollute the water,
physical conditions, the length of the
river, the character and quantity of refusal
emptied into il, the swiftness of its flow,
the plants and trees and soil along the
river and many other matters.
When one has noticed all these facts
then-and first then-is person prepared
TO discuss the question.
There is much truth in the old state
ment, Put back on the lana what you
have taken from il. or some day there will
be no beef and no bread" II we have as
certained the habits and number OF people
living near the river and the amount of
refusal they empty into IL then we must
notice the physical conditions, the plants
and trees and soil along il and the veloci-
ty of its flow.
If the refuse goes through loamy soil,
il is:a fact, ascertained by laboratory ex-
periments, that one cubic yard of this soil
will filter eight gallons of sewerage initwen-
ty-four hours. the soil being drained at
depth of six feet, the efiiuent therefrom
having obtained wonderful degree of
purity. Human and animal excretory
matter attach themselves To the surfaces
of the particles Of earth by kind of cohe-
sve attraction and much sewage is dis
posed of in this way The oxygen of the
air attacks it. very readily in this man.
ner The organic carbon thus becomes
carbonic acid, their nitrogen is converted
into nitrous or nitric acid, which unite
with lime, magnesia aud other basic
matters present.
Mechanically suspended impurities are
arrested by the plants and grasses along
the river But here is where the danger
comes in The soil through which the
water flows will soon become saturated
with the sewage, Sewage SICK" and can
allow for the small amount taken up by
vegetation along the river. III the soil
could be dug over, shaken up and aeratcd
at frequent intervals It would take up the
greater part of the impurities, but as 1T
cannot, the sewage is not arrested In its
onward flow and thus the danger from
pollution is constantly increased.
Wittham's chemistry tells us that
Fats, resins. and in general organic sub
stances containing large number OF car
bonic atoms, are insoluable in water, or
only at high temperatures and under pres
sure" The danger to our citizens from
this source is not so much from the chem
icals. dyestuffs and waste from the mills,
but more from what is poured into the
tributaries aud added to all along the
course of the river from cesspools, drains,
manure heaps, human and animal excreta
This filth converts the water into an in
siduous poison fraught with disease and
death.
The water may be clear or sparkling,
and not unpleasant to the taste, so that
its polluted condition is not suspected,
until serious illness breaks out in the
household, illness which Enthusiastically
points to filth as the originating cause.
IL is always well to remember that il a
water is contaminated, neither admixture
of wine or spirit, nor filtration will make
il safe to drink. Typhoid fever is essen
TALLY disease OF contaminated drinking
water Other low fevers, diarrhpa, dys-
entery, diphtheria, liberated sore throat
and minor ailments, particularly CASTRO.
intestial diseases of children, have over
and over again been traced to this source.
What remedies have we at our disposal
Legislative enactment first of all, where
by the inhabitants of the villages along
the river could be restricted AS TO the dis
posal of their sewage, particularly the
refuse from mills aud the filth from cess
pools, drains, manure heaps, human and
animal eXcreta.
This, we hope, will be done, for the cti
zens who live along the PawtuXeJ river
cannot but feel interested in the health OF
the citizens of Providence.
Next we must look to publication of
the water In the river
As / said before, many impurities are
arrested in the soil. Some are taken up
and broken up by the plants, grasses and
trees along the river. But the soil and
vegetation must become sewage sick
pretty soon and unable TO take up more
NTH, and rs a result il flows merrily on
on its road 10 mischief. We can purify
the river in various ways. Let us look TO
mother nature and her mode of wholesale
filtering Let us endeavor TO have the
water pass through land thickly planted
with the Anacharis or American weed.