The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-07-02
PURE WATER.
It II Hard to Obtain. but Nature Fur
nishes Much OF IT.

nishes Much OF II.
Impure streams that now through
agricultural and densely populated re-
gions are apparently purified by dilu.
ton from springs along the banks and
the infiowing smaller streams OF less
impure water. says the Engineering
Magazine. The by-products OF chem
ical factories that are thrown into
streams and which are neither re-
moved by chemical action nor by sed.
imentation are frequently so diluted
in few miles flow that the water be-
comes harmless although at the fac
tories It may be strong antiseptic.
Streams become purified to The great.
est extent however by a process OF
sedimentation which, in its origin. is
largely influenced by chemical action.
This takes place as the velocity OF the
current diminishes when much OF the
insoluble matter subsidies. removing
with II organic matter that would re.
main in suspension or solution for
many days Along slowly running
streams can be seen In summer or
ganic Accommodations on stones. laid
down by sedimentation. A careful
study OF the various natural processes
OF publication has led DR. Perry +
Frankland OF England to the conclu-
sion that not only is sedimentation the
principal cause OF the natural removal
Of decaying organic matter from river
water. but that 1t Is also the principal
cause OF the partial disappearance OF
germs The latter is OF great hygienic
Importance in both natural and arti-
dcial publication OF water
But nature does not completely re-
move organic matter. and micro-or-
ganisms fromLriver water The dis
lance required for u reasonable separ-
alton OF the former in our American
streams is generally not more than
fifteen or twenty miles. and often
much less. The Hudson river which
receives the sewage OF Troy becomes
reasonably free OF its organic matter
in the six or eight miles flow TO the
city of Albany. But owing to the
small size OF some OF the English
streams like the rivers Severn Tees
and Wear. and the great population
on their banks. the waters remain
unfit for use many miles below the
point OF contamination. and the royal
commissioners concluded that there is
not a river in all England sufficiently
long to free itself through natural
agencies of even moderate amount
OF sewage. The self-purihcation Of
water in streams is no guarantee that
it is wholesome at any distance below
the place where 1t is certainly con-
taminated with the products OF the
human body. for although the organic
matter and even the germs may be
largely removed it is unsafe 20 drink
water for any length of time that con-
tains even few infectious bacteria
When river water has once been pol
luted with excrementitious washing
from diseased patients 1t should never
be used directly or from city water
works with due consideration OF its
nature and the possibility of its pro.
ducing disease.
Nature also purifies water to con-
siderable extent in. freezing. and the
product deserves our attention. for
there is rapidly increasing demand
for ice in the United States where we
are already cutting some 20. 600. 600
/ tons annually. Those who frequently
examined ice and have followed Tyn-
dali, Cramer Leone Fraenkel Engel-
mann. Pengra. Prudden and others In
their Investigations know that water
is only partially purified in freezing.
| The freezing process removed fol
Pengra only from 20 to so per cent OF
the organic matter 40 per cent Of
! the organic salts and about 80 per
cent OF the micro-organisms. The
diminution of bacteria in water in
freezing is owing largely to their de.
struction. instead of expulsion. Bu
some species OF bacteria have great
power OF withstanding cold. and the
bacillus OF typhoid fever has beer
found in ice several months after III
formations; and there are many othel
classes of germs that cannot be de
stroyed by freezing alone. Wher
such impure ice Is melted the living
germs regain their activity. and /
pathogenic are capable OF producing
disease. Impure snow water is alst
sometimes detrimental to health
Some years ago DIR. Charles Smart o
the United States army traced thu
cause of o mountain fever to tn,
melting snow OF the Rocky mountain
streams and inferred that the germ
of this typho- malarial fever wer'
brought down from the atmospher
by snow. remained frozen during tn
winter and then passed into tn
streams in an active condition whel
the snow melted in May June an
July. 1t is frequently the case tina
impure ice is the agent OF transmit
ting typhoid and other fevers.
Her SON John.
Few men have ever combined stern