The record-union., 1894-05-18
DOCTORS FAVOR GOOD WATER.
The Board of Health Thinks the City
Very Fortunate.
That Is, If the Clearwater Contract
ors Can Be Held to Their
Agreement.

There was a special meeting Of the City
Board Of Health last evening to consider
the matter Of pure water supply Tor the
city, in accordance with the action OF the
Board cf Trustees at it's last meeting.
President Wizard presided, and there
were present also Drs. Fowler Secretary,
Glow and Waggoner.
Secretary Fowler read communlca-
ton from the City Trustees, embodylng
the resolution of that body submitting
to the Board of Health the analysis OF the
Oak Park water made by State Analyst
Rising, also the report made by +. e.
Ray local druggist.
These analyses have already been pub
lished in these columns.l
DR.. Glow was the first to give his views
on the subject. He held that water to be
healthful should be clear, sparkling and
colorless. 1t should contain but a small
quantity of solid material, and be en-
tIrely free from organic matter. 1t
should not contain more than eighteen
parts in I00,0 900 of the alkaline earths; but
fractional part, by weight, OF soluble
salts, particularly the sulphates and nj
trates; the variation of the solids neld in
solution and the temperature must be
very little throughout the year, and, fin
ally, water must be protected from con-
tamination.
1t seemed to him that both analyses
practically agreed as to the purity OF the
water for drinking purposes. One OF the
analysts, however, objected to it OH the
score of its alleged hardness for washing
purposes. There are many objections to
be urged against the river water, while
that of the wells from which it is proposed
~ hn oil 10 nd ON 6f w
than that OF most of the cities OF the
Union.
DR.. Waggoner said the water analyZed
seemed TO be almost absolutely pure. 1t
was far less harsh than that obtained
from wells in the lime-rock districts OF
the East. AS to the salt it contains, he
supposed he daily consumed more OF
that article than would be contained in
ten barrels of the water.
The little lime it contains he regarded
as beneficial, as some lime is necessary
for the system. He had no hesitancy in
recommending it for all purposes, Ii it
should be found a tritie hard for wash
ing, the lime could very easily be precipi-
tated. Possibly water might be found
with less lime, out it could not be OBJ
tanned at figure within the reach of the
city.
In conclusion. he did not hesitate to
say that he would recommend the water
in question for all purposes.
DIR. Wizard read from a standard scien-
Etlc work on water, in which the author
held that even as high as fifty grains of
solid matter to the gallon would not ne
ceSSarlly render water unsuitable for use.
A certain hardness of water was desirable
under certain conditions. 1t had been
demonstrated that soft water, used by
breweries, made the beer vapid, while a
certain hardness produced much better
beer. Salt to certain extent was not
only not Objectionable, but desirable.
Water might contain from 80 to 100 grains
OF solids without rendering it objection
able.
DR.. Wizard said he was, however, not
disposed to act hastily in the matter The
City Trustees had deliberated over it for
six months, and had given the Board of
Health only few days to consider sub
ject OF great importance. He would like
little more time to inquire into the mat
ter.
DIR. Glow thought it was only desired
that the Board of Health should express
its opinion as 10 the results shown by the
Two analyses made OF the water. That of
Mr.. Ray he did not think entitled to any
serious consideration, as his objection to
the water was based simply on its alleged
hardness for washing purposes. He was
not afraid but that any one would be able
TO obtain good bath by the use of rea-
sonable quantity OF soap. The question
Is, is the water more desirable than that
OF the present supply? In his opinion
there was no question on that point.
DR.. Fowler quoted from Mr.. Rays
analysis 10 show that it agreed with that
OF Professor Rising on all points except
as to its hardness. In other respects their
analyses are almost Identical. Mr.. Ray
says gallon OF this water will REQUIRE
l92 grains OF soap to make good lather.
Admitting this to be a fact, it could not
be urged as an objection.
If there is one thing that can be said in
favor of the river water. il is that it is
exceedingly soft. 1t certainly is softer
than any spring or mountain stream
water, after traversing through alluvial
soils Tor hundreds of miles. A fair test
as to hardness would be TO compare this
we'll water with that of Stockton and
other places where they are obliged to
use water that is infinitely harder than
this well water. Even at Mr.. Rays esti-
mate of soap to be used, this well water
would, DR.. Fowler believed. be found far
better than the water used by the major
ity of cities for domestic purposes.
DR.. Wizard said that after a more care
ful perusal of Professor Rising's analy-
sis, he was perfectly satisfied with it.
Professor Rising declares that. while the
water is not quite as soft as that of the
river, it is not a hard water. And both
his and Mr.. Rays analyses show that it
is not.
1t was the unanimous opinion of the
members present that the board should
report to the Trustees its unqualified ap-
proyal OF the water for city purposes,
but definite action was deferred until an
other meeting, when Drs. Huntington
and Gardner could be present.