The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-19

ucies or organic substances. such ss oscom'
posing animal OF vegetable matter.
or the latter class tho chemist usually finds
such th ngs as Diuates and nitrites. free
ammonia. chlorine and various other chemical
substances. Tho nitntes nre usually the
product Of decomposition. following the
contamination OF wafer with sewage.
HARD AND SOFT WATERS.
Water Is usually spoken OF as either hard or
soft. Hard waters contains lime and magno-
sium salts, or other chemical substances
wiieb curdle soap. The impurities usually
found in soft water are inconsidsrable.
A simple and convenient method of deter
mining whether q water is hard or soft is by
means OF tincturs OF soap. This preparation
produces no effect when added to pure
distilled water. When combined with soft
water il causes a slight opaloscence. while
with hard water milky appearance Is pro-
duced, which latter is due TO the formation
OF an insoIubo compound through the COM
bination of the fatty acids of the soap with
the lime or magnesium salts existing in tho
water as impurities.
PURE WATER
Pure water is tranparent, colorless. .tastsisss
and ooorless. A"y water that Is turbid,
with On odor and unpleasant taste may bo
In order TO DO Mt for cooking and drinking.
water need not be chemically pure. Natural
water is seldom IL over free from foreign
ingredients.
On tho other hand water may meet all the
other requirements given above and yet be
dangerous becaus it is Contaminated with
disease germs, such as the bacilli Of tpy yhoid
and malaraI fevers.
Bacteria may be found in oil well waters.
When well is frequently pumped out and
allowed 10 refill tho number of bacteria is al
most always greatly diminished. The bacteria
usually found in w,llwaier are comparatively
harmless. 1t is only when the water bscomss
contaminated with sewage contsining the
dangerous varieties ths. use " the water
becomes pe,ilous.
In water from we'll protected spring the
number OF bacteria is usually very small. IN
the water of lakes bacteria are abundant near
the shore. while very fow are ioand in the
water obtained fron tho M iddle OF the lake.
IMPROVES ny zxsPING.
Water is said to DO improved by storing for
q time. AS there is not sufficient sustenance
in tho water. a sort OF starvation process is
carried out, and the bacteria perish and fall
TO the bottom.
still entertained by many. Repeated expert
ments have proved that freezing merely
renders them insctivs and that they multiply
with great rapidi'y the ice is
melted and the conditions are favorable.
Mineral springs are, AS a rule. moro or less
free from bscieiis. This freedom i. attributed
to the carbon 10 acid gas with which the water
is impregDated.
There /, no simI ls method otascertsining
the presence OF bacteria in water. The
microscope 10 usually employed for that pur-
pose. There is IA preparation known as
Pasteur's solution that is somtimss used.
This solution consist OF ten parts OF candy
sugar, one part of tartrate OF ammonia, one
hundred parts of water and the ash OF one
part of yeast.
TO TrsT WATER.
The solution Is mixed with suspected water
IN flask. II tho solution remnins clear il Is
an Indication that the water is free from
bacteria. II it becomes subs, ,qusntly turbid
it means that bacteria are present. Although
there is no simple method OF deiermining the
presence of impurities in wnter. there is a
very 'imple way of rendering IL III for use, at
least so far rs bacteria are concerned. Boiling
will destroy them. one aud all.
IL is only necessary to boil the water fivs
minutes. but 1t Is better 10 bell II 10 or even
l5 minutes when there is reason TO suspect
Contamination of a serious character.
many people believe that by mixing an
equal quantity OF wine with water cont aiming
bacteria harmless drink may Ss made. This
impresson is erroneous. IL is true that some
bacteria perish in tho mixture. but ths
majority 60 NOT.
People entertaining such m idea would
better follow the Biblical ipjuncrion a.
drink no longer water. but use "a little win.
for thy ktoInach's sal y.
J. y. WuITMEYER. NJ. ID.