The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-09

natural waters as polluted to greater
or less degrees. Mountain spring waters
and properly filtered water being least
So" The important practical questions
to be considered in the study of water
are: What are the substances which
defilc the water supply? How may
these substances be detected, and what
is their significance? How shall inn
pure water be rendered fit Cor u.s.?
Substances communicating a water
supply may bc organic. of animal or
vegetable origin, or inorganic sub
| stances dissolved from soil and rocks
by the solvent action of water
The greater amount of COZ In water
the greater its solvent power, and the
wider the range of soluble substances.
Salts due to the action of acids derive
from decomposition of organic matter
on the bases In the rock" Organic
substances of animal and vegetable
rOrigin find their way into water supply
by Washings brought down from waite"
! sheds by rain fall, by Introduction OF
| sewage into water supply. either by Iii
rect opening of sewers into streams,
or by wilful pollution of springs, or by
! leakage of pipes. or walls of cess pools.
! Again, leaves, sawdust, vegetable mat
! ter, vegetable refuse OF various kinds
/ may enter the supply.
"OrganiC matter of animal origin Ia
| not of itself more dangerous To health
| than is organic matter of vegetable
origin. but il possesses great power
! for evil" Organic matter quickly un-
! derGoes decomposition ana oxidation.
| The G of organic matter combines with
- of .H2O to form COZ. while the y
! of organic matter is left to combine
with II Of R2O to form Ni9.
ACID is FORMED.
Nitrous acid is next formed which
| combines with those bases for which IL
| has affinity, and nitrites are formed.
| These are unstable bodies which are
| converted by the addition of oxygen
| into nitrates, ana represent the last
stage of oxidation of organic matter.
| 1t is of greatest importance to find out
! whether the organic matter present is
| of animal or vegetable origin. The
animal organic matter indicates that
| the way is open for the access of spec
| ifc poisons as typhoid feXer, dysentery
| and cholera, All waters, however
| pure, contain a small amount of free
| ammonia, Rain takes up ammonia
| which Is present in the atmosphere as
] result of the combustion of fuel and
| animal eXhalations. Sewage contain
ing urine always becomes ammOniacal.
Water containing urine yields large
amount of free ammonia, O,03-O.0S
| parts per million Is suspiCiously high
| The work of detection of injurious sub
stances in water belongs To the prov
| inCe of the analytical chemist and Ia
| the bacteriOlOgist The processes OF
obtaining such information being diff
ficult and tedious and requiring special
laboratory facilities ard special train
| ing.
We must bear in mind that an analy-
sis of water Is in no sense parallel with
the analysis of metals but is "a series
| of experiments undertaken with a view
to assist the judgment in determining
the suitability OF water for drinking
purposes" There exists differences IN
the formation of the soil i'm different
localities. This one thing makes very
often a radical difference i'm the fina
determination as TO the character OF
the water. As for example, "if com,
mon salt be found In a shallow well IN
a Hudson River valley ii is difficult tC
explain its presence except upon sup
position of contamination by sewage
whereas If the same amount OF salt be
found i'm deep well water at Syracuse
New York, il would be accounted un-
Objectionable.
HISTORY is NECESSARY.
The chemist must have knowledge
of the history OF the water. Nichols
says II is a great mistake to suppos,
that the proper way to consult a chem,
list is to send a sample of water I'm d
sealed vessel with no hint as to its
source. What Is called a golden rule
among chemists, and is insisted upon
runs thus; Never pass judgment upon