The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-22

& Editor or Inc LINES.
Sir-Tie citizens OF Richmond are inter-
ostea In getting good drinking water and
We think they ought to know what steps
have been taken in this direction. Super
.nteadent Boiling has for many years
: been pegging away at the subject OF cienr
water for Kschnieid. and It seems that
there IS now some prospect of his efforts
being rewarded, 10 the great benefit of
the city. Ii does not need a scientist 10
see that our wafer does not come up TO
che standard OF pure and wholesome, for
health experts lay 1t down that such a
wster mus be colorless. transparent,
With no odor or sediment. and pleasant to
the taste. From the meteorological stand
point Richmond water is unusually salts
factory. Much is still unknown about the
causation OF disease. but IL is known posi-
lively THAI typhoid fever and cholera nre
generally produced by bacteria introduced
Into the system by wafer. There is
strong probability .ilat malaria. yellow
fever and diphtheria are introduced in
the same manner 1t is positive TINT
many forms of diarrhoea,= 6ySentery ana
other intestinal disturbances are due 10
sdecor1posinG vegetable animal matter,
which may he introduced through wafer.
: or the bacterial diseases we need only
concern, ourselves about typhoid fe.reT. Tor
: the obvious reason that Asiatic cholera is
would eliminate typhoid fever would also
eliminate any other bacteria The ordi-
nary citizen who sees scientific statements
about the enormous number of bacterin
contained IN minute quantity OF water
is apt TO be alarmed and think who then
can be ssaved2" But he must remember
that the vas. majority, and possibly all
gof these. are harmless; that while bac-
terra are rresen. everywhere in immense
numbers. only a few eccentric species have
The faculty Of producing disease in the
human being.
THE MAIN FAULT.
The main fault with Rchnond's wafer
IS that It is not clear and transparent,
and at times. on Standing, does acquire a
distinct odor, Indicative of decornposing
animals or vegetable matter. We believe
that as a cause of disease our water COM
srares fsavorahly with the water supply of
most OF the large cities IL the United
States, but this is no good reason for not
making it satisfactory in other respects.
IL our water is made clear whatever
disease-bearing properties it may have
will be eliminated, and. moreover. it would
be satisfaction even TO those who dc
not mind drinking this unprepossessing
mixture 20 know that when we washed
our bodies md household appliances they
would be clean.
How can James River water be made
clear2 The report presented to the COM
snirtee OF the City Council last winter by
;Dr. J. W A1allet. Professor of Chemistry
OF the University OF Virginia: DIR. f. C.
Levy. Professor Of Bacteriology of the
Medical College CT Virginia, and Superin-
PENDENT Charles e. Boiling, considered the
pracficability and efficiency Of the various
schemes. These are sedimentation and fiji
traHon- BY sedimentatson IS meant the
storing Of the water IN large settling basins
and allowing the suspended matter to go
10 the bottom. DIR. Mallets experiments
With such procedure show that water which
was decidedly turbid and of strong, yell
-fonrish brown color, in twenty days had be-
come almost but not quite clear. and that
the suspended solids were reduced to less
than one-third Of what they were at the
Beginning. 1t has been objected that water
standing in storage basins for many days
tsEill become so infected with disease bear