The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-12-04
correspondence.
PURE DRINKING WATER AND PUBLIC
HEALTH.

SanitarianS are a unit in declaring
that "a pure water supply is the first
requisite for the heaithfUlness of
anv locality. "Pure water" in a
sanitary sense means water unpol-
luted by human or animal excre-
menta. All surface waters-that is
the rivers, ponds and lakes-are
o or less impure. Shallow wells,
such as are foundin most farm yards,
are as "a general thing grossly pol
luted and are the real source and
fountain of half or more of the i'll
health,-malaria, rheumatism and
fevers-which the family suffers.
Human life and suffering are held
too cheaply in most rural neighbor-
hoods.
The water commonly supplied to
cities and towns by water companies
is far-from being pure even after 1t
has been purified by liberation.
The purest natural waters are those
from deep ~artesian wells and gush-
ing springs next to these ranks rain
water caught on clean surface after
"a previous shower has washed the
atmosphere clear of dust. But the
average rain water caught on Il
filthy. bird-defled roof and stored in
ii cis+ern rarely cleaned is neither
pure nor wholesome
By law all public water companies
doing business in North Carolina are
required to have their supply ex-
amined chemically and biOlOgically
at least quarterly. Such uncon-
nected examinatiOns-Often done by
different persons ignorant of what
has been done before on same water,
are of very'little intrinsic value and
are no real protection to the 0
sumner against being infected by
water borne typhoid germs. To be
of real value water analyses must be
systematically and frequently made
in order to determine the normal
biology of the water supply. This
normal determined, subsequent eX-
aminatiOns must be frequent enough
to Indicate promptly and certainly
any departure from the mean or
normal line. Such examinations
will at the same time, by determin-
ing the species which has become
abnormal in numbers, Indicate the
source of the trouble, provided the
analyst is personally we'll informed
as to the surroundings of the water
supply.
To afford real safety a public water
supply if drawn from surface drain
age-ponds or rivers-shouId be ex-
amined biologically at least weekly
and chemically at least monthly. A
water from deep wells is less liable
to vary from its normal than surface
water. But any drinking water
showing apparent and abrupt changes
in color, smell or taste should be
at once analysed before being used.
If it must be used in meantime IN
lack of any other supply, the water
should always be boiled before being
used.
There are many forms of domestic
filters upon the market often with
fulsOme testimonials" to back pre-
~pOsterous claims Upon all of these
filters, except those of the Pasteur-
Chamberlain type, the scientific
biologist must pronounce an anatl-
ema. These filters after any con
siderable use pollute, instead Of
purifying, the water. They serve as
breeding nests for all filth bacteria
including typhoid germs-found in
the water. These bacteria breed far
more rapidly in the filters themselves
than they can do in the water. The
usual form of domestic filter removes
the suspended soil carried by most
river waters. But such soil is not
in itself noxious to health. It's re-
moval is amatter of aesthetics rather
than health. The clear, filtered
water is apt to be far more danger
Gus than the turbid unfiltered water?
Any one can make an efficient filter
for removing sediment from water
by placing d square of white flannel
over a funnel and renewing the tur-
bid water through this. The fan
nels should be removed and washed
clean several times daily if much
water is filtered.
The organisms commonly found in
water supplies may be grouped as
follows: