The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-28

sparkles In the container; but, on the
other hand, all turbid water is not dan
ge1ous while clear water may be ex-
tremely so. Turbidity may be due to
! filtration through soil or sand, but that in
itself is dangerous because the presence
of sand or silt, as 1t is called. in water
causes mechanical irritation of the bow
| ell and consequent diarrhoea until the
| system becomes habituated to the I'M
wonted irritation, as it will in the course
! Of time
Lake water, Especially when the basin
is situated among the hills. is probably as
! pure as can be naturally obtained, as It
Is fed by the springs that have but lit
| tie chance Of being contaminated by or
! ganic matter or disease germs It Is
! usually pure and soft and therein lies
| the slight danger that In it's passage
| through lead pipes L may dissolve a
minute quality of lead and thus become
poisonous, soft water having greater
| solvent powers than hard water, which
are already saturated with caIbonates, so
| that there is less free carbonic acid gas
to dissolve more minerals with which 1t
may come in contact Slight as may he
| the danger of lead poisoning from such
water 1t is none the less a real one and
| no doubt this will be one OF the sub
| jects to be investigated, as none have as
| yet done. In the causation of many OBJ
| SCuIe Ills OF cOHlpllcdLOnS OF disease IN
| city folk, who enjoy all the conveniences
of life and Incidentally many inconveni-
| ences Of which they are not aware.
Teetotalers, the word by the way was
probably coined by sufferer as ii IS
only long word for total, are not always
water drinkers, but it ls an astonishing
| fact that poor water leads 10 drinking
alcoholic liquors. The fear or knowledge
that water is impure leads to mixing it
NTH To 4,
ties, to kill" the germs, without the
| consideration that the remedy may be
| worse than the poison. SO pure water is
| q great moral agent.
Water, too, has an influence on the pur-
| ity of health as cleas,ng agent, for the
man who washes, from necessity, In
| handful of water, cannot be so clean or
| keep his person as healthful as the man
| who has water to waste with no one
to say be economical. This Is less no
! tioeeble in our own country, but in Ca
cutta the water supply is based upon an
| average supply Of thirty gallons per day
! TO Europeans and fifteen gallons per day
| to the natives, and 1t Is among the ma
| tives that the plague and other filth dis
eases arise and tester.
incidentally, water may be mildly and
! benehcially a stimulant sedative. II
would be too much to cay that water
alone should form mans only beverage,
but IT is the only wholesome regular drink
OF health. To the majority Of people
| glass Of water Is most beneficial after
| rising In the morning (but don't keep 1t
| in the sleeping room over night, for the
water is great absorbent of vapors and
things). Such a morning draft is
| gentle tonic which may be continued
| for lifetime and add to life too without
! injury. II also stimulates the stomach
and bowels and Is just as necessary for
| wahing them out as is the morning wash
of face and hands. Some time before
| dinner another draught may be taken
with advantage as an appetizer, but be-
ware Of drinking large quantities of wa
| ter with the food as 1t leads to that over
full feeling after eating, besides causing
| indigestion by washing down the food in
| an imperfectly chewed condition and by
| irritating and distendlng the stomach as
| well as by chilling 1t.
| In fevers, too, plenty Of cold water Is
! beneficial and innocuous contrary 10 the
| old belief which unfortunately still lin
| gers that water ought to be denied sick
person, in consequence of which thou
sands Of our poor ancestors literally died
from thirst, for thirst Is more terrible
and more potent than hunger and de-
| priyation- Of water more fatal than de-
| privation OF food Yet even In this there
| is a caution water should not be drunk too
1 freely during acute diseases of the lungs
| and throat, nor in diarrhoea, nor should