New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-13
ALWAYS WATCHING FOR MICROB
HOW THE WATER SUPPLY OF THE CITY rs EK-
AHMED BY CHEMISTS FOR IMPURITIES.

When New-York takes drink OF water from
faucet in his house he swallows liquid which con
tains about hundred parts OF foreign matter 70
million parts Of water Generally speaking no
bad effects follow. and the subject Is dismissed
from the mind One never thinks what elaborate
precautions the city takes 70 protect its citizens
from the deadly germs which often find agree
able habtaton in the reservoirs and other sources
from which the public Is supplied
But the city has corps Of watchful sentinsls.
armed with the most improved instruments and
paraphernaIia known to science. whose duty it is
20 make constant tests of'the quality OF water in
the various sources The headquarters OF this
force. whom depends. IN great measure. the
welfare Of the citizens, is situated on command
ing height which overlooks Prospect Park and the
Eastern Parkway. in Brooklyn This height is the
Mount Prospect Reservoir and the building which
stands on one OF its slopins sides is the Mount
Prospect laboratory. This is where the drinking
water from all the boroughs Of Greater New-Tork
is tested TO ascertain the percentage Of its i'm
purity
Although the work is OF large importance. 1t was
until the beginning of the present year that
the laboratory was organized a basis cOmpaJi-
bic with its usefulness The establishment OF such
a station had been repeatedly recommended BY
the chief engineer OF the Water Department in
Brooklyn. T NJ De Varora. but little attention
was paid 70 the requests In 1896 the water IN
Brooklyn became contaminated by vegetable
growths that chemists had TO be employed to dis
cover whether the impurities were dangerous Ex-
animation brought out the fact that while the
water had a bad odor and some color. there
dangerous pollution. The work however. showed
the need of systematic and scientific method Of
testing and an appropriation was secured for the
establishment and maintenance OF a comprehensive
laboratory
Prior to this engineer in one OF the outlying
districts might find thar the supply ponds were
becoming contaminated. He would express sam
pie Of the drinking 70 the laboratory II the
expressman happened be good hurnor the
sample was delivered If not it went astray some
where between the starting point and its desJina-
ton and there were questions asked Now there
is a system regulating the work Two hundred
samples received each week Engineers in
charge Of section stations take up the samples.
making note OF the general condition Of the ponds.
and send full particulars with the samples. which
are delivered promptly
At the Mount Prospect laboratory they are sub
tected to searching tests. which come under three
general heads-namely chemical. microscopical and
ba meteorological The chemical test is applied to
determine the amount OF both free and albumenoid
ammonia, nitrites. nitrates, temporary and peTma-
nent hardness chlorides iron and the total residue
OF evaporation The microscopical test determines
the amount Of all miscroscopicaI organisms. or the
organisms of a higher order than bacteria The
ARCHAEOLOGICAL test determines the total number OF
bacteria to the cubic centinletre IN the sample
This is merely the regular routine II there Is
any reason 10 suppose that any stream has be-
come polluted a sample is put through further
course Of examination
Bacteria are treated with the utmost kindness
and consideration at the laboratory. Should
typhoid cholera or other horrible bacillus ind its
way into a sample. there is renewed interest among
the chemists There are three or four incubators
kept at blood heat always ready 70 nurse the
deadly germs. Into test tubes is placed a mixture
OF beef bouiIIon and sugar. and then some Of the
polluted water is poured in. the opening Of the
tube is plugged with cotton and the whole thing
is placed in the incubator BacilH fond Of
beef bouillon and sugar. they thrive on it and
grow fat. This process decomposes the sugar. set
ting free mixture OF gases which rise to the top
of the tube The composition OF the liquid and gas
is then examined and the percentage Of COntamf-
nation in the water IS determined
At the Mount Prospect Laboratory they say thar
there IS no such thing absolutely pure water