The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-25
COPPER KILLS
TYPHOID GERMS
Water Purified Simply by Allow
ing It to Stand in a Copper
Vessel.
Government Tests Prove Plans
: ALPHABETICALLY Also for
q Cholera Bugs.

Philadelphia, Aug. 25.-United
States government experts have dis
covered and DR.. Edward Martin, di-
rector of public health and charities,
stands sponsor for the statement.
that
Typhoid-fever germs may be re-
moved from water without boiling or
filtering.
1t is only necessary to let water
stand four hours in copper kettle
in a livingroom temperature, or twen-
ty-four hours in a refrigerator.
Water will receive sufficient col
loidal impregnation from the vessel to
kill typhoid fever and cholera germs.
DR.. Martin Celebrates upon this
statement as follows:
All typhoid fever germs in water may
be removed without boiling the water by
allowing it to stand for four hours or
longer, but positively not less than four
hours, In a copper vessel, provided the
vessel be placed in a livingroom tempera-
ture. If the vessel be placed in cold
place. or in a refrigerator, the water
should be allowed to stand for not less
than twenty -four hours, and the same re-
suits will be obtained
Copper Kills the Germs.
Recent experiments upon the part Of
government experts, as we'll as by noted
chemists in various parts of the country
and abroad, in the matter Of obtaining
pure water by treating it with copper in
various ways, have resulted in establish
ing the scientific fact which I have stated.
That copper possesses such properties
has, of course, been known in a popular
way for some time, just as there has
been, also, a popular fallacy that copper
vessels are poisonous.
Today it is accepted an incontrovertt-
BILE scientific fact that copper dissolved in
n III cto TO will L
germs, and also cholera germs in water.
Left standing for four hours in cop
per vessel, water will absorb enough COL
lotdal impregnation from the vessel to
kill off the germs, and there will be alb
solutely no i'll effects from drinking the
water.
The government Is already taking
steps I understand, to have the canteens
which are carried by the troops lined
with copper, thereby making every SOL
diers equipment, as it were, a portable
filtration plant.
Secret known to Sayages.
What Is now scientific fact has been
known in a crude fashion to many semi
civilized tribes in Africa and elsewhere
who will drink water only out Of copper
vessels, ascribing to that metal miracu-
1ous attributes in the way of protection
against cholera.
In some instances this custom has de-
veloped into actual worship. $500 s.
It is also a fact that the French gov
eminent is about to adopt the use of cop
per utensils extensively for the handling
of water in the army and navy. The
French authorities have also refused to
prosecute persons who use copper for the
purpose of sealing preserving cans and
other purposes, altho the copper has been
supposed, until recently, to be a cause OF
what is generally termed ptomaine pois-
onng.
1t is not the copper vessel itself that
causes trouble. It is the dirt or verdigris
that; from lack of cleanliness may be ir
it or on 1t. If ordinary care is used with
copper vessels, there Is no more danger
of verdigris than there would be in the
case Of earthenware, tin or iron vessels.