New-York tribune., 1904-08-26
DISINFECTION WITH OZONE.

An experiment is to be tried in Phila-
delphia which may be of value to commune
ties that in need of purer water supplies
than they now enjoy. private corporation
In that city Is erecting plant on the banks
of the Schuylkill for the purpose Of showing
II possible, the superiority OF dsinfection with
ozone over the system of sand filtration adopt
ed by the municipality and already in service
along the Delaware. The method about to be
tried has been introduced on q small scale in
two or three foreign cities. but is practically
unknown in America. 1t differs from that en-
ployed by Albert r. Wolf of this city. ten or
twelve years ago, and by NJ. Hermite in France.
Those men treated salt water with electricity,
and thus liberated both ozone and chlorine.
The new process produces only the former
and obtains it from the air. BY means OF suita-
bic electrical apparatus the oxygen is separated
from the other gases with which it is asso-
Ciated, and IS so modified as 10 acquire power
ful germlcdal properties. These are exercised
upon contaminated water If the ozone is per-
mitted TO bubble up through the fluid, and nj
the same time the latter is clarified and deo-
dorzed.
Up 10 the present time filtration has done
more for the publication Of water in which the
bacteria Of typhoid fever and other diseases
nre present than any other mode OF treatment
Its benefits not uniform. Through mistakes
~ diLJ4L4SAlAtlb!l II PROFESSIONALLY ldilS iD Weld
the expected results. At best il only reduces
the number of microbes. II does not complete
ly eliminate them. Still II has materially low.
cred the death rate in many localities which
formerly suffered a heavy mortality. To con
vince disinterested sanitary engineers that tha
use ~ oZ0ne viii prove more satisfactory In
the long run will be by no means easy. \ sys-
tenn which works admirably IN the laboratory
does not always behave equally well on a large
scale. II is easy 10 believe that II globue OF
ozone comes in contact with a mlschlevous
bacillus the latter viii be instantly killed
Whether n sufficiently thorough comminglinc
of the gas with the water can he insured 10
reach all the germs in the fluid is another ques-
ton. second essential 10 efficiency is con
tnuity of operation. If the machinery gets out
Of order there must be an interruption either
Of the water supply or Of the disnfectlon and
instances Of the latier kind appea, 10 have oc.
Cured al Wieshaden II is 10 be hoped that
the apparatus which is about 10 be installed I'm
Philadelphia will have nm endurance test 10
clear mp uncertainty on this point. II the men
under whose auspices the venture is made can
also demonstrate the economy Of the process
they will overcome doubts which have been en-
tertained by experts who apparently have none
regarding its excellence.
Cities which cannot supervise and control
the territory from which their water supply
comes are exposed to peculiar danger Prac-
tcally all of the typhoid epidemics which oc-
cur in this country and Europe result from
such inability 10 prevent contamination The
only resource left In cases of that kind. is 10
purify the water before IT is distributed for con.
sumption. The number Of communities which
have neglected to adopt one safeguard or an
other is astonshingly large. In the near future
the scope Of their choice may be considerably
widened In dozen or more places the cop
per sulphate system is undergoing n trial this
year. and before many more months have
elapsed a correct judgment of it's value should
be possible. If the regeneration Of water from
the filthy and poisonous Schuylkill should prove
effective and cheap, An additional instrument
for much needed sanitation will he available