The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-15
PURE WATER FOR TROOPS.
A Serious Problem Solved by the Portable
Ozone Sterilization Plant.

The use OF ozone as a sterilization agent
for drinking water 10 now we'll known. IL
has been practically applied with marked
success In several localities. The own OF
Paderborn, Germany. which used to suffer
annually from typhoid. has been entirely
freed from that dread disease by an ozone
plant which has now been in constant use
day and night for several years. supplying
all the thinking water OF the town.
At first this method was used only in ex-
perimental work in scientific meteorological
institutions, but OF late years 1t has been
applied to the sterilization OF drinking water
for communities, and indeed for towns Of
considerable size; finally. it has been used
on portable military plants to supply troops
In the field.
The Russians used such plants in Manchuria
during the recent war with Japan. and one
was also established at Vladivostok.
Siemens d Halske, the great mauufac-
turers OF electrical apparatus in Germany.
construct ozone apparatus for all purposes.
The ozone is formed in the usual simple
way by passing sparks Thy means OF an inter
rupted electric c%urrent) through air. and the
resulting ozonized air Is then forced through
the water to be sterilized. Either the oon-
slant or the alternating current may be used.
the construction varying accordingly.
An ordinary laboratory ozone plant re-
quires q motor Of about q to 4 h~orse-powe r
and furnishes from q current Of dry air low-
ing at the rate of 6oo-l 600 pints an hour
about 80 or 90 grains an hour OF fairly con-
centrated ozone.
Such ozone plants are used In the breweries
in Munich. Germany. In st. Petersburg for
drinking water and in Astrachan for mineral
water.
The military portable plants for use In the
field consist of two wagons. one for the
engine and dynamo. the other for the ster-
~ilization proper. The former has a benzine
motor, a direct connected alternating cur
rent machine with direct current dynamo for
the primary current Of the transformer: a
water pump, to pump the water into the
sterilizing apparatus: n blower which de-
livers the air previously dried by calcium
chloride) to the sterilizing apparatus: and
finally reserve tubes and other reserve ma
terial. The other wagon has two Siemens
ozone boxes lone as reserve), with eight ozone
tube elements. a transformer, three rapid
filters for altering the water before It enters
the tower or cylinder. and the sterilization
cylinder.
Each portable plant furnishes two or three
cubic yards OF water an hour and requires a
motor Of about two horsepower to run It.
An excess OF ozone lie usually obtained: in
deed. not more than one-half OF the ozone lie
actually utilized. The process is cheap and
effective.
The portable plants furnished to Russia
during the late war were first tested in Berlin
by Professor Prosksuer Of the Koch institute
OF infectious diseases. using the water OF
the River Spree. The well known effect OF
ozonized water on bacteria was fully con
frmed. In st. Petersburg they were again
tested by a military commission. as well az
by the bacteriologist Kressling OF the court
laboratory, and the results were satisfactory,
They were then sent to Hardin and used there
for a month and a half. and one was after
ward installed at vladivostok.
The importance Of this subject to an army
in the field is evident, and the campaigns OF
the future will probably see many OF these
ozone plants in use. They are already being
installed In Notifications and other gsrrisons
OF q permanent nature. and typhoid will
probably be under No full control In the armies
Of the future as yellow fever now is in the
West Indies,