Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-04-08
BOWD0lN COLLEGE.
An Interesting Lecture on
The Analysis Of Water
By \. D. Evans, Director Of
State Laboratory Of Hygiene.
Prof. chas. ". Snow in June Will
Go to Williams College.

Brunswick. Me, April 7.-(SpecaD.
AT the regular meeting of the Bow
doin Chemical club Fl. d. Evans, Di-
rector of the, State laboratory OF Hy-
gene at Augusta, gave the members
valuable talk on the analysis of wa
ter. His position and great expert
ence in this line of work enabled Mr..
Evans to do justice to his subject in
the short time allotted him and he
was listened TO throughout with much
interest. Some of the members of the
club are also taking water analysis
in their Chemistry course at this time
and this talk came at time when
the advice of suclf man is of great
value.
Mr.. Evans first took up the general
character of water and the various
sources of supply with special refer
ence to the water supply of Maine.
where, as he said, there is such q
thing as the Sturgis commission, and
as it is difficult to obtain anything else
it is of interest to know we are getting
pure water to drink. He spoke of sur
face water which is directly supplied
by rain. the first fall of which is like
ly to be contaminated by the gases
and bacteria it collects from the air in
falling. The last portions of rain fall
are AS pure as may be found and are
good for drinking purposes if it is
caught in way that it may not be
contaminated. He spoke of the dangers
of the common cistern which catches
cell
impurities that may be gathered from
the roof; also of the exceeding soft
ness of such water and it's resulting
solNency of lead SO that such water
passing through lead pipes may cause
chronic lead poisoning.
Mr.. Evans considers deep surface
water as that obtained by means of
ArteSian wells as good water for
drinking purposes although it is SOL
vent Of minerals, hard, has an odor
and is free from organic solution. In
rural districts the chief water supply
is from ground water secured from
wells filled by rain and snow. Mr..
Evans spoke at some length On the
necessity of filtering such water and of
the mistaken idea that the ground is
sufficient filter to make anything pure
no matter how near the well may be to
sewers and stables. Also many persons
are not careful about the ground wa
ter running directly into the top of
the we'll In cities the chief supply is
from lakes and rivers, the former be-
ing much more preferable on account
of the smaller chance of contamina-
ton. although the latter may be cheap
er in a matter of dollars and cents.
Mr. Evans said that the rivers and
streams were the natural sewage
channels of the cities and although the
water supply pipes were usually above
the points where sewage entered the
tides carried the impurities to the pipes
and caused many places to drink their
own sewage. Lakes are coming more
and more to be used especially where
epidemics of typhoid fever have been
proved to be due to the water sup
ply. Such water may cost more than
river water but the cost is small in
comparison with the lives that may be
saved and also lake rights are much
more easily secured now than later
when cottages have been built along
their shores. Mr.. Evans quoted several
instances in which typhoid epidemics
had been traced directly to sewage pol
luton. although at the time it was not
deemed possible.
After speaking of the general char
acter OF water Mr.. Evans spoke at
some length on the ways OF making
water analysis and the Interpretation
of tho results which brings into the
use the knowledge of physiology ana
bacteroiogy as well as chemistry. He
spoke of the various properties of wa
ter and the constituents and also the
knowledge a chemist must have of the
source Of the supply to determine the
purity of the water
Afr the talk refreshments were
served and the members Of the club
enjoyed a half hour of discussion of
chcnical work in general. The meeting