Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-06-20
WATER CAN Be
PURIFIED QUICKLY
SCIENCE HAS WORKED OUT A
WAY OF MAKING IT FREE
FROM CONTAMINATION.
NEW PLAN SUGGESTED
Boiling 10 Good Plan, but Pouring
From One Vessel to Another
10 Dangerous; Powders
do the Work. j.

Pure water Is promised by the "
tumwa waterworks at the completion
OF the improvements now being made
lat the plant, but science has already
provided new scheme of purifying
water. Nowadays, when it has been
tproved that nearly all of the epidemic
diseases result from contaminated
water supplies, the household problem
lof absolutely pure water has assumed
international importance. The old
fashioned method OF boiling water Is
absolutely safe, provided it Is thor
oughly done, but then, except with un.
usual care, it is apt to be recontam,
mated in pouring from one vessel to
another.
Moreover, boiled water loses all its
air and becomes fiat and poor in taste
Wherefore boiled water Is unpopular
on every table and the natural dis
taste of humanity for 1t often leads to
a relaxation Of the precaution and con.
sequently disease results. In addition
to all, the boiled water must be chilled
and the process in summer Is not In
expensive and therefore bears hardest
on the class of families for whom the
precaution is mostly needed
However, science has now worked
out quick, sure, inexpensive and
simplified method of purifying drink
ing water that has none of these OBJ
jections. It has been highly recon-
mended to the population of Paris by
the authorities on hygiene. and it is
claimed that its use did wonders to-
ward averting typhoid or other cpl
demic outbreak in the French capital
after the disastrous floods.
Two Powders Necessary.
The means employed consist Of two
cheap powders that can be bought at
any drug store and five cents worth Of
each will purify drinking water for a
large household in sufficient quantity
to last a week. The two powders are
the widely known permanganate Of
potash and new reducing agent
called resercin. The permanganate of
potash is used first; for it Is this
chemical that will sterilize the water
and make it absolutely
harmless.
The permanganate should be put in
in the proportion of about half tea
spoonful to a quart of water, then let
alone for two or three hours. At the
end of this time the amount of the re-
sercin that will hang on the end of a
knife should be thrown into the water.
The water will turn a brownish yell
low at once and must stand about five
minutes.
AS a matter Of fact, the publication
Of household drinking water need not
be so exact in the amounts used. A
big bucket of water should be purified
at a time and the permanganate can
be put in in the proportion of about a
teaspoonful to each two quarts OF
water. Two hours later the resercin
should be added just until the water
turns brownish yellow.
After standing Ave minutes the
water should be run through funnel
over which any clean cotton rag has
been stretched This filtration takes
off all the coloring matter which
stays on the rag in the form OF light
brown powder. The water obtained Is
absolutely pure and can contain no
disease green's.
During an epidemic of typhoid, or
where cholera is dreaded, the use OF
this inexpensive and certainly not diff
ficult method of water sanitation will
guard against all but the most remote
chances of contagion. In addition the
water is neither acid nor alkaline, but
Just the right neutral fluid that is ma
lures most perfect beverage for the
human race. When the vast amounts
spent on all sorts Of drinking mater
ials are considered, the production at
home of perfect drinking water at
much less than 1 cent the quart Is a
boon to even the poorest mortal