The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-22
HYPocHLoRITE FOR WATER.

The hypochlorite treatment FOR wa
ter for domestic purposes is general.
ly regarded as an emergency treat
ment. 1t is desirable that water shall
be in such condition when it enters
a filter that nc treatment of this kind
will be necessary. 1t is a fact. how
ever, that few cities are so situated
with reference to their water supply
that absolute dependence can be plac-
Cd at all times on the use of mechan-
Zeal treatment alone. When extraor-
binary conditions arise recourse is had
70 some other form Of treatment for
the time being.
AS we understand it. while provis-
ION is made for the use Of hypochlor-
lite in the Grand Forks water, that
treatment is. and is expected to be in
xermittent. Careful analysis so fire.
'quently made as to be almost contin-
Hous shows just what is the condition
of the water in the river at all times.
When bacterial forms are abundant
in the raw water, as a measure Of
double %precaution hypochlorite in
minute quantities is introduced. When
the unusual conditions have passed
the use of the chemical is d%iscontin-
Ned. The reports OF analyses publish
ed from time to time show that the
water supplied to the people OF Grand
Forks is at all times safe and whole
gone.
1t is interesting to note the COM
tnent made on this subject by an au-
thority SO generally recognized as the
Journal Of the American Medical as
location, which says:
"Hypochlorite is being increasingly
used as a disinfecting agent in con-
nection with polluted water-supplies.
Recently obtained data from a mum.
Der of cities in the United States and
Canada which have been employing
the hypochlorite treatment for con-
siderable periods. including Terre
Iaute. Cedar Rapids. Montreal,
Grants Pass. Ore, Beaudette, Mimi,
Nashville. Cincinnati and DanvilIe,
Ill. show a marked reduction in the
number Of bacteria in the city water
after Inauguration Of ~hypochlorite
treatment. North Yakima, Wash,
Council Bluffs. Ia. Cleveland, Erie,
Pa. Toronto. Baltimore, Evanston,
I'LL. Minneapolis. Omaha, Jersey City
and Kansas City. Mo-, are among the
cities where a noteworthy reduction
in typhoid has followed the use of
h~ypochlorite. In Cleveland. for in.
stance, the reported deaths from
typhoid fever in the -four years 1907
1911 October to June) numbered, re.
spectively, forty-six. Afty-two, sixty
Six and sixty-fve. In September.
1911, the hypochlorite treatment was
begun and for the eight months. oc-
tober 1, 1911. to June 1, 1912, only
t~wenty-eight deaths we're reported. In
Jersey City the average death-rate
From typhoid for 1905, 1906 and 1907
was 1876 while for the three wears
following the use Of h~ypochlorite.
a909-1911. it was sc. In Minneapo-
lis there were thirty-nine deaths in
the ten months before hypochlorite,
and two deaths in the ten months i'm
smediately following its use. Such
facts as these establish the high value
that may attach to hypochlorite
Treatment Of a water under proper
conditions. While no experienced
sanitarian can regard the use Of this
chemical as a panacea. there Is no
doubt that it has added greatly to our
resources for dealing with a polluted
%~ater-supply, particularly under EN-.
Urgency conditions and pending the
installation Of a permanet system OF
publication. 1t is unfortunate that
many Of the published statements re.
garding the efficacy Of the treatment
do not state the amoun Of hypochlor.
lite used, and in the case Of typhoid
Statistics do not cover a suflciently
long period to afford an adequate ba.
sis for comparison: but these def1c,en-
cies are likely to be remedied in time.
On the information now at hand.
there seems reason for much of the
enthusiasm with which the hypochlo-
rite treatment is now being applied"
A WELDING INFLUENCE.