Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1913-09-26
NORTH DAKOTA HELPS SOLVE
PROBLEM

results OF the 1nVeSC1Satl0n mace ny
the Public Health Laboratory Of the
University Of North Dakota, on the
purity of natural ice from polluted
waters.
The report of this investigation was
given last week in Chicago by Dr.. Gus
tav F. Ruediger, director of the pub.
lie health laboratory of the University
of North Dakota, at the Fifth Annual
Meeting of the natural ice association
of North America: Experts from all
parts of the country were in attend
ance and many problems were given
consideration and taken under advise
ment. From the point Of view Of
health, these problems demand and are
receiving more and more attention ev-
cry year.
Streams Need Purifying.
Everybody who has given the matter
any thought is fully aware that nearly
all streams in America are so heavily
polluted with sewage and other wastes
that their waters are entirely unfit for
drinking purposes, unless they are sub
jected to some process Of publication.
The situation is made even more ser
ious because practically all factory
wastes, creamery and brewery wastes
find their way into the rivers and not
infrequently there is found floating
there the carcass of some dead animal.
AS a result some Of the streams in
America have already become so foul
that they are entirely unsuited for out
door sports and recreation and their
waters are so bad that it is almost i'm.
possible to bring about sufficient de-
gree Of publication to render them
safe and suitable for drinking and
cooking purposes.
taken to put a stop to this wholesale
plan is to have these wastes distribut-
ed on the land where they may enrich
the soil: also the waters are to be puri.
fed by means of one of the processes
that have been perfected
Samples Of Ice Examined
The fact that ice supplies are dcriv-
ed from these heavily polluted waters
and lakes adds to the seriousness of
the situation as it is necessary that
the ice be used in the condition i'll
which it is found when harvested, with
out being subjected to any process Of
publication.
In the Investigation made by the
Public Health Laboratory, samples OF.
ice were taken from many of the rivers
and lakes In North Dakota and Mime
sofa, and a comparison made Of these
samples, many of which were found to
be perfectly satisfactory, although the
water from which the ice had formed
was found to be heavily polluted with
sewage.
The analysis show that natural ice
as found in this section Of the country
contains only small portion of the i'm.
purities found in the water from which
the ice is derived.
Freezing Purifying Process
This is due to the fact that the wat
er in freezing excludes nearly all of
the foreign matter and the ice repre-
sents almost absolutely pure water, the
formation sf ice being process Of
capitalization, and capitalization be-
ing process of publication.
If, however, a small amount Of pol-
iuted water flows upon the surface Of
freezing ice, the impurities in it can
not be excluded, when this water
freezes, because the entire mass of this
small amount of water freezes solid and
the. bacteria and filth must remain in
it.
! This emphasizes the fact that the ice
must not be harvested from a place
that is subject to surface pollution with
sewage and other filth. It is f3Lnd also
that ice with dark streaks in it may
contain an abundance Of both organic
and inorganic impurities. Such ice
should not be stored in the ice house
for future use, but should he discard.
ed at the time when the ice is har.
vested,
/ The result of the analyses show that
ice taken from very heavily polluted
water below the outlet Of sewers IS by
no means free from organic impurities
nor from sewage bacteria. Ice tax 81
from g source like the Red Lake River
above Grand Forks sewers, tho RED
Lake river above East Grand Fcrk:
and the Missouri river above the out
let of the Bismarck sewers, is as free
from sewage pollution and, therefore
as safe for drinking purposes, az the
average filtered water:
In fact, there are very few sand FL
tiers in this section Of the country thai
bring about as high degree Of bac
terial publication at all times as il
brought about by nature in the process
Of freezing.
The process Of freezing removes ais,
the inorganic constituents of the wat
er which are not removed by any Of
the said filters.
Ice Not Sterilized.
Analyses show also that ice may be
come contaminated with bacteria b,
careless handling at the time when i,
is delivered to the consumer. It j.
imperative that ice used for cooling gu,
drinks and vegetables in tho homes
should be handled by the delivery ma,
even more carefully than our meats
because ice cannot be sterilized befor,
! it is used. while our meats are cooked
before they are eaten, process whic,
lis sure to XIII all the bacteria that they
may contain.