The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-03-02
British Scientists Have Found
a Way to Use Chlorine
Product.
SAVES THOUSANDS OF LIVES
Water-Borne Disease Practically Ban
cal Corps Keeps Close Super
vision Over Food Fur
nished Troops.

Germans brought into the field of bat
tie as a means of poisoning their Op
ponents, is now largely used for puri
flying the water supply of the British
army. That is one of the strange an
titheSeS of this war. Socrates in priS
on, noting the pleasure which he hat
when the letters were taken off hi.
legs, speculated as to how pain an(
pleasure, though opposite, were 81
| closely linked that the one seemed al
ways to follow on the heels of the 9th.
er. In the same way what is poison
GUS in one use is a means of whole
someness in another, and divine provi-
dence turns even to good what wicked
ness designed for evil. The Germans
| rarely get a chance to kill anyone
with chlorine gas now, but chlorine gas
is daily in the British lines making
water wholesome and safe.
Saves Thousands Of Lives.
The effort to secure pure water for
the British armies in the field makes
one Of the fine stories of the war.
1t has saved very many thousands of
lives by practically banishing water
borne disease from our principal front.
At the outset of the war the British
Royal Army Medical Corps declared in
it's mind all water supplies to be sus-
pect. They were held guilty of infec-
ton until they were proved to be in
nocent. A 'fool proof" system of max.
ing unwholesome water safe by chlor-
ination was designed. Then all that
remained to be done was to provide
the machinery and chemicals and to
safeguard against carelessness. The
first was matter of supplies, the
second of discipline. Both were equal
to the demand made upon them, and
on every front now the general rule
is that the men are drinking safe wa
ter.
Chloride of lime was at first the
standby for. water publication. It is
efficacious but water chlorinated with
it is not very nice. Now chlorine gas
has taken its place at big water sup
ply points. 1t is just as efficacious and
it does not taste the water to the same
extent A simple test, in which non
officer of every unit is
trained, tells how much chlorination
water will need to make it safe. If
very heavy COLONIZATION is needed, the
water after treatment can be dechlori-
mated and is left pure. The units wa
ter cart with it's trained sanitary or
derby has all the means of making wa
ter wholesome. But the system is fol
lowed where possible of purifying a
main supply and issuing from that. In
case of small isolated bodies of men,
means of water publication are protid-
ed in the shape of tablets of acid sui |
ohate of Soda. All the old troublesome
water purifying schemes, such as can
1le-flters, which used to be constantly
breaking down, have been scrapped |
Water precaution now is simple as well |
as effective.
Food is as carefully looked after by |
he British Royal Army Medical Corps |
Is water. Food has to be not only
)ure but appetizing and scientific If |
he food is not pure it causes sickness.
f it is not appetizing it causes dis
content. If it is not scientific, has not
is proper proportion of proteins and
ats and carbohydrates, it does not |
.eep up the strength of the fighting
nen.
Has Scientific Basis.
Probably Thomas Atkins has no
uspicion that the very generous ra-
ion he enjoys has scientific basis
arefully calculated in calories; that
here is a distinct change made in his
ummer and his winter ration, and
hat scientists look up isothermal ia |
les and so on when he goes to a fight
ng area to decide what his food should
e. But that is So There are sum-
Ter food scales. There is ration for
he French front and another for the
Italian front and another for Salonica.
-et another for Mesopotamia and an
Their for southwestern Africa. Some
eople are accustomed to talk as
hough the Germans had all the sci
nee and we're the only people who
ook the food chemist into council.
luch science but a good deal more hui
laneness, and part Of the humaneness
to keep the scientific calculations
l the background.
In regard to cooking, the Royal Army
[edical Corps confess to an inferiority
/ British skill. AS compared with
ne French, we are nation of bad
ooks. The most strenuous efforts are ]
eng made, and have been made for
ing time, to raise the standard Of
rmy cooking. 1t is very much better
ow than at the start of the war, but
still will not stand well in COMPARE
On with the general French skill in
economy with savory results.
ut the cooking is better and will yet
Q better; and when the British army
ome marching home it will have the
to raise greatly the stand
I'd Of domestic comfort in Great Brit
n. Thus again, pleasure will follow
and the evils Of war bring good :
train.