The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1918-03-14
British Scientists Have Found
a Way to Use Chlorine
Product.
SAVES THOUSANDS OF LIVES
Water-Borne Disease Practically Ban
ished From Western Front-Medi-
cal Corps Keeps Close Super
vision Over Food Fur
nished Troops.

London.-Chlorine gas, which the
Germans brought into the field of bat
tie as means of poisoning their OPP
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 had
when the letters were taken off his
legs, speculated as to how pain and
pleasure. though opposite, were so
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 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
Its 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. 1t is
efficacious,s but water chlorinated with
1t is not very nice. Now chlorine gas
has taken its place at big water sup
ply points. 1t is just as efficacious and
1t does not taste the water to the same
extent A simple test, in which non
commissioned officer of every unit is
trained, tells how much chlorination
water will need to make it safe. If
very heavy chlorination 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 provid-
ed liz the shape of tablets of acid sui
plate of soda. All the old troublesome
water purifying schemes, such as can
dle-filters, 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
the British Royal Army Medical Corps
as water. Food has to be not only
pure but appetizing and scientific. If
the food is not pure it causes sickness.
If it is not appetizing it causes dis
content If it is not scientific, has not
it's proper proportion of proteins and