The diamond drill., 1920-12-11
PROF. BURkHART RUNS AN ANAL,
YsIs EACH DAY
CHLORINE USED REGULARLY
Public Health is Thereby Guarded
and Liability to Typhoid is
Practically Eradicated

Have you noticed something about
the taste OF the drinking water late
ly? II you do, don't get alarmed. II
is not a contamination. II is chlor-
Inc fed into the water al the pump
ing station so as to purify il and era
dicate any trace OF bacillus that may
exist therein in quantity sufficient TO
endanger the public health.
The water has been treated for sew
eral months. Under normal condi-
tions il isn't necessary 20 feed suffi-
cient chlorine into the pipes TO
cause the water TO evidence either by
taste or smell that il has been treat
ed. 1t was different last week dur
ing the slushy weather when animal
matter was liable 10 be washed into
the river by the melting snow. There
fore there was larger amount OF
chlorine fed into the water and for
couple OF days IL could be smelled,
IL not tasted, at the faucet.
into the river now is about eight
pounds per day and the water volume
handled is about 10000 gallons.
How Watch Is Kept
The chlorine is fed into the water
at the pumping station but the hand
that guides the feeding operates in
the high school building. There Prof
A. G. Burkhart keeps q daily check
by analysis upon the condition OF the
water. After each analysis he tele-
phones to the station to add 10 or
subtract from the amount OF chlor-
inc used
A reporter for The Diamond Drill
was shown through the laboratory
and had tho rrocess explained TO
him last Tuesday by Prof. Burkhart.
II is a simple process when one un-
derstands IL, but a process that must
be skillfully handled 10 be accurate.
The analysis OF the water is made
by filling what is known as a fer
mentation tube with water after
certain small amount OF compost
tion known as 'Lactose Broth" has
been placed in the tube The tube is
made OF glass. II has the shape Of
the old-fashioned pipe with china
bowl that used 10 be in fashion before
the lowly corn cob pushed II into the
discard
The real hard part OF the process
is the preparation OF this broth. The
base OF ne broth is white powder
prepared for water analysis
Condensed water is added to the
powder so as TO make a fluid OF cer-
tain consistency. Then this fluid is
heated under pressure 10 certain
temperature SO as TO be sure that the
right conditions exist in the mixture.
After cooling, the fluid Is ready for
use and a certain amount OF IL plac-
ed in each tube. the pipe howl open
ing OF the tube being closed securely !
Each day three OF these tubes are !
filed with water and placed in an in
cubator, heated by electricity and !
kept az certain temperature by an !
automatic control
Seek Mr.. Coli Bacillus
The bacteria harmful 10 public |
health is known as the Coli. bug
that comes from animal sources. Ev-
cry person and every animal carries
a certain number OF these bugs about /
in bis or its system. Up 10 a certain
number they are not dangerous but
above the normal number they are
ve-v dangerous-some mething like the
Bolsheviki. One OF the ways the
number OF million OF Coli may be in
creased Is through contaminated wa
ter Therefore the water supply Is
watched and II in excess Mr.. Coli is
given a quietus Of chlorine that pnts
him TO sleep 90 that he can't oonspire
with his brother Coli already loose In
ones system and plot the downfall OF
the fellow carrying him around. Ty-
phold Is che most usual result OF too
many Coli
TIE loaded tubes are left In the In
cubator "a hours. II there are any
Coli in the water the lactose solution
working upon them causes a fermen-
tation, the gas from which rises in
the tube and is plainly discernable in
buhlos. When Mr.. Coli gets 10 blow
ing bubbles Prof. Burkhart shuts on
his wind by ordering more chlorine
fed into the water.
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