Evening star., 1951-01-05
New Water Purifier
Approved After Tests
Pocket-Sized Device to Aid
In Solving GI Problems
By Thomos R. Henry

IN SolvIng III Pfoblems
By Thomos R. Henry
A water purifier which weighs less
than half a pound and, it is claimed,
converts any raw field water to the
clarity of distilled water, removes 100
per cent Of amoebic organisms, SO per
cent of all bacteria and 98.3 per cent to
100 per cent of radioactive particles, has
been approved for procurement by the
Marine Corps and the Navy after ex-
tenSive tests in progress since last
summer.
It will purify water at the initial rate
Of about quart every two minutes. The
rate gradually slows as the filter disk
clogs but the f1ltrate continues pure.
Each filter, which weighs no more than
a cigarette, will purify from 10 to 20
quarts of average river or pond water
and exclude all particles of more than
100000 of an inch.
It is the invention of q former Navy
commander, David H. Quinn. He says
that special advantage of the water
purifier is that no skill or effort is
required to use it, and that 1t solves
the age-old military problem Of making
dirty, contaminated water acceptable
without adding any appreciable weight to
the CTS equipment.
Pocket-Size, of Plastic.
The apparatus, pocket size when folded,
is made entirely of plastic It consists
Of collapsible water bag which holds
over quart and is connected to the
filter housing. which is about the size
of woman's compact. by a three-foot
plastic tube which provides a steady,
hydrostatic pressure on the filter. The
nozzle Of a canteen. which may be Of
the ordinary CT issue, is threaded into
the bottom Of the filter housing, the
bag is hung on convenient tree and the
whole assembly bangles until the canteen
overfows. As an additional insurance
against vagrant cysts and bacteria, one Of
the approved sterilizing tablets is then
added to the canteen contents.
The archaeological laboratory Of the
Air Force at Randolph Field has con-
Quoted tests which show from 983 per
cent to 100 per cent decontamination Of
waters made radioactive. Authorities
state that only the most exceptional
water would remain injuriously radio
active after having been passed through
this purifier It is some solace to know
that our inventors are gradually finding
some Of the answers to the countless
new problems raised since Hiroshima.
Publication Of water under field condi-
tions has always been a major military
problem. and efforts to solve it in the
past have been only indifferently sue
cessful, as any CT who has been on
foreign duty will tell you. One method
has been through the use of sterilizing
tablets. These require about 80 minutes
to work, and even after this period Of
time cannot be relied on completely
when amoebic cysts and eggs become
mbedded In particles IN suspension. The
dirty water Is left as foul as ever and is
made even more unpalatable by the
addition of the chemicals.
Emergency publication of water for
civilian defense, in Comdr. Quinns opin-
ion, Is problem which must be solved
without delay. In nearly any kind Of
urban disaster, flood, fire or bomb blast,
the sewerage mains usually contaminate
the water supplies Immediately. Portable,
mechanical equipment cannot be set
up fast enough in emergency areas
to satisfy critically urgent needs Added
to former disaster water requirements
Is now the need of radioactive decon-
tamination. This f1yweight invention
would make the individual family tenn
porarily independent Of their broken or
contaminated water main, provided there
was good-size mud puddle in the front
yard.
Tritium, the radioactive triple-weight
hydrogen which supposedly is an essen
tial ingredient Of any proposed hydrogen
bomb, exists in nature but it is the rarest
substance on earth.
1t constitutes about 1000 ,000, ,000,-
100000, ,000th Of the hydrogen in the
planets atmosphere and surface waters.
This is the conclusion of DR.. A. v.
Crosse Of Temple University, Phila-
delphia. and scientists Of the University
Of Chicago's Institute of Nuclear Studies,
just reported to the American Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Science.
Sampling Extensive.
The report Is based on an extensive
examination of samples of heavy
water obtained from Norwegian surface
waters. Hitherto there has been some
question as to whether there was any
tritium on earth. theoretically any pres
ent in the earth's atmosphere in the
beginning long since would have been
lost to outer space.
But the traces obtained are unmistak-
able, the report points out. although they
are on the far limits of detection by the
most refined techniques. The amounts
now detachable constantly are being
manufactured. it is believed, by the
action of cosmic rays on the atoms Of
the upper atmosphere.
The amount of tritium on earth, 1t is
pointed out, is altogether too small and
diffused to be recoverable, and in any
event would be of no practical signifi-
canoe whatsoever.
Tritium now is manufactured in atomic
piles in appreciable quantities, but at
very great expense.
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