To Filter Water.

Manawatu Herald, 19 April 1902, Page 2

To Filter Water.

In conversation with a Dunedin “ Star ’’reporter, Dr Mason made an important statement in regard to. the latest and largest experiment in the direction of guarding troops in South Africa against there most deadly enemy, enteric fever. Drinking impure water containing the typhoid bacillus is one of the chief causes of infection, and it is clear, therefore, that by purifying the water drunk by the troops the risk is, materially reduced. To boil the water, Dr Mason says is of course the surest way of killing th® the Jsacilli, but it is not always convenient, or even possible, for thirsty troops to boil every drop of water they drink. The first step, then was to .find some simpler method of purification, and this apparently has been done. Dr Rideal, of London, has made a series of experiments with a composition of acid sulphur of soda and found that five grains of it placed ■ and allowed to stand for from ten to fifteen minutes in about a pint of infected water has the effect of completely destroying the typhoid germs therein. The use of this drug in the form of convenient sized tabloids as a safeguard for the troops was suggested by Dr Rideal in letters to the press at Home, and.also to military authorities here. Dr liason has made further experiments, and though the results obtained have not born out Dr Rideal’s assertions in toto, they ( were of sufficient value to warrant his recom- • mending to the Government the use pf the tabloids. As a result, an order has been cabled Home for 300,000 of them to meet the Tenth Regiment at the Cape. In addition to their bacillus-destroying properties, these tabloids in solution give to the water a pleasant flavour, so that it 'strongly resembles lemonade. A few were sent with the Seventh Regiment, and those who had them were emphatic in testifying to their thirst-alleviating qualities. So far as is known none of these men took enteric, but Dr Mason does not set much store by this, as the experiment was necessarily on a small scale at the time. With the Seventh was also sent seme typhoid serum, and none of the men inoculated with it took enteric afterwards* Another point about the new > drug is that it is slightly astringent in its effects and therefore tends to check diarrhoea and dysentery. Even though its effect on typhoid bacilli may not turn out quite so complete as Dr Rideal says, if the men will only allow the drug to remain long enough in the water they will have a certain protection against enteric. On the other hand, it not left the prescribed time in the water the drug will still do something in the right direction, and its acidity will tend to check excessive d|ioking ot water, a common and dangerohs habit amongst thirsty troops.