HINTS ON DOMESTIC SANITATION. Pure Water.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1643, 16 January 1883, Page 3

HINTS ON DOMESTIC SANITATION. Pure Water.

Watkr, next to air, is the chief necessary of life. Water forms the chief pai't of all food, and is the medium for sustaining nutation tin ougliout the body, find is besides requned for personal cleanliness find the purification of our houses and surroundings. Poisonous matters of all kinds, and especially disease genus, are natuially conveyed into the blood by water. Hence, puiity is the fitst essential for water tor domestic use. We cannot lely upon the appearance and taste of water as a teat of puiity. Polluted well waters are often unusually bright ami sparkling, and even agreeable to the taste. Nor is it prudent to rely exclusively upon chemical analysis, which is not always able lo reveal the impurities which induce disease. Much more will be learned fiom an inquiry into the locality and sources from which our drinking-water is derived. Chemical analysis, however, will readily determine whether a ■water is grossly polluted or extremely puie, and in most cases it will afford sufficient indications to put us on our guard, particularly when the w ater lies iv the facility with which it washes out, and either sustains or dissolves those foul organic matters which form the pibulum of disease germs. For example, rain water, in descending through the air, absorbs carbonic acid, ammonia, and the myriads of particles of dust and poison germs which are sus-. ponded iv the atmosphere, and which ate rendered so strikingly visible when a beam of sunlight traverses a darkened room. The only pure rain-water falls at high altitudes and away from the abode of man. The water best adapted for domestic use is that which falls upon the mountains and on uncultivated districts at a distance from great cities. The water of running streams anil catchment both contain \ariablc quantities of inorganic and oi»ame matter, due principally to storms, drought, vegetation, etc., and the supply of large cities is in all cases equalized and improved in quality by evtensive storage. The maintenance of !i cci tain quantity of animal and vegetable life in such leservoiis contributes to the puiity of the water and the safety of the consumeis. The thorough exposure of water to the influence of the air is the only secuiity against the communication of infectious diseases, liner water, which would certainly give rise to an epidemic of typhoid fever where sewage is poured into it, undoubtedly becomes harmless after flowing twenty miles. The foul matters are consumed by the plants and lishes living in the water, and the place of poisonous carbo hydrogens is taken by wholesome atmospheric air. No mere dilution of poison germs prevents their action upon the human body. The volume of water may be immense and the dilution may be so great as to prevent the detection of unmistakable evidence of danger. Chemistry and the microscope may both fail : yet, so long as the impure "water is conveyed in closed pipes or conduits, the germ maintains its life, and when once introduced into the body produces its dire effects. One evacuation of a cholera patient may thus infeot a whole district, and the greater the dilii* tion the more extensive will be the mischief caused, To find, then, that a given water is free from organic matter, or that it contains two or five parts in 100,000, is nofc 1 of itself sufficient to determine its character or fitness for domestic use. The one which is apparently pure may contain the germs of disease, and the organic matter of the other may be derived from vegetable decomposition altogether harmless. ' !>' ■ ' The, moment rain-water touches the. , earth In the neighborhood of great cities' it is absolutely certain to become contaminated by, disease gefrns, 4 ' Hence a trace of organic matter in,', the' watjer opacity well is more iudjcfttiye ctf< danger.' than^inu.gh IWSpV (ftWltyty present in Hhfe*w|ttep of a mountain stream, ' All *Mllow walls' 'are,' therefore, ,' the' most 'dangerous sources of writer 'supply/ Few 'TOdh Wells are 'safe" 'from ' surMjeT pollution. In tliecity.of ' San ' the "'Hanger is,augihe'nteQ ( by"the"saudy nature fg-sHoil ! J tliVouih 'which ['the surface t^jjtemp.(u^iej^,JaJd^g jflowu >v;iih them yiipge.aj'aini are jiever and; ||nafylr*ioage is liafcle^tO; ■ eae»pV)!J?ito '

watercourses, and then ,the water supply trom neighbouring wells is of necessity impure. An impure well ought to be declared .a.'public nuisance, and should be closed by order of the Board of Health ; in fact, it is a question whether shallow wells should be permitted to remain in ■ übc When no other source can be obtained, the wells should be properly located at a distance from house drains and urinals. They should be carefully covered and built with elevated curbs. All such water should be frequently examined. A simple method of examination is by dissolving a lump of sugar in a quantify off the suspected water m a clean bottle, ] which should have a close-fitting glassstopper. ,Set the bottle in the window of a room where the sunlight will fall on it. If the water remains bright and limpid after a week's exposure, it may j be pronounced fit for use. But if it becomes turpid during the week, it contains enough impurity to be unhealthy. Such water should not bo used for drinking purposes until it has been boiled and , filtered ; after which it should be aerated by any simple process, such as pouring several times from one vessel into | another in the open air.' The addition of a solution of permanganate of potassa will also serve, in most cases, to sufficiently purify water for drinking purposes. .Eight grains of the permanganate to one ounce of distilled or boiled water will make the solution. Add one drop of this to half a pint of the suspected water ; if the red tint disappears in half an hour, add another drop. For every drop that loses its color in the half pint, there will be from one-half to two giains of organic impurity in onu gallon of the water. If such water must be used, drop in the permanganate until the red tint remains ; the solution in this proportion ib not injurious,' nor dops it taste unpleasantly. The question of ground or artesian waters must be reserved for another occasion. — Stoi Francisco Kiwn Letter.

The candidate shakos hands with the boys on Monday. On Wednesday, aftei' tlie election, lie will give them a different shako. Where shall T buy my furniture and. — carpets ' You cannot do bettei than purih.isc from Garlick and Carnwell, who have now ;t yery large assoitment of iron bedsteds. varying in prire from 10s (id to to ten pounds, and keep in stoc k bedding of all si/cs and Kinds. 'Ihcir large factory is completed, and machinery in full swing, enabling them to turn out furniture quicker and cheaper than hitherto, G. &. C ahvajs ha\e ready a, large variety of draw in and dining-room suites. Special attention is paid to bedroom furniture, suitable to all classes. Great variety ot carpets, Kidderminster, Brussels, and tapestry from 2s Gd per yaid. Linoulein and oil cloth for halls of Manchester goods, bhcetings, calicoes, Hollands, towelling, flannels, blankets, cm tains, cretonnes, damask, &c, &c. Book catalogues sent post free. Ladies and gentleman about to nrirry will find our catalogue of great services. Garlirk and dirnwell. City H.ill y\rradc, Queen-street Auckland"