432 Studies in Water Drinking [April-July 



Distilled water in contact with a cell of the Hving body may through 

 osmotic influence, cause a swelling of the cell, but the actual bursting 

 of the cell will of course be prevented by physiological factors which 

 will be called into play, thus causing the circulation to remove the 

 excess fluid. 



Various clinical views have been expressed as to the influence of 

 distilled-water Ingestion. Some clinicians claim to have found it 

 harmful in certain instances, others claim it is harmless, while still 

 others express the opinion that the question as to its harmfulness or 

 harmlessness must be considered an open one. The catarrhal con- 

 ditions which have been found to follow the drinking of water 

 from glaciers, or the excessive Ingestion of ice, may possibly have 

 had their origin in the low temperature rather than in the absence 

 of electrolytes. 



In our own experiments upon the influence of distilled-water in- 

 gestion with meals, we were able to demonstrate a Stimulation of the 

 gastric and pancreatic functions, better digestion and absorption 

 of ingested food, a decrease in the growth of intestinal bacteria, and 

 a lessening of putrefactive processes in the intestine. 



A foreign investigator has recently claimed that distilled-water 

 Ingestion by white mice causes hemoglobinuria. It is well known 

 that the introduction of distilled water into the circulation will pro- 

 duce a transient hemoglobinuria. I fall to see, however, how the 

 introduction of distilled water into the stomach can bring about 

 hemoglobinuria. 



A Word regarding mineral waters. I have expressed a belief 

 that distilled water is eflicient although it contains no electrolytes. 

 I also believe that many mineral waters, when ingested, owe their 

 therapeutic efliciency not to their contained electrolytes but rather 

 to the volume of water consumed. This argument does not hold 

 for radio-active waters nor for waters which are taken because of 

 their cathartic action. 



The scientific inaccuracy of the lithia treatment in certain dis- 

 orders is well known. Hare speaks as follows regarding the thera- 

 peutic value of lithia water in gout and rheumatoid arthritis: — " Al- 

 though lithium forms salts with uric acid in the test-tube, in the 

 body it has a greater afiinity for the acid sodium phosphate in the 



