]14 MASON— ACTION OF WATER UPON METALS. [April 19, 



causing any obvious ill effects. The water supply to a small hospital 

 with which I was connected for some years always contained a 

 trace of zinc, probably never more than half a grain of the car- 

 bonate per imperial gallon (7.1 parts per million), but I never 

 observed any indications of its being deleterious, although such 

 effects were looked for." 



In the ^lassachusetts Board of Health report for 1900, page 

 495, the following table is given showing amounts of zinc in 

 sundry public supplies, the metal having been dissolved from pipes 

 of galvanized iron or brass during ordinary use. The results are 

 averages and are in part per million. 



West Berlin 18.46 



Milbnry 3.08 



Newton 1.25 



]\Iarblehead 0.85 



Grafton 0.73 



Wellesley 0.68 



Fairhaven 0.52 



Lowell 0.33 



Webster 0.28 



Sheffield 8.65 



Palmer 2.90 



Beverly 2.71 



Fall River 0.07 



The first of the above. West Berlin, drew its water through 

 four thousand feet of galvanized iron pipes. The quantity 

 of metal dissolved therefrom was certainly large but appears to 

 have produced no evil results. " As far as is known the amount of 

 zinc present in these waters as used is not sufficient to have any 

 effect upon the health of the consumers of the water." 



"The Board has investigated the question of the presence of zinc 

 in drinking water supplies where galvanized iron pipes are used 

 and, except in case of the use of some ground waters, containing 

 very large amounts of free carbonic acid, which dissolves zinc and 

 many other metals very freely, the amount of zinc found in ordinary 

 water supplies, where galvanized pipes are used, is not sufficient, 

 in the opinion of the Board to give anxiety." ^ 



^ Massachusetts Board of Health, 1902, XLIIL 



