1 



it would be better to get out the deposit by mere subsidence or by 

 means of filters. Different methods were adopted in different 

 towns, and be thought the question was one of local conditions, 

 local circumstances, and rate of wages. With regard to disad- 

 vantages in the softening of water, he would only remark that 

 in softening water they were getting within measurable distance 

 of a water that would dissolve lead, and might possibly, though 

 not prohally, be jumping out of the frying-pan into the fire, 

 or, to coiu a more appropriate figure, might tumble from a cliff of 

 chalk into a hot cauldron of lead. He then spoke of the effect 

 of soft and hard water on tea, giving his opinion in favour of soft 

 water so far as economics were concerned; and so far as boilers 

 were concerned, and for cooking no doubt the advantages were 

 greatly in favour of soft water over hard water. Then, with 

 regard to the question of health. Dr. King had told them that 

 doctors disagreed. Speaking of the formation of bone and sinew. 

 Professor Attfield said that he did not think such a question need 

 be taken into consideration with reference to this matter, because 

 it was not lime, the partner of chalk, but it was phosphate of 

 lime, that had to do with the formation of bone. And modern 

 discoveries had shown that the substance in vegetables which 

 enabled us to build up bone was not by any means always 

 phosphate of lime, but what was well known to medical men, 

 phosphate of potash, which was the substance they would find 

 in vegetable juices. He then pointed out that the question was 

 primarily a chemical one, and secondly a medical one, and it 

 remained for that meeting to discuss the question from a common- 

 sense point of view founded on science. He hoped that the 

 townsmen of Watford would think, with the Natural History 

 Society, that this was a scientific matter, that the Society repre- 

 sented science in Watford, and that the Society had clone its 

 duty in bringing before the town at least some of the scientific 

 advantages and disadvantages attached to the softening of the 

 water. 



Mr. Blathwatt said that he would hail with pleasure any scheme 

 which might be brought forward for softening the water. He had 

 been resident in Watford for \^h years, and during that period had 

 had his hot-water pipes and apparatus renewed three times, which 

 had increased his water-rate at least 100 per cent, per annum. 



Mr. Blackbtjrn said he thought that what they had heard that 

 night should satisfy them that it would be policy to soften the 

 water in Watford. 



Mr. Atees differed from what Mr. Blathwayt had said. He had 

 lived in his house 14 years, and his pipes at the present moment 

 were as clear as when they were put up. He was sure that the 

 Urban Council would give the matter their careful consideration, 

 but there were many questions which would have to be considered 

 before the water could be softened, and one very important one 

 was the waste of water. At least one-half or three-fourths of the 

 water now pumped was wasted. 



