PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 1 29 



is direct sunlight, all parts of the water at one place or 

 another in the river being liable to exposure to this most 

 destructive agent. 



The Qualities Required in a Good 

 Drinking Water 



Let us now review the qualities required in a good 

 drinking water — 



As to total solid matter a water that contains more than 

 30 grains in the gallon, however pure it may Ije organically, 

 cannot be placed amongst first class drinking waters. 

 Nearly the whole of the solid matter present should con- 

 sist of lime salts and be mainly carbonate of lime. A 

 water containing 30 grains to the gallon of total solids is 

 sure to be a too hard water. Though it has been argued 

 that Hme salts in water are essential to bone-formation, 

 and to good health, it has been also pointed out that 

 populations who drink very hard waters are not par- 

 ticularly remarkable for well-formed bones, whilst the 

 natives of Aberdeen and its neighbourhood, where the 

 water is almost devoid of lime, are remarkable for their 

 development of bone. Certainly a hardness exceeding 6 

 or 8 degrees is a superfluity best dispensed with where 

 possible on account of health, comfort, and general utility. 

 Chloride when exceeding 2 or 3 grains of chlorine in the 

 gallon requires explanation and the origin of the water 

 that contains nitrate equivalent to more than a grain of 

 nitric acid in the gallon should be enquired into, whilst 

 nitrite beyond the smallest trace cannot be allowed to 

 have existence in a good water. Water from a deep well, 

 a deep spring, or freshly filtered water from a river or a 

 reservoir that yields no more than "002 of free ammonia 

 and 006 of albuminoid ammonia per 100,000 is certainly 

 wholesome unless the bacteria of disease have been acci- 

 dentally introduced into it subsequently to its filtration. 



