( 41 ) 



remedied; but, he obferves, they would foon be 

 freed from their muddinei's, if kept fome time in 

 an open jar : and he is of opinion, that if the wa- 

 ter given to very young children, v^^erc thiis puri- 

 fied, it might prevent fome of their bowel-difor- 

 ders, and fo contribute a little to lefTcn that a- 

 mazing mortality among the children, which are 

 hurfed in London. 



2. Rain water, when gtown putrid, as Boerhaave 

 aflures us, may be eafily rendered wholefome a- 

 gain, and may be drunk without being ofFenfive, 

 by only boiling it a few moments 1 for by this 

 expedient, the animals that are in it will bede- 

 ftrOyea,'and, v/ith the reft of the impurities, will 

 fijbfidc to the bottom. If then, fays he, you 

 make it moderately acid, by adding to it a fmall 

 quantity of acid that is very ftrong, it will be fit 

 for ufe. This is found to be of excellent fcrvice 

 under the Equator, and between the Tropics, 

 where the waters putrify in a horrible manner, 

 and breed a multitude of infers, and yet muft be 

 drunk. For the fame reafon^ a fmall quantity of 

 fpirit of vitriol, mixed with water, will prevent its 

 growing putrid, and breeding any animals, and, 



F ac 



