BY J. BROWNLIE HENDERSON, F.I.C., F.C.S. 137 



the degree of temporary hardness is not stated, nor the reason 

 why the Medical Officer sent it for analysis. Dr. Venables, in 

 the Journal of the American Chemical Society, gives the analysis 

 of a spring water, which, after passing through 200 yards of 

 galvanised iron pipe, and after being in use a year, contained 

 over 4 grains of zinc carbonate per gallon. The temporary 

 hardness in this case was under l'-^. He concludes that, ' when 

 the dangerous nature of zinc as a poison is taken into consi- 

 deration, the use of zinc-coated vessels in' connection with water 

 or any food liquid, should be avoided.' " 



" Zinc poisoning from the use of water which has been 

 stored in galvanised iron receptacles is of comparatively rare 

 occurrence. Obstinate constipation is, so far as experience 

 extends, the one noticeable effect produced, and possibly zinc- 

 contaminated water may be a more frequent cause of this condi- 

 tion than has hitherto been suspected ; but Myelins states that 

 the water of the parish well at Tutendorf, contains half a grain 

 of zinc per gallon, and has been used for about a century 

 without any perceptible effect." 



Hammnrstens " Physiological Chemistry," 1900 ed., p. 211 : — 

 " Zinc ... is easily taken up by the liver and retained 



for a long time," and ibid., p. 404, " Zinc .... passe? 



into the milk." 



Journals. 



The Analyst, since the first number in 1875, contains n- 

 reference to deleterious effects of zinc in drinking water. Vol. 

 XXII., p. 187, records the use of ZnSO^ as cheese spice 

 to prevent heaving and cracking in cheese-making (A. H. Allen), 

 while A. Bodmer found 3-7 and 2*5 grains ZnSO^ per 

 lb. of cheese in two different samples. In Vol. 24, p. 8, dried 

 apples are recorded as containing -031 per cent., -021 per cent., 

 •023 per cent., and -027 per cent, and dried pears -020 pe 

 cent, and "026 per cent, of zinc. These are interesting as othei. 

 possible sources of zinc poisoning. 



The Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry since the 

 first number in 1882, gives the following information : — 



Vol. II., p. 413, records acetic acid as containing zinc, 

 derived from grey rubber tubing. 



Vol. IV., p. 408, records experiments to show that zinc ia 

 inimical to plant life. In some " water culture " experiments 

 1 part per million killed radish, 5 per million killed oats, barley. 



