PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB. 395 



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 produced arc muscular, paralytic, cliolic, &c., and have been known 



since the time of Cajsar, who prohibited the use of lead pipe. 

 Such diseases have increased since the introduction of the Croton. 

 Still, as the pipes are shorter than in the country, the danger is 

 less, because they can be easily supplied with fresh water. In 

 the country, where pipes are long, or where they freeze, or where 

 the stream is small, the danger is increased. The price of the 

 new pipe is about the same as lead pipe, because though the block- 

 tin is dearer, it is lighter. 



The Chair. — Paralysis is said to be another disease, arising from 

 lead poison. 



Dr. Peck. — Leading scientific men assure me that when water 

 flows through lead pipe, the carbonic acid in the water produces 

 a soluble oxide of lead. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter. — Many members recollect the discourse • 

 of Professor Bartlett before the Club, and his statement that his 

 brother lost his life by the cause referred to. Still, I know of 

 families who have used water from lead pide for twenty years 

 and are perfectly healthy. I think we ought not to be alarmed. 

 But it will be a good plan always to let the water run a while 

 from the pipe before using. 



Dr. Peck. — Some people are so obstinate that they continually 

 take poison and yet will not die. Such are arsenic-eaters and 

 habitual drunkards. 



Mr. N. C. Meeker. — I know of a family where the father and 

 mother died, and I always suspected the cause was the lead pipe 

 which brought water from a spring. I have noticed that very 

 soft water running through lead has a sweet, suspicious taste. 



New Wire Clothes-pin. 

 Mr. W. S. Doty presented a new style of clothes-pin, made of 

 copper wire bent into a peculiar clasp form, so as to embrace the 

 line and hold the clothes more securely than can be done with the 

 ordinary wooden pin. 



Catawba Grapes — Mode of Keepi^s^g. 



Mr. R. H. Williams exhibited a box of Catawba grapes grown 

 and preserved by Mr. D. S. AYagener, Pultenay, N. Y., and read 

 the following mode of keeping them, as sent to the Club by Mr. 

 Wagener: 



"I sul)mit to you my plan for saving grapes and other fruit. 

 The room I use is in the basement, and difiers in no essential 

 point from any good fruit room. What I claim as essential in 



