WATER UNHEALTHY MANUFACTURES.] 



CHEMISTRY. 



contaminated with gaseous exhalations, if collected on 

 land ; and with saline matter if it fall near the sea-shore. 

 Absorbed by the earth, and percolating the interstices of 

 sand, rocks, <tc., it acquires a variety of substances, 

 which dissolve in it. When these are in excess, the 

 water is termed " mineral water ;" and usually contains 

 lime, magnesia, oxide of iron, and alkaline salts. Such 

 water can neither be used for washing, drinking, or culi- 

 nary purposes, owing to its hardness. When such saline 

 ingredients are in less proportion, we have a liquid 

 resembling river water ; and such partakes of the cha- 

 racter of that supplied to most of the large cities and 

 towns in the kingdom. Generally speaking, such water 

 contains from fifteen to twenty-five grains of inorganic, 

 and from one to four grains of organic matter to the im- 

 perial gallon ; besides a small proportion of oxygen, car- 

 bonic acid, and other gases in a dissolved state. 



Confining our attention solely to the organic matter 

 (for the other questions have been frequently inquired 

 into in our previous pages), we may observe that both 

 vegetable organisms and animalcules are its constituents. 

 It has been noticed that, in seasons when diarrhoea is 

 most prevalent, the presence of putrefied or putrefying 

 organic matter ia always in excess in most sources of our 

 water-supply ; and so universally is this the case, that 

 no competent authority doubts the direct connection be- 

 tween the disease and this circumstance. 



If there be one subject in which we are most at fault 

 with respect to chemical science, it is that of the opera- 

 tion of poison on the human system ; especially that of 

 vegetable and animal poisons. Their action ia so subtle, 

 and frequently the external physical effects of it so 

 speedily pass away, that nothing but rough conjecture is 

 left us in respect to that action. 



The most careful chemical analysis has failed us 

 iii attempting to detect the details of poisoning by putre- 

 fied matter, whatever may be its origin. It has been 

 ingeniously suggested that the result is due to a kind of 

 inoculation ; for it has been found, that if the matter of 

 putrefied sausages be introduced into the system, in a 

 manner similar to that adopted in vaccination, the blood 

 soon becomes vitiated, and the death of the subject 

 speedily ensues. However, to extend such a theory to all 

 coxes of deatli arising from the use of impure water, 

 would hardly be permissible ; we can only point out the 

 evils which may arise, advise that they be carefully 

 avoided, and hope that, eventually, we may gain some 

 deeper insight into this painful, but deeply interesting 

 ubject. 



It is a remarkable fact that some kinds of water really 

 become purer after undergoing a kind of fermenting 

 process. The animal and vegetable matter they contain, 

 undergoes decomposition ; and assuming, by the re- 

 arrangement of their elements, new forms of combina- 

 tion, the water itself is left in an almost pure state. The 

 water supplied from the Thames to shipping, affords a 

 notable example of this ; and is, therefore, preferable to 

 any other kind, when required for long voyages. Of late 

 years, the general adoption of steam as a method of pro- 

 pulsion, and the invention of various forms of apparatus 

 for distilling sea-water, have been of great advantage to 

 persons undertaking long voyages, and have greatly con- 

 duced to the health and comfort of the passengers. 



As remarked at page 426, water acts as a solvent and 

 diluent to the human system. Whatever we take in the 

 water we drink, must travel through the system, and bo 

 assimilated to its structure, or be rejected as urine, 

 together with other substances which it has dissolved 

 during its progress. This will show of what extreme im- 

 portance it is that the water of which we partake should 

 bo of good quality. An we have before observed, it 

 must not be chemically pure, for then it would be almost 

 valm-lr-is ; but it should only contain such substances as 

 hall be beneficial, or, at all events, not prejudicial to 

 health. Let us for a moment glance at what the office of 

 water is to our system : and in the term we shall include 

 Hiiuh liquids as milk, broth, infusion of tea, <tc., which 

 are almost entirely composed of water. 



First, as a diluent, water moistens and lubricates all 



the surfaces of our internal organs. The nose, eyes, ears, 

 mouth, larynx, lungs, stomach, joints, &c., constantly 

 require it ; and when, in febrile attacks, we suffer from its 

 comparative absence, the consequences are sufficiently 

 well known to all. Then, as a solvent, it conveys albu- 

 men, fibrine, caseine, <tc., to the surface of the stomach, 

 in such a form as that organ can readily assimilate 

 them ; and it carries those proximate principles in the 

 blood to each part of the human frame. In the body it 

 produces tho muscles, fat, fibre, nerves, <tc, by this 

 power of conveyance. On suitable parts it deposits its 

 saline substances to form bone. Externally, it is essen- 

 tial to the production of hair, nails, <fcc. ; and it is con- 

 stantly employed in conveying to the skin the materials 

 of which that substance is composed, and by which it is 

 constantly renewed as it is worn away or injured. After 

 having performed this, and many other functions, it 

 returns to other parts of the system, bearing with it all 

 the valueless and waste products of the entire system, 

 till it arrives at those organs by means of which the 

 body is relieved of the excretions. 



From this hasty glance, our readers will at once per- 

 ceive how essential water is to us as an active chemical 

 agent in our system. But we may go still further, and 

 remind them that a great proportion of our bodies con- 

 sists of water. This is constantly passing off by the 

 lungs and the skin ; and the liquids we drink have, there- 

 fore, another office than those we have referred to, in 

 that of maintaining the mass of tho body of a uniform 

 size. 



We, however, cannot further enlarge by such details. 

 Our object has been to show, in a general manner, the 

 chemical relationship which water has on the health ; 

 and we must leave our readers to make such practical 

 applications as the subject is capable of. 



CHEMICAL MANUFA<TTUBE.S AND SANITARY LAWS. It is 

 a most unfortunate circumstance, that many of our 

 manufactories are not only the causes of disease to those 

 engaged in them, but spread their evil influence for con- 

 siderable distances around them as a centre. According 

 to late legal definitions, such manufactories may be 

 deemed " nuisances," if carried on to the prejudice of 

 the health of the surrounding neighbourhood. It is 

 equally unfortunate that such manufactories must neces- 

 sarily bo surrounded by workpeople, who, as they are 

 engaged in the factories, must reside near their work. 



It would be impossible for us here to enumerate tho 

 various occupatious in which chemistry is involved, and 

 which may bo really dangerous in a sanitary point of 

 view. The manufacture of chemical products, bone- 

 boiling, artificial manure-making, and the like, come 

 under the category ; and, from the fact that they, gene- 

 rally speaking, require a great bulk of cheap material to 

 afford but a comparatively small amount of commercial 

 and valuable product, they cannot be carried on at a 

 profit unless they are situated near the places from which 

 the raw material is obtained. If even they were re- 

 moved from the neighbourhood of large towns, still their 

 exigencies would soon tend to produce almost a town of 

 workpeople around them ; and hence a temporary delay, 

 but not a cure, of the evil would result. 



It would thus seem, at first sight, that such manu- 

 factories must necessarily exist as a source of constant 

 injury to health, and that either the people who subsist 

 on them must die of disease, or, iu their absence, of 

 starvation. But such need not be the case, for, in almost 

 every instance, an improved system of drainage, and tho 

 erection of tall chimneys for the purpose of carrying 

 away smoke, vapours, (tc., will mitigate all the evils 

 which exist at the present time. The astonishing im- 

 provement which has taken place in the city of London, 

 since the "Smoke Act" has been enforced, proves that 

 where there is the will there is also the way ; and, in the 

 absence of the will, the strong arm of the law can soon 

 effect every desirable result. 



It is true that some manufactures must always be 

 unhealthy ; such as those of the production of white lead, 

 arsenic, steel grinding, and tho like. In such cases, 

 however, much may be done by scientific means, urged 



