178 FIRESIDE SCIENCE. 



Lime is a very abundant product in nature, and the 

 water in some sections is chai'ged with it, generally 

 in the form of a carbonate. If another carbonate 

 the carbonate of baryta were as common, an- 

 imated life would fall before its deadly influence. 

 Thus we see the hand of a kind Providence man- 

 ifested in all the provisions of nature. The con- 

 sideration of poisonous substances held in water 

 suggests the importance of not doing violence to 

 ourselves, by bringing the deleterious metals, which 

 nature has so wisely placed in remote localities, in 

 contact with water designed for culinary employ- 

 ment. This we are very liable to do, in the use 

 of leaden service pipes. More of the obscure and 

 painful diseases which come under the notice of 

 physicians are due to lead-impregnated water than 

 is generally supposed. Many of these instances 

 are found in the families of farmers, for unfor- 

 tunately the innovations of fashion and modern im- 

 provements have led to the banishment of the old 

 well- sweep and curb, and the copper pump and 

 leaden service pipe have taken their place. It 

 should be understood by farmers and stock raisers 

 that it is not the members of the household alone 

 that suffer from lead- impregnated water ; the ani- 

 mals, the cows, the oxen, and the horses, are just as 

 susceptible to its deadly influence as human beings. 

 I have frequently found in my observation in the 



