Good Wilier Supph/ 57 



Already something has been said with regard 

 to an abnndant supply of water, but it may not 

 be out of place to emphasize the necessity of se- 

 curing healthful water for household purposes. 

 Modern science has revealed the fact that a 

 large number of diseases are introduced into the 

 system by means of drinking water (see Chapter 

 XII ) . All drinking water may be boiled ; it may 

 be said that it should be, for in too many cases 

 water that appears limpid and pure, drawn from 

 sources which have every appearance of being 

 uncontaminated, is not only dangerous but 

 sometimes deadly. Careful physicians recom- 

 mend that all water be filtered, but so many of 

 the filters are imperfect and are so badly 

 neglected that there is no certainty that filtered 

 water is entirely safe ; therefore, it may be said 

 that the only safe way is to boil all drinking 

 water. As the streams and soil become more 

 and more contaminated by unsanitary condi- 

 tions, it is only in rare cases that safe water 

 can be secured naturally. When wells or 

 streams become low, or when streams are 

 quickly flushed by heavy rains, invariably there 

 is danger that the w^ater which they contain 

 may be impure. Care should be taken to pro- 

 vide an abundance of w^ater, and that used for 

 household purposes should be treated in such 

 manner as will make it entirely healthful. 



