THE PURIFICATION OF WATER SUPPLIES BY THE 

 USE OF HYPOCHLORITES. 



By WILLIAM PITT MASON, M.D. 

 (Read April 23, 1909.) 



There is no question but those of us who have taken ground as 

 opposed to the "disinfection" of water by "bleach," hypochlorite 

 of sodium, or other similar substances, must change our position. 

 The experimental work in France and England; the improvement 

 of the water of Bubbly-Brook at the Chicago Stock Yards, and, 

 above all, the remarkable results secured by the Jersey City Water 

 Supply Co., when operating upon the entire municipal supply of 

 Jersey City, sufiBce to silence opposition to what may be termed the 

 most recent purification method of to-day. 



It is true that some years ago the " Woolf " process was pro- 

 posed, whereby an electrolyzed salt solution was employed for addi- 

 tion to either sewage or water ; and still further back the " Web- 

 ster " plan was advocated ; but none of the hypochlorites was 

 exploited in the systematic and exhaustive manner that has been 

 recently accomplished, nor has the smallness of the " dose " that will 

 accomplish efficient treatment ever been suspected. Let the follow- 

 ing facts speak for themselves : 



Lake water was treated with increasing " doses " of " bleaching- 

 powder" equivalent to the amount of available chlorine indicated. 

 It was then allowed to stand three hours in the dark, shaken and 

 sowed for " total count " of bacteria. 



