FOUR] WATER SUPPLY 
lead paste. As a consequence my whole family was 
poisoned, one son almost fatally. Lead poisoning is 
one of those fearful dangers, involving terrible suffer- 
ing, that cannot be too carefully guarded against — 
not only in well pipes but in faucets and receptacles. 
An ignorant or careless plumber may undermine 
the health of a household, even while apparent- 
ly providing against danger. Let the water which 
will be used for drinking purposes be brought 
through iron pipes, carefully cemented with 
graphite mixtures. Water obtained from a deep 
well is always as cold as it is safe to use, and 
you may cut off your supply of ice. Ice-water 
is always more or less dangerous, while cold well- 
water is almost never injurious. Itis of an even 
temperature, and sufficiently cold for rational 
purposes. 
One of our ablest sanitary writers tells us that 
“Well-water, as it is found in the ordinary com- 
munity, is rarely safe — where it is safe is the ex- 
ception. One well of absolutely untainted water 
may be found to ninety-nine that are more or less 
impure.” ‘The same writer, speaking of reservoirs, 
urges that, while possibly they may be suitable for 
human use, the probability is that they contain 
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