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SCIENCE. 



SCIENCE: 



A Weekly Record of Scientific 

 Progress. 



JOHN MICHELS, Editor. 



Published at 



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SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 1880. 



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ANALYSIS OF WATER. 



The trouble attending the making of analyses of 

 water is considerable, and may account for the reluc- 

 tance of chemists to make such investigations unless 

 under special orders. 



As the value of such analysis of the water supply of 

 cities is great, especially at a time when the subject is 

 receiving so much attention, we gladly welcome some 

 valuable work accomplished in this direction at New- 

 ark, New Jersey, by Dr. Herman H. C. Herold, of 

 that city, and placed at the disposal of "SCIENCE." 



As Dr. Herold has made his calculations both for 

 grains in the imperial gallon, and also according to 

 the metric system, we reproduce both in tabular form. 



To this record is added the analysis of water from* a 

 New York well, also made by Dr. Herold, and de- 

 scribed by him at page 13 of this Journal, forming 

 part of No. 2, issued July 10th last. 



The inference Dr. Herold draws after making these 

 analyses, is that relatively the water from the Passaic 

 river stands at the head of the list, as being the most 

 favorable as a water supply for Newark, in comparison 

 with that obtained from driven wells. 



Still the Aqueduct Water (Passaic) is not in a 

 satisfactory condition, its imperfections being due to 

 impurities derived from the city of Newark itself, and 

 not from Paterson and other towns above it, as the 

 run of twelve miles would oxidize such organic matter. 



The results of an analysis of the aqueduct water of 

 Newark City, made by Dr. Herold in the month of 

 June, as compared with the results of the analysis 

 made in March, shows a decided deterioration in the 

 condition of the water during the time between the 

 two periods. To a very great extent this may be ex 

 plained as being a result of natural causes. During 

 the interval we suffered from a prolonged drought, 

 the lowlands being thoroughly drained and converted 

 into pools, the flood-tide, flowing farther up the 

 river than is usual, carried with it much of the impuri- 

 ties of the city which are emptied into the river. The 

 distance being short, these impurities did not have 

 adequate opportunity for oxygenation and destruction. 

 As will be seen by a comparison of the following 

 tables, the amount of solid residue, 6.688 grains per 

 imperial gallon, is about double that obtained by the 

 former analysis, which showed only 3.147 grains per 

 imperial gallon. The amount of organic matter has 

 increased 2\ times, or 0.957 grains against 0.378 

 grains of the former analysis. A still more alarming 

 increase is found in the chlorine, 0.636 grains to 0.21 1 

 grains, found in the former analysis — an increase of 

 300 per cent. 



Dr. Herold also states that his views regarding the 

 advantages of securing a water supply for cities from 

 running streams is strengthened by further examina- 

 tion of the question and everyday experience. What- 

 ever organic matter may find its way into a running 

 river is necessarily largely diluted. In the constant 

 change of position and great increase of surface it is 

 exposed to the oxygen of the air and also to that in 

 the water; the plants along the bottom and sides of 

 the stream are sure to absorb a certain proportion 

 and by these means, if the water is only given far 

 enough to flow, the matter contained in it cannot but 

 be neutralized and to a very great extent destroyed. 

 The great advantage to cities in being supplied from 

 such a source is now generally conceded by all author- 

 ities who have made the subject of hygiene a study. 



