32 



SCIENCE. 



In regard to the quality of the Croton water, we will 

 give an analysis by Professor C. F. Chandler. 



CROTON WATER — GRAINS IN U. S. GALLONS. 

 (CHANDLER). 



Soda 0.326 



Potassa 0.097 



Lime 0.988 



Magnesia 0.524 



Chlorine 0.24.3 



Sulphuric acid 0.322 



Silica 0.621 



Carbonic acid 2.604 



Organic and volatile matter 0.670 



Calculating 100,000,000 gallons as the daily average 



water supply of New York city, the impurities would be 



as follows : 



CROTON WATER. (CHANDLER). IMPURITIES IN 100,000,- 

 OOO GALLONS. 



TONS. 



Soda 2.319 



Potassa 0.692 



Lime 7- 3% 



Magnesia 3 74 2 



Chlorine 1-735 



Sulphuric acid 2.300 



Silica 4429 



Carbonic acid 18.600 



Organic and volatile matter 4785 



"We have the same authority for stating that the or- 

 ganic and volatile matter occasionally reaches 1. 14 grains 

 to the U. S. gallon. 



It will thus be seen that 

 the constituents of Croton 

 water show it to be excel- 

 lent as a water supply to a 

 city, being unusually free 

 from mineral matter and 



results in United States gallons, some in imperial gal- 

 lons, and others in parts of ioo.oco.ooo, and others in 

 1,000 gallons. 



From necessity rather than choice we wiil make an 

 average amount of organic matter in Croton water from 

 the following calculations: 



Tons in 100,000.000 gallons. 



C. F. Chandler 4.785 • 



E. Waller 18 324 



Leeds 27.070 



Herald 14.528 



Average Tons in each day's supply, 16.176 



Fig. 4. 



Whitlock's Slaughterhouse, showing drainage into Croton water supply. 



To determine the nature of this organic and sedi- 

 mentary matter a microscopical examination is neces- 

 sary, and, as we have for nearly ten years continuously 

 made such examinations, an attempt will be made to 

 explain the results arrived at. 



If a glass of Croton water 

 freshly drawn be held up to 

 the light, it will be noticed, 

 that dispersed throughout 



A parasite from some, bird or an 

 for two weeks in countless nu 

 surrounded by a jelly-like mass 



Fig. 2. 

 Hydra magnified. 



having no inorganic sub- 

 stance in excess to make 

 it objectionable. 



In discussing, therefore, 

 the quality of Croton water 

 it will be sufficient to confine our attention to the 

 amount of organic matter it contains, and its nature. 



To decide this point correctly a comparison of the an- 

 alyses made by various chemists is desirable, but the 

 greatest difficulties are here met, which are due to the 

 erratic methods of those who have made and recorded 

 these investigations. No two chemists appear to adopt 

 similar methods of making analyses of water, and it is 

 notorious that different methods give quite different re- 

 sults. On the other hand some chemists record their 



Fig. 



al and foreign to the water. Seen 

 mbers. They were all dead and 

 of putrescence.— (Michels.) 



Fig. 3. 

 Hydra; natural size. 



the water are very minute 

 particles in countless num- 

 bers, which revolve as the 

 water circulates round the 

 glass, while here and there 

 may be noticed (especially 

 during the summer and autumn months), larger pieces 

 having a reddish-brown color. If a piece of sponge is tied 

 over the mouth of a faucet, and the water allowed to run 

 for a short time, the sponge will be loaded in every 

 pore with an accumulation of the impurities in the 

 water. If the sponge is now squeezed in a glass, the 

 water will be found to be opaque on account of the large 

 amount of floating matter, it will emit a foul odor, and 

 the resulting sediment will have the appearence of a foul 

 blackish-brown slime. If a pipette is now used and some 



