108 



j. E. MAYER, ESQ. ON THE WATER 



examination, taken in conjunction with the absolute determi- 

 nation of solids; and then of organic and inorganic matters ; 

 with the determination of the amount of chlorides volume- 

 trically, being for all practical purposes, we believe, sufficient. 

 Had there been any reasonable doubt as to the character 

 of these waters, then, undoubtedly, the absolute determi- 

 nation of the sulphates would have been not only desir- 

 able but necessary. It is well known that sulphates and 

 chlorides, together present in quantity in any water, act 

 injuriously both on men and cattle ; and, further, that many 

 sulphates in the presence of organic matters, especially in 

 tropical temperatures, are subject to a process of reduction, 

 and are thereby converted into sulphurets, which last, by 

 the simultaneous oxidation of the carbon of the organic mat- 

 ters, and by continuance of the other processes, are converted 

 into oxides, while sulphuretted hydrogen is given off — a gas 

 that is notoriously hostile and deadly to all animals endow- 

 ed with the higher forms of organisation. For these reasons , 

 all waters in which sulphates and organic matters are pre- 

 sent, especially in tropical countries, are unfitted for internal 

 use. It will, then, be only necessary, in order to form an ac- 

 curate estimate of the qualities of these waters, to bear in 

 mind ; 1st, that they contain large quantities of animal and 

 vegetable matters ; 2nd, that chlorides and sulphates are pre- 

 sent in various quantities ; and finally, that, independent of 

 the deleterious combined action of chlorides and sulphates on 

 the human body, organic matters with sulphates are present. 



It does not appear, after the general considerations now 

 submitted, that there is any necessity for dilating on the 

 individual characters of the waters of any one of the wells 

 which have been examined. Well, No. V. is the least objec- 

 tionable, but even this water, independent of other impuri- 

 ties, contains double the amount of organic matter that is 

 regarded as passable. It only remains to offer a few remarks 



