Chemical Qualities of Water. 
5G0 
that ho did not think any persons had been injured by water taken out 
of leaden cisterns, and asked whether the Professor gave it as his 
positive opinion that leaden cisterns would not be subject to decompo- 
sition, if a good deal of freo carbonic acid were placed in the water. 
Dr. Voelcker replied that it might attack the lead and corrode it ; 
but tho presence of carbonic acid was undoubtedly a safeguard. 
Mr. Frere wished to make an observation on the agricultiu - al aspect 
of the question. Great interest had of late been manifested in the 
provision of better houses for agricultural labourers. Circumstances 
in general seemed so to concur, that the same spots upon which labourers 
were worst housed were also the most unfavourable for a supply of 
water. These places were frequently dependent upon land springs, 
which, as the Professor had stated, were most unsatisfactory sources 
of supply : and he thought that if a day were set apart for the special 
discussion of that branch of the subject, it would bo of advantage to 
the whole agricultural community, and especially to the farm labourer. 
They would then require the aid not only of their Professor of Che- 
mistry, but of men familiar with the geological aspects of our various 
clay strata, and men of practical experience in the making of ponds 
and reservoirs for retaining the water when supplies had been pro- 
cured. 
It had been suggested to him that zinc was now largely used for 
tanks in this town. He shoidd like to know what the Professor thought 
of the use of such tanks. 
Dr. Voelcker said the effect was very similar to that which water 
exercised on lead, with this difference, that zinc got more easily eaten 
away by some kinds of water than even lead ; he should think the 
water undesirable for drinking purposes. 
A vote of thanks was then passed to Dr. Voelcker, who, in briefly 
acknowledging the compliment, observed that he could speak with 
some authority upon one point to which Mr. Frere had alluded. The 
bad quality of the water with which cottages were generally supplied 
in agricultural districts was really a hardship that pressed with peculiar 
severity upon the industrious and thrifty labourer ; the man who did 
not visit the public-house, but stayed at homo with his family, culti- 
vated his garden, and kept a pig. Of course, where a pig was kept 
and a garden cultivated, there would be an accumulation of refuse 
organic matter which found its way into the surface well. Thus, the 
industrious man, who ought to be particularly encouraged, was par- 
ticularly inconvenienced, and it might be, his life and that of his 
children endangered. 
The Chairman said this was a matter of very great importance. In 
the parish in which he resided they not long ago brought the water 
down from a fine spring on the moors, and laid it on for the supply of 
the houses in the town and of the labourers' cottages. They were not 
dependent, therefore, upon any well. There was a constant supply of 
fresh, wholesome water kept up, and the advantage was very great over 
the surface well. 
