UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
| BULLETIN No. 369 |jj|| 
2? Contribution from the Bureau of Chemistry *~Mf\A$$S^' 
JflJ&'^&U CARL L. ALSBERG, Chief -jfWv'vWi, 
Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER May 26, 1916 
BACTERIA IN COMMERCIAL BOTTLED WATERS. 
By Maud Mason Obst, Bacteriological Chemist. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
Significance of bacteria in potable waters 2 
Inspection of springs 3 
Page. 
Examination of commercial bottled waters. . 4 
Conclusions 6 
Tabulated data 7 
INTRODUCTION. 
During the, last six years from 1 to 17 samples of bottled waters 
from each of lfO American springs and from 57 sources in foreign 
countries have been examined in the Bacteriological Laboratory of 
the Bureau of Chemistry. 1 A comparative study of the results 
obtained should, therefore, contribute toward the formation of an 
opinion as to the freedom from contamination which we have a right 
to expect and to demand in the case of this product. These bacterio- 
logical analyses have been brought together and tabulated; and the 
results of this study have been considered to determine whether the 
standard adopted by the United States Public Health Service 2 for 
water on trains could be fairly applied to bottled waters, or whether 
some other standard would be more just. 
A questionnaire was also sent out to a number of bacteriologists 
who have been associated with sanitary and allied problems. This 
questionnaire was arranged primarily to learn the attitude of a 
widely distributed group of workers in regard to bacterial tolerance 
in bottled waters. Of the 49 correspondents who have replied, 8 
had not worked upon water sufficiently to feel competent to express 
any opinion. The remaining 41 replies are summarized as follows: 
Eight (19.8 per cent) stated that to them the term " bottled water" 
implied an unwritten guaranty of absolute purity;" five (12.1 per 
1 Examinations were made by various members of the Bacteriological Laboratory, including Dr. Geo. W. 
Stiles, Minnie Jenkins, Carleton Bates, Ruth C. Greathouse, and the author. 
The author wishes to acknowledge the valuable assistance rendered by Dr. Charles Thorn in the prepa- 
ration of this paper. 
2 U . S. Public Health Reports, 1914, p. 2959. (Not more than one out of five 10 cc portions shall show gas.) 
30614°— Bull. 369—16 
