568 
SANITARY NOTES ON POTABLE WATER. 
Wanklyn’s ammonia method has also not met with much 
favour. 
What is the result ? One German chemist. Dr. Emmerich, 
relying on the oxygen process, does not consider it in any 
way extraordinary that the “ organic matter 5 ’ in some polluted 
water should amount to nearly four times the quantity of the 
total residue on evaporation,* whilst Dr. Fliigge, in a paper 
“ On the Hygienic Value of the Examination of Potable 
Water,”f admits that Frankland’s method “ seems 55 the only 
comparatively satisfactory one capable of determining the 
organic nitrogen probably completely and the organic car¬ 
bon approachingly. Of course the reverse is the case, and 
we can judge from this how far he is conversant with the 
subject he lectured upon. “But this method / 5 Fliigge con¬ 
tinues, “ takes up much time, and has not, on this account, 
excited the interest which the relative accuracy of its results 
may deserve . 55 Taking everything into consideration, he 
arrives at the conclusion that the determination of chlorine is 
the most satisfactory way of ascertaining sewage pollution of 
a water, t Although he bases very important conclusions 
Organic Organic 
Carbon. Nitrogen. Ammonia. Chlorine. 
Deep Well (Unpolluted . *067 017 '0 9*30 
Water {Polluted . *821 T31 *011 1*75 
on the indications by chlorine, which he obtained in a number 
of cases, he finishes by saying that none of the methods 
hitherto in use can afford information on the hygienic value 
of a drinking water. Another chemist, Dr. Tiemann, of 
Berlin, in his book on water analysis,§ declares himself 
unable (ausser Stande) to say whether or not the results ob¬ 
tained by Frankland 5 s method are in a ratio to the time and 
trouble it requires. 
Such being the state of water analysis in Germany, can 
we be astonished at the backwardness of that country in all 
matters relating to water supply? This also renders it in¬ 
telligible why Lewin hesitates to publish analyses which he 
might be certain would be criticised here in England. 
Instead of this he confined himself to the filtration of 
urine through a spongy iron filter, determining the total 
nitrogen in the filtered and unfiltered liquid. Starting with 
* ‘ Zeitschrift fur Biologie/ viii, iv, p. 502. 
f Ibid, xiii, iv. 
I Dr. Fliigge might advantageously study the Sixth Report of the Rivers 
Pollution Commission, where, amongst other instances, he would find the 
following: , 
§ ‘ Anleitung zur Untersuchung von Wasser,’ by Dr. Ferd. Tiemannj 
ii Ed., p. 99. 
