140  Purification  of  Drinking  Water.  {^iSSSBT™" 
SantyL — This  is  described  as  being  the  salicylic  acid  ester  of 
santalol,  and  occurs  as  a  light  yellow,  nearly  odorless  and  tasteless, 
oily  liquid  that  is  insoluble  in  water,  but  readily  soluble  in  alcohol 
or  in  ether.  Santyl  may  be  given  in  place  of  santalol  or  oil  of 
santalwood  in  doses  of  I  or  2  c.c.    (Apoth.  Zeit.,  1905,  page  964.) 
Zymphene. — Sodium  metaoxycyanocinnamate  occurs  as  yellowish 
crystals  that  are  soluble  in  water  and  in  alcohol.  It  has  been 
recommended  as  being  a  tonic  and  digestive  stimulant  in  cases  of 
loss  of  appetite  due  to  digestive  derangement  or  other  causes.  It 
is  given  in  doses  of  0*5  gramme,  and  is  stated  to  be  non-toxic  and 
antiseptic.    (Phar.  Jour.,  Jan.  13,  1906,  page  50.) 
THE  USE  OF  METALLIC  COPPER  FOR  THE  PURIFICA- 
TION OF  DRINKING  WATER.1 
By  Prof.  Henry  Kraemer,  Philadelphia. 
Before  giving  the  results  of  my  experiments  with  copper  foil  in 
destroying  certain  intestinal  organisms,  I  desire  to  give  some  gen- 
eral observations  with  regard  to  the  use  of  copper  in  the  purification 
of  water  supplies,  as  the  subject  presents  itself  to  me. 
What  I  wish  to  bring  out  is  that  there  appear  to  be  distinct  uses 
for  copper  foil  and  for  copper  sulphate  or  the  salts  of  copper,  and 
also  that  there  is  a  proper  time  and  place  for  the  use  of  these. 
Copper  foil  seems  better  adapted  for  use  in  the  average  house- 
hold, and  may  be  used  when  the  drinking  water  supplied  to  a  com- 
munity is  a  diluted  sewage,  as  it  is  in  a  number  of  places. 
Salts  of  copper  seem  better  adapted  for  disinfecting  the  discharges 
of  typhoid  patients,  treatment  of  sewage,  and  the  purification  of 
contaminated  water  in  reservoirs. 
Theoretically,  there  should  be  no  need  of  treating  either  the 
water  in  a  reservoir  (except  where  there  is  algal  growth)  or  that 
which  is  supplied  the  householder  from  the  city  supply,  except 
when  there  is  contamination  as  a  result  of  accident,  as  sometimes 
happens,  granting  that  the  sources  of  contamination  have  been 
properly  safeguarded. 
The  discharges  from  typhoid  patients  being  the  source  of  the  dis- 
1  Reprinted  from  the  Journal  of  the  New  England  Water  Works  Association, 
Vol.  XIX,  No.  4,  p.  487. 
