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Show STERILIZING WATER. H It is very common for reservoirs, especially In M counties where there Is much rain, to become M foul through organic matter that finds Its way Into H the most carefully constructed reservoirs. The M particular scientific term for the enemy is called M "Alyao." Vast sums have been expended in trying H to cleanse reservoirs in vain; in some places they H H have become at onca a nuisance and a terror to H the inhabitants near. W An appeal to the Department of Agriculture H was finally made and the scientists there at once H" began a series of exhaustive experiments under K the direction of Dr. George T. Moore, Director of ' Laboratory of Plant Physiology in the department. H An effective specific was found in the application Bj of a solution of copper sulphate (bbib vitriol) in H; about the proportion of one part copper In fifty mM million parts of water. The solution cleared the I top of the reservoir, but did not reach below the surface. Then the copper sulphate crystals, in - about the same proportion, were sprinkled directly into the reservoir, and the work was found to be Hf complete, i T,ho water that had been covered by a Hb green souncwas perfectly cleaned and the of- H fenslve odor passed away. The amount of copper WMl used could scarcely be traced in an analysis of the H water. Then a tost was made to see what effect H J the solution would novo on typhoid and cholera H germs and it was iound as effective with them H as with the group of Alyae. It is a wonderful dis- H covery. The way to apply it that is recommended H : is to tie two or three bags of the sulphate to a boat and row gently across the reservoir in lines H a few feet apart for two or three hours, then to H drop a few of the crystals into the water. In the H I same way streams that are liable to pollution are M ! treated by dropping the crystals into the water. A H 1 few pounds will be enough to cleanse all the H I streams that flow into the city's reservoirs and the Hf reservoirs themselves. The amount used carries Hjt no dajig$r to human life; Indeed, the water when Hf tested 'Is practically chemically pure. Our city H andfihij health authorities should attend to the K matter. It has been found, likewise, that a reser- He J!&ir of Water thus treated remains pure for two Hr or threeyears. bag. with a few pounds of the Hff" chopper sulphate sliould be tried In every stream Hf flowing into the city. M We believe it will be found that all the case3 H Of typhoid brought here from the mines come H f&om the lead and silver and not from the copper M camps. WM The scientists employed by the Government have been doing wonderful work during the past m hjalf dozen years, both at home and abroad. They H hjavo run the yellow fever, the malarial fever, H the typhoid and cholera germs to cover and an- Hf nhjlated them. They have practically pointed out Hf the methods to keep the tropio as healthy as the Hff temperate zones, and have demonstrated how the M typhoid germ may be annihilated. The value of m this can be in a little way Bstimated when we con- M slder that of late years typhoid has claimed more M victims, than oven consumption. The expense, M too they are saving the country is enormous. A m thousand reservoirs have been drained, scraped H and covered without avail, when the application H of a few dollars' worth of copper sulphate crystals j wpuld "have perfectly done the work desired. In H the same way a thousand sluggish and befouled HB streams have spread typhoid for years through the M communities along their banks when the same ap- M pjieation would have made them pure. Man is M vary swiftly gaining dominion over all the ele- M rnents of the world. |