The Filtering of Water.

Evening Post, Volume LV, Issue 18, 22 January 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

The Filtering of Water.

Dr. Andrew Wilson, the science con- i tributor of the Illustrated London News, writes : — 'It is the sterilising of water — that is, the rendering of it devoid of all traces of microbes — which is to he aimed at in a perfect system of filtration. No doubt a perfectly sterile water, in which there ia no sign of germ-life, represeuts almost an impossibility of ordinary household economics. Nor is it necessary that water should be absolutely nterile to he perfectly bate for drinking 1 purposes. One must not fall into the common error of supposing that all germs oontained in water are disease-producing. Ordinary pure drinking water, like air, is full of harmless microbes, which have no effect whatever on our health. It is the presence of diseasegerms in polluted water which constitutes our great danger, and if we are to truut to filtration to save us from germ -attack, it is clear that process must be capable of sterilising the w^ter ; otherwise, it is of none avail. Now, the ordinary filter, so far from sterilising water, purifies it very imperfectly, and I bhould say that filters of the charcoal type especially may become highly dangerous after even a few days use, from the fact that dirty charcoal is a very favourite breeding- ground for germs. I repeat that, short of using a filter which will sterilise water, it is a far better aud infinitely safer and simpler process for the householder to boil his supply. What one regrets to note is that so many people place dependence on filters under the idea that they are rendering water absolutely germfree. The sooner this erroneous notion is corrected, the better will it be for our health and safety all round. The Pope is one of the wealthiest men in the world. In his home, the Vatican, a palace whioh contains seven thousand rooms, the worth of gold objects stored theie is estimated at twenty millions of dollars by weight alone, and each piece was increased in value by the skilled artisans through "Vhoso hands it has passed. These treasures are praotically the personal estate of tho Pope. On the occasion of his Jubilee iv 1888, Leo received enough gifts to ransom a kingdom, the offerings at Jubilee mass, alone being, some three millions of dollars in gold. At least, so says Vogue.