POISON IN THE LEITH.

Evening Star, Issue 16994, 17 March 1919, Page 2

POISON IN THE LEITH.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Fox a long period this reservoir of ours has been a big bone of contention. Many years back it was pointed out that it was a refreshment room for rabbi tors’ dogs, which drank and swam upon its surface, going to and returning from the day’s hunt, tired, hot, and thirsty. The next “bone" was in the shape of gulls carrying offal from the adjacent slaughterhouse and washing and eating this filth upon the water. After this the late Dr Gloss wrote strong articles in the papers severely condemning this liquid for human consumption on account of the many microbes it contained. Then came the licensed angler with his tempting bait to induce the perch to bite. The picnickers with their many natural contaminations were the next to cause trouble. The succeeding “ bone ” was the drainage of certain properties on and about the water o'-ng. I'fte" which came the exposure of tho filthy fresh-water sweltering and dcj cayi-tg ip hot mud during the warm days and when tho water was very low. I On the top of all those revelations there 1 came tho sad suicide case, and your reported pig drainage episode, and Nature 1 washing herself, which, condensed, means j tho drainage into the reservoir of dead 1 rabbits, binds, dogs, cats, and all manner iof dead and alive insects, germs, and | animals of various types and sizes too nuI merous to mention. The final “bone” is Councillor Green’s statement in your paper in reference to dead pathogenic germs. 1, Wo do not want to swallow dead pathoi panic or any norms, but all wa ask for is a pure, wholesome water supply for drinking purposes. When all these bones ” have been considered, it is obvious that our reservoir is nothing more than a cess pool of concentrated filth and a breeding pond, not only of Councillor Green’s pathogenic germs, but bacteria of every known disease and death. This is considerably n/reravated when the reservoir is particularly low and immediately after Nature has washed herself, or the surface of the reservoir has lazily basked itself for many months in the hot broiling I sun. | Until we get this ridiculous notion of I storage out of our heads and bring in a I live strong running supply of pure water, we will not bo better off. Should this not be possible, the American system must be adopted. As Councillor Green ip posing as an expert, he must know something of those processes. Abolish the reservoir—dry bones, dry bones.—l am, etc.. Bacteria. March 15.