Shanghai.
I may however for safety's sake assume that oven under the most favourable circumstances, water as delivered to the consumer would contain some low forms of life, and as I have by supposition reduced the objectionalie inuredionts in the water to these doubtfully present organic forms, I have only to enquire how to get rid of them. Now, while on the one hand, Parkes (Practical Hygiene, 4th El, p. 21) says that it. is uncertain how. far boiling will destroy te poisons of the specie "diseases" and quotes Lex to the effect that some bacteria move rapidly at a. temperature of 260.6° F., on the other Bastian, who has paid more attention to this point' than any living investigator, says (Evolution and te Origin of Life, 1874; p. 46)—"it has been "established that living protoplasm is cer. "tainly destroyed by sudden exposure lo a "temperature of 140° F. when in the moist i the nature of the fluid Although i con and Messrs. Lewis and Cunningham, that the temperatures of boiling water and of boiling alcohol which are immediately fatal to all living particles are sustained for a fow minutes without injury by fresh contagious matter, the doubt raised by Parkes and Lex need not trouble us s0 far as the Shanghai water supply is concerned, for - 1°, the danger can' be avoided only ly care in the selection of a source, and the source proposed is clearly the east objectionable; 2°, no process to which water can on the Inrge seato be subjected can influence these poisons, supposing them to he in the water; and 3%, their destruction is merely a question of sustained boiling. It is only for a tew minutes that contagious matter can stand the temperatures given above, imple p therefore, of either by i mixed with wine or spirits, ro sumer absolutely safe. The two processes should invariably be combined; first filtra and then boiling. The advantage of boun water before drinking it was well understood even in ancient tines, Thus Herodotus ing about 450 years Lefore the Chi era, of a period a century earlier, says (i. 188)
he Great King when he is on a campaign "ig supplied from homo with provisions well "prepared, and with cattle, Moreover he "carries with him water from the river "Choaspes* which flows past Susa, whrreot alone and of none other does he drink, And with this Chonspes water, previously boiled "and stored in silver ye many four: "heeled mule-carts are laden, which follow "him® whithersoever he marches." Even boiled water, however, should be drunk not Inter than 2 hours after boiling, "Tt cannot "be tuo distinctly understood that dangerous "qualities of water are not obviated by the addition of wine or spirits." (Simon; General Memorandum, July 1866.) It is therefore clear that the functions of a water company are discharged when it (1) selects an approved source of supply; (2) removes all suspended organic and inorganic matters, microscopic organisms excep tei; and (3) delivers its water free from impurities arising from faulty storage or carriage, It is further clear that well og the residuum of rms left after the process its province, the former ease under consideration, admittedly jority and the latter being ily loffer treatment by thee The additional risks to life, if any, entailed in Shanghai, ave well worthy attention both for the bearing of the question pin Rife awurance, and for the peace of mind of the foreign residents, Tt dove wot pear that as yet there is a riv array of facts to warrant a very decided tone way or aotlier, but at leant th hotbing to justify alarm in view of having t settle here for a term of years, Lhave reason to believe that when depressed by illness a previously vigorous man will often lose heart here, and thereby seriously affect his chances Choaspes, auer stream, he dink of ye bat King dis Regaine, ti, 28. Since the shore was wetten, the Ratepayers at their ofthe Lot ay 9 de rfuced perma Works Cranpany tr ni the. wa for the Does laying pipes aad faced restutnn oons uno age a scheme will fo mo certain, but meanaite Settlements. ate ueedealy deprived supply, which they could. have availed of acconling to their own judgments,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.