But it is essential that this water be pure water. If it be impure, laden with dissolved substances, infected with disease-bearing germs and impregnated with an undue amount of mineral matter, it be comes the most dangerous thing which can be taken into the system, ill health and disease following its use. It is unfortunately true that the public water supplies of our cities and towns are far from pure, despite the efforts of Boards of Health and city governments, and the increasing congestion of population in this country is constantly making it more and more difficult to find unpolluted water sources of sufficient size.
Much of the water supplied is positively dangerous and more of it is unpalatable or even repulsive. Nor can water, once polluted, be made really satisfactory by any process. The domestic filter, which is relied upon by so many families, is rather a snare and delusion, as it cannot, as ordinarily employed, free the water of any thing but the larger impurities, the disease germs and harmful dissolved matters still remaining. Boiling the water, while it kills the disease germs, drives off the dissolved gases, which give it its zest, and leaves it flat and tasteless. Besides, who wants to drink filth, even though it has been boiled? Distillation, while eliminating the impurities, renders the water flat, and the expense of aerating or carbonating in addition to that of distilling would be greater than the cost of a pure natural water, and worse than that, by removing all dissolved mineral matter.
Next, The Path to Cohas Spring House
 |
 |
 |
Cohas Gift Shop
High quality historic restorations are ready to order today. These images showcase turn of the century Americana in your home or office. Preview them now!