Collection of reports (condensed) and opinions of chemists in regard to the use of lead pipe for service pipe in the distribution of water for the supply of cities / [James P. Kirkwood].

  • Kirkwood, James Pugh, 1807-1877.
Date:
1859
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Collection of reports (condensed) and opinions of chemists in regard to the use of lead pipe for service pipe in the distribution of water for the supply of cities / [James P. Kirkwood]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    On the Composition of certain Well Waters in the neighborhood of London, with some observations on the action on Lead, By Henry M. No ad, Esq., Lecturer on Chemistry at St. Georges Hospital. The question whether water for drinking should or should not contain mineral matter, is still a vexed one, and as it is one of medi- cine rather than of chemistry, it need not be discussed here. But whatever may be thought of the mineral constituents, there can be but one opinion as to the influence of those organic impreg- nations so constantly met with in the waters of large towns. These consist, for the most part, of bodies in a state of progressive change or decomposition, and chemistry teaches us that such substances, when brought into contact with other organic substances, have a re- markable disposition to communicate to them their own molecular disquietude. Water containing organic matter is particularly objectionable on account of its liability to become contaminated with lead when kept in cisterns of that metal, and that earthy and alkaline sulphates and chlorides, even when present in considerable quantity, do not in such waters act as preservatives. Among the constituents of the well waters of large towns, nitric acid has often been alluded to. . . . That it docs occasionally exist in large quantities, is shown by the analysis by Mr. W. Fisher, of a well water from Hindi gate Attention was directed