[6] Hard water is such as contains much mineral matter, and especially a large proportion of calcium salts. Such water, owing to the amount of lime it contains, does not form a lather with soap, prevents vegetables boiled in it from softening properly, and forms a large amount of incrustation on vessels in which it is boiled. When of a high degree of hardness, it is injurious for drinking purposes, which is evident from the fact that in several large cities the death-rate has been found to decrease after introducing a soft water in the place of a hard water. Putrid water contains a considerable quantity of decomposing organic matter, chiefly vegetable, but in populated districts, especially in towns, chiefly animal remains. Such water acquires an unpleasant smell and taste, by which stagnant bog water and the water of certain wells in inhabited districts are particularly characterised. Water of this kind is especially injurious at a period of epidemic. It may be partially purified by being passed through charcoal, which retains the putrid and certain organic substances, and also certain mineral substances. Turbid water may be purified to a certain extent by the addition of alum, which aids, after standing some time, the formation of a sediment. Condy's fluid (potassium permanganate) is another means of purifying putrid water. A solution of this substance, even if very dilute, is of a red colour; on adding it to a putrid water, the permanganate oxidises and destroys the organic matter. When added to water in such a quantity as to impart to it an almost imperceptible rose colour it destroys much of the organic substances it contains. It is especially salutary to add a small quantity of Condy's fluid to impure water in times of epidemic.
The presence in water of one gram per litre, or 1,000 grams per cubic metre, of any substance whatsoever, renders it unfit and even injurious for consumption by animals, and this whether organic or mineral matter predominates. The presence of 1 p.c. of chlorides makes water quite salt, and produces thirst instead of assuaging it. The presence of magnesium salts is most unpleasant; they have a disagreeable bitter taste, and, in fact, impart to sea water its peculiar taste. A large amount of nitrates is only found in impure water, and is usually injurious, as they may indicate the presence of decomposing organic matter.
Fig. 4.—Distillation by means of a metallic still. The liquid in C is heated by the fire F. The vapours rise through the head A and pass by the tube T to the worm S placed in a vessel R, through which a current of cold water flows by means of the tubes D and P.
Distilled water may be prepared, or distillation in general carried on, either in a metal still with worm condenser (fig. [4]) or on a small scale in the laboratory in a glass retort (fig. [5]) heated by a lamp. Fig. [5] illustrates the main parts of the usual glass laboratory apparatus used for distillation. The steam issuing from the retort (on the right-hand side) passes through a glass tube surrounded by a larger tube, through which a stream of cold water passes, by which the steam is condensed, and runs into a receiver (on the left-hand side).
Fig. 5.—Distillation from a glass retort. The neck of the retort fits into the inner tube of the Liebig's condenser. The space between the inner and outer tube of the condenser is filled with cold water, which enters by the tube g and flows out at f.