Posted by David Chorley on January 24, 2002 at 20:27:20 from 206.230.48.254:
In Reply to: Re: Drinking water posted by Jon on January 23, 2002 at 20:09:51:
It may be, also, that the children of the 1920-30s grew up in a less sanitary era (no antibiotics) and that they had contracted certain bacteria early in life and so were more resistant to the nasty stuff in pond water. Giardia lamblia is a source of water borne diarrhea in the U.S., but I imagine colder bodies of water have less bacteria. (could be wrong) the tannic acid and oxalate in tea would tend to make minerals Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, less soluble and therefore less likely to be absorbed (via chelation).
David