1 SEPTEMBER 1877, Page 13

THE INDIAN FAMINE.

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")

Sin,—Your article of the 18th on the famine in Madras contains the horrible statement that the impure water which alone can be obtained for drinking in the relief camps gives the guinea-worm to those who use it. The guinea-worm, like other parasites, is produced from germs, and it is now known that all germs are capable of being filtered out. Cannot some kind of filtering-tubes or filtering-pumps be introduced, which shall at least get rid of this additional plague ?—I am, Sir, &c.,

JOSEPH JOHN MURPHY.

Old Forge, Dunmurry, County Antrim, August 26.