Xref: utzoo sci.bio:1633 sci.med:7974
Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!mtuxo!mtgzy!norm
From: norm@mtgzy.att.com (n.e.andrews)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.med
Subject: Re: Drinking water
Summary: Correlation between death rates and water supply hardness?
	 Is continuous use of distilled water for drinking unsafe?
Keywords: distilled
Message-ID: <4467@mtgzy.att.com>
Date: 2 Dec 88 20:53:06 GMT
References: <3065@ingr.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: AT&T, Middletown NJ
Lines: 19

In article <3065@ingr.UUCP>, murray@ingr.UUCP (Douglas Murray) writes:
> Because of concern about the quality of the tap water in our area, I have
> been buying distilled water for drinking and cooking.

I have heard (Pearson & Shaw tv appearance) that there is a
significant correlation between water supply softness and death
rates  -- that death rates looked at in different geographic areas
seem to be strongly related to water supply hardness or softness.
IF I remember correctly, soft water areas (mostly in the East?)
had much higher death rates (due to cancer?), and the
correlation with water supply hardness or softness was more
significant than any other observed correlations.  Does anyone
out there have any references for studies to support this?

I wouldn't drink much distilled water for fear of leaching
minerals out of my body.  Is there hard evidence that continuous
use of distilled water for drinking is dangerous?

--Norm Andrews, attmail!mtgzy!norm