Yep guess you could circumvent the seal but since those days I can't help but think our water is cleaner now.
Seems these days every year there are inland floods and hurricanes trashing many vehicles that their fluids enter the water system. I had a 4 tooth bridge that was gold cast with porcelain face about 1965 that when I got around the stations charger when its on had me tasting metal. Happened every time I tended one being charged.