The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-03-05
W. p. BUTLER.
HENRY CARSE.
JOHN DAVIS.

Very good That is about as positive a
condemnation of the location Of our pump
ing works as we could expect from that
committee.
Next comes DIR. Farquharson's table, 10
which our people will be astonished to
perceive that if he analysed the water
taken from under the draw bridge he
failed to give us the results! He only
tells us about the sediment 10 the water
"a bsolutely nothing else. This
looks suspicious Why is an analysis of
the water from the main channel sup
pressed? Was he ordered not to analyze
it? Was it necessary to the proper COM
position of the whitewash to suppress any
analysis of the water at the main bridge
| There's something about this that needs
explanation,
DR.. Farquharson takes great deal OF
space to tell US that according to his ties;
| the water is about alike all around here
and then he proceeds to kick the stufing
out Of a chemical analysis in the follow
ing words, viz:
Though the question of the production
of disease from drinking water was moi
directly submitted TO me, | may be al
lowed to state that the causes Of disease
such as the subtle germs OF cholera anC
typhoid fever, may undoubtedly exist il
water, and yet be entirely inappreciabl
to the senses of man, no matter how wei
aided by such instruments as the micros
cope, and also to the most delicate chemi
cal tests. The most we can do In regar(
to these poisons is to keer them out of tn
water, by the most scrupulous care il
preventing the fouling of the sources o
the drinking water by sewage, from whic
alone these destructive agents enter.
In conclusion, it may not be altogethe
superhuous to suggest, what indeed mus
be apparent to every one, the proprIety
nay, the absolute necessity, Of flteriD
the river water.
! This agrees precisely with what Drl
: Truesdale and Plummer have always sal
: that ewage poison was of so subtle
nature that no microscopic examination G
chemical analysis could detect it, aud ths
no medical faculty had eyer yet been alb
to detect it or describe 1t, but its deletel
GUS effects on whole committees WEI
well known the world over.
We have this good result, therefor
from the apoiogists for the bad water, vi.
Butler, Carse and Davis say the pumpiu
: works should be placed where there is tt
least possibility oe contamination fro
It sewage, and Farquharson says no micro
!, cope or chemical analysis can detect Sc,
j age poison. We can therefore give tt
e whitewashing committee credit for yiel
:, ing pretty much all there is in contro'
e ersy. They make no pretense of tellir
J. what caused the disease, but coulter
e themselves with saying '"taint so" Nor
II of them can tell what it is, but they 81
3 '"taint So The physicians who ha,
: had most experience tell US positively TIL
}, the origin Of the disease was the impul
:, water from the last of December to Il
y middle or last Of January. That's Il
= start Of it, The public will prefer IL
Ia opinion of physicians who say they kno
Il and give ample reasons for their faith,
Is the opinion of those who say, they dor
know, but faint the water" Eleven
four, in the Medical Association give the
n opinion that the origin Of the disease W
le impure water, and that opinion can't
:, wiped out or changed,