The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-03-05
at the mouth of the conduit, and it was

db Tic IuOutD OF the COQuulG, anu IL was
clear.
Your committee after consultation
with Drs. Truesdale, Calf and Plummer
did not think chemical analysis of the
water would give the information de-
sired. 1t would give us the constituents
of the water but not the condition. We
concluded to have an examination made
as to the comparative purities of the
water used in the water works of Rock
Island and Davenport and that running
in the river that would determine wheth-
er or not our hydrant water was unusually
lmpure-and whether or not that i'm
purity was the result of the location of
the water works.
We first requested DR.. Cowden, of
Rock Island, to make a microscopic ex-
animation of several specimens of water
obtained from the city water pipes, the
Davenport water pipes, and from the
river near the railroad bridge, and ascer-
tain the degrees of impurity in each.
| This he declined to do on
account of his ill-health. By
the advice of DR.. Truesdale and
with the approval of DIR. Plummer,
we then sent several specimens to DR..
| Farquharson, of Davenport, requesting
him to test them thoroughly in any
manner he thought best, so as to deter
mine their actual and relative character.
The specimens were numbered, but DIR.
Farquaharson did not know where they
came from.
We herewith submit his able and ex-
haustive report, which will be found of
much value in these investigations. We
have labored under great difficulty from
want of knowledge of facts concerning
the prevalence of diarrhea. In this
matter we have necessarily relied upon
the information given us by the physi-
clans of the city.
One states that all his patients have
used hydrant water, another that 50 pei
cent of his patients have used the same
water; and both these gentlemen say
positively, that the disease is caused
directly by the hydrant water, and is
confined to those using it. All the other
physicians say their observation does
not lead to such a conclus1on-thatt they
know of many cases which this water
could not have caused, and the diarrhRa
exists without reference to the water
and it is not caused by it.
From this testimony we conclude that
the facts do not prove the truth of the
water theory. And we learn from posi-.
tive information, that diarrhpa did ex-
ist in Milan, Hampton, Port Byron
Davenport, and Linwood about the same
time it did III Rock Island, which we
think is positive proof that the disease
is not caused by any agency confined to
this city. The cause is beyond the
knowledge of your committee, and we
think beyond the control of the City
Council.
The committee are indebted to Drs
Truesdale, Gait and Plummer, as vel
as other physicians of this city, for aiC
IN our Investigations.
We pronounce the charges, That this
committee has been trying to whitewasl
the water works, or to hinder investiga
ton" to be slanderous and utterly false
We have quietly and steadily beer
trying to get some positive information
from the confused data, consulted boil
DR.. Truesdale and Plummer as to what
Investigations we should make, following
their advice whenever they gave it.
We also herewith submit the writer
opinion of C. c.. Morgan, hydrauli,
engineer of Chicago. 1t will be seer
from DIR. Farquharson's report, tina
the water taken from q well on FOurtl
avenue was the only specimen unfit fo
use as drinking water.
The water works of city SHOULD
always be placed where there is the leas
possibility of contamination from it
t sewage, and the time may come when i
p will be necessary to take our water from
some other point in the Mississippi o
in Rock river, but at present we see n
cause for anxiety concerning the purit
2 of the water and do not advise the re
moval of the works. When the mai
] sewer in the slough is built a considera
BILE part of the city sewage will dis
charge below the water works. Respect
fully submitted, WIN. 2. BUTLER,
HENRY CARSE,
JOHN DAVIS,
o Committee.