St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-06-14

trated with typhoid fever. The writer
was consulted as to the cause and best
mode of prevention, and thorough ex-
animation was made. 1t was found
/ that a large cesspool bad been con-
structed within three ar four rods of the
house, and below this upon lower level
a rain water cistern had been dug and
properly bricked and cemented, but the
soil was so sandy and porous that the
contents of the cesspOOl had filtered
through and poisoned the water in the
cistern. The cesspool was filled up and
proper drainage provided, while the
cistern was thoroughly cleansed and
disinfected. Since that time there has
not been a case of any of the filth dis
eases in that house, Notwithstanding it
has been filled to overfowing each year
with bOarders from the cities. In our
own city gentleman living upon high
ground overlooking the whole town,
was taken with scarlet fever with dan
gerous throat symptoms. A daughter
was taken sick shortly after and for
weeks the lives of both were in great
danger, and both patients showed mark
ed symptoms of blood-poisoning. The
gentleman asserted that there was moth
ing about his premises which could
cause such serious illness, but the in
telligent physician who attended his
family insisted there must be some rea-
son fol such illness at time when there
was no epidemic of scarlet fever pre-
vailing and when the city was remark
ably free from sickness of any kind.
As soon as possible the drain was dug
up and it was found that it had become
clogged up, throwing all the drainage
OF the house back upon the cellar wall,
through which it had filtered and sat
urated all the earth under aud around
one side of the house. The proper
remedy was applied and the house has
been free from illness ever since.
DR.. Conn discusses the Richford well
case, and cOncurs in the opinions of
Drs. Fassett and Hamilton that the
typhoid fever so prevalent there was
caused by the contamination of the
water. He then says:
| | will only quote one other epidemic
illustrating the danger of pollution of
water supplies, it having been brought
forward within year.
This was an epidemic of typhoid
fever which occurred at Eagley. Eng
land, and was investigated by Mr.. W.
ii. Power, one of the medical inspectors
of the Local Government Board.
ga small brook had been used by the
operatives of mill, so that large guam
titles of fecal matter were found on its
banks and its bed"
! 1t was known that one of the work
men had been i'll with typhoid fever.
This brook had formally been used-a
couple of hundred yards below-for
domestic purposes, but had generally
been abandoned since it had become
impure, although two families contin-
ued to use it, of whom one had typhoid
fever, and the other (who boiled the
water before use,) escaped.
The family which had a case of the
fever supplied milk for considerable
number of families, and although there
was no positive evidence that the milk
was diluted with it, yet it was acknowl-
edged that the milk cans were washed
in it.
The outbreak of fever occurred at the
end of January, 1876. From January
30 to February 5, there were one hun
dred and three persons attacked from
February 5 to February 9, there were
twenty-eight more cases; from Feb
ruary to February Is, there were fif-
teen cases, and then the epidemic de-
clined.
The cases were distributed as fol-
lows: Number of families supplied with
milk from the dairy that was infected,
81 of whom were attacked, 55. Num-
Der of families supplied from other
dairies, pa of whom were attacked,
Z. Number of families not taking milk,
IL of whom were attacked, 1. Total
number of cases in seventeen DAYS, l46.
These two epidemics, the cause of
which is so well confirmed, seem suffi-
cient to show the danger arising from
the pollution of water supplies, which
we believe to be one of the "causes of
typhoid fever, diphtheria, erysipelas,
ETC."
OF the other causes we may write
hereafter; and we will close this article
by giving one of the supposed causes of
diphtheria in Burlington, VT, as your
correspondent alluded to its prevalence
in that city for the past year.
From Vermont paper l clip the fol-
lowing explanation =
at is just beginning to be suspected
that the ravages of diphtheria in Bur-
lingtOn during the past year have been
due to the fact that the sewers dis
charge within the break water, while
the water supply of the city comes
from the same portion of the lake."