The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-01-23
January 23, 1879.
miscellaneous.
Pure Water for Health.

IN View OF the alarming I eva
lence of diptheria In some sec
tons, the following article Is one
of great value:
An article Oh veItIiatloil'
showing the evils OF impure ana
confined air, appeared in the IL
~lu,trated Annual Register for
1877. As the d%eleterious effects
Of the use of impure water are
not less formida lie, they should
he we'll understood and guarded
against by the whole people,
Whether they occupy city or
country dwellings. AS George
Geddes Justly remarks, when
sneaking on this subject; "ihere
are families who live on farms
and who fancy they are drinking
the best of water, while IN tact
thew are constantly imbiblng
poison, that sooner or later VIII
appear perhaps in the dreaded
form Of diptheria or typhoid
fever" There are thousands OF
the members of the families OF
farmers in this country who
perish annually in consequence
of the impurities which are per
mitted around their doors and in
their houses.
1t has long been known by
scientific men hat good drainage
and pure water are essential to
health. AS long ago as 1884, a
leading physicianof London gave
his evidence that four Uths OF
the cases of typhus or typhoid
fever were caused by foul drains
or streams.
DISEASE FROM IMPURE WATER.
A distinct and striking proof
of the poisonous effects of polluted
water was given by DR.. L. II.
Bailey, in the Sanitarian for
June, 1875. A hotel at Lake
Mahopac, fifty miles north of
New York City, capable of hold
ing five hundred guests, was
proved to be healthy, scarcely a
As of sickness occurring during
It's first years. In charging the
water reservoirs, an old cistern
fell into disuse: Stops from the
kitchen found their way into it,
and a portion became mingled
with the pure drinking water Of
the other cistern. AS a conse-
guence, there We're cases of
cholera morbusand typhoid fever
at the hotel. The cistern was
cleaned, and the sickness ceased.
This was in 1871. 1t was kept
clean in 1872, and there was no
sickness. In 1878 it was again
neglected, and typhoid fever re-
commenced. The cistern was
again cleaned, and health was
the result. A new landlord came,
who was a stranger to the place.
On the 1st of July there were five
hundred people there. In two
weeks disease broke out worse
than ever, over one hundred
We're sick, twenty-five had fever,
and five died. On examination
the cause Was found the old els
tern was torn out, the pipes We're
cut, and the vacancy filled with
fresh earth. Since that time the
MOTEL has been as healthy as ever.
impure water caused all the sick
ness and death, and kitchen
Stops polluted it.
Careful statistics were pro-
cured many Years ago, when at
different times the cholera broke
out IN London. [Some Of these
lacts are quoted from Prof. Brew
ers paper on this subject.l In
1919, over $4,000 died ; in 1854
mere were over 10000 fatal
cases; IN 1866 the deaths
amounted to about 5000, or less
Ilah halt the number II years
before. Long and full investi-
9a'lonS were made, and it was
demonstrated that in every in
stance after the disease was first
Introduced, it was spread through
Grlhhlng water. But the ques-
oon VIII occur, why did the dis