Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-11-26

1t is said that malarial and many other
types of disease are more often produced
bv the use Of contaminated drinking
water than any other cause. Whether
this is true or not. there can be no doubt
of the fact that the public health is largely
affected by the kind of water used. 1t Is
asserted by many physicians that disease
germs are most frequently conveyed lhuo
the system by means of drinking water
and that many sections Of the country
which are considered pestilentlal IN
HIGH decree owe their EMBELLISHMENTS
NOT 81 much to miasma present in the
atmosphere. as TO the impurity OF the
water. Impure water is just as injurious
10 health as unwhOlesome food, and Is
much more common. DR.. Newton, As
sistant Surgeon Of the United States
army. has traced the origin OF
many cases of diphtheria to this cause.
In a recent report of the Connecticut
Board Of Health eight cases Of this dis
ease occurred in one family, and the family
that previously occupied the same house
was afflicted with a malignant type of
scarlet fever. and the cause was traced TO
the well. which received some OF its water
from the lot where the garbage ana ohal
Of the premises We're thrown. AT one oil
the military posts out West widow and
four children drank water from a we'll
near the butcher Den. Each one of the
children was attacked with diphtheria In
succession. while the child Of servant
whose mother would not allow 1t to drink
Of this water escaped. Another family at
the butcher pen had chills, and one OF the
children diphtheria, but the husband,
whose work carried him away from home
the greater part Of the time, was exempt
from any kind Of sickness. The sanitary
regulations Of the post were con-
sidered perfect, and there was no
local cause for the production of disease
except this particular we'll of water.
Neither had any of the children been eX-
posed to cOntagiOn, because their condi-
ton was isolated. No other child at the
post developed any diphthertic symptoms.
The disgustlngly impure condition of the
water in the so-called Holy Well at Nee
ca has been often proven, and cholera
scOurges have more than once started
among the pilgrims who annually congre-
gate there. Instances of lead poisoning
from water conveyed through pipes OF
! that metal are by no means Of rare oc-
! currence.
If it then be true that contaminated
water is a prolific source OF disease, it be-
| comes every one to find out the character
| of that which he uses both for drinking
| and cooking. The well water in cities Is
rarely ever pure, owing to the infiltration
/ Of waste from sinks, vaults, etc. 1t may
| appear clear and tempting to the sight,
/ and even betray no unpleasant taste, yet
it is nearly always unwhOlesome in a
\ high degree.
Hydrant water is not generally pure.
| Sometimes it is rendered unwhOlesome
from the sewage of cities above the one
supplied. and often the tide carries impu-
rites back to the supply pipes. 1t has
! been asserted. says the Sanitary NelcS,
/ that the water in the Illinois river, at
| Peoria, is very much impregnated with
/ filth from the sewage of the city of
! Chicago, which is conveyed into it through
/ canal at its source, 200 miles away.
The theory of streams purifying them
selves is being actively attacked, though
sanitary experts heretofore have almost
universally maintained that the water 20
miles below city was as pure as that
| 20 miles above. 1t is even said that water
may contain fever and disease germs
which shows no chemical impurity by the
! ordinary tests.
The subject is a most important one,
] and demands the most careful investiga-
ton by competent and disinterested men
everywhere, and where water undOubt-
eddy pure cannot be obtained distillation
or filtration should in every instance be
! resOrted to.