Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-27
Plymouth Plague.

SOURCES FROM WHICH THE DREAD EPIDEMIC
HAS ARISEN - SEWER VAULTS EMPTYING
THEIR CONTENTS INTO WATER MAINS-A TER
RIBLE INSTANCE OF IGNORANCE AND NEGLI-
GENCE-HOW THE CITY WAS SUPPLIED WITH
POLLUTED WATER.
The New York Medical Journal of May 23d,
prints a report from two distinguished physi-
clans and chemists in regard to the terrible cpl
demic OF typhoid fever at Plymouth, Pa. The
following extracts are of general Importance:
The principal facts in the history of epidemics
are briefly as follows: The town of about 5000
inhabitants is supplied with water from a
mountain stream ordinarily small, but under
going at times great variation in volume. This
Is stored In four reservoirs or dams, situated
one above the other on the stream. At certain
seasons of the year the supply of water from
this source is not sufficient for the town and
course is had to the river water, which is then
pumped directly into the MAINS In the latter
part OF March the water in this stream was
very low, and on March Goth the water com
pany commenced pumping river water into the
main: A portion of the town, however, was still
supplied by water from the reservoir. On the
evening of March 26th, the pumps were
stopped, and the water from the reservoirs was
again turned on. AT this time the two lower
reservoirs were empty and the third was less
than half full, containing perhaps four hun
dred thousand gallons. On the stream above the
first is situated on the bank of the upper or
fourth reservoir, and the second, known as the
Davis house, on the bank of the stream connect
ing the third and fourth, Immediately below
the dam.
The first house, belonging to the water COM
pany, stands not more than six feet from the
edge of the reservoir. A few feet back of it, on
sloping ground, and not more than sixty feet
from the reservoir, stands O privy, which has
not been emptied for six years, and the con-
tents of which are considerably above the level
of the ground surrounding 1t. Just in the rear
OF this a surface drain leads directly to the
reservoir. On the opposite side of the reservoir,
few yards from its edge, a barn stands over q
small ravine, which drains considerable sur
face, and serves to carry all matter that may
accumulate there TO the reservoir.
Recent investigations have shown that in the
second house, during the months of January,
February and March, one Of the occupants was
sick with q severe form Of typhoid fever. During
back of the house, on the snow, and very near
the stream. The weather was cold during these
months, and this material was probably frozen
ious for the time. The latter part Of March
from the 25th to the 3Oth) the weather was
warm, and at this time these deposits, which
period, were washed into the reservoir, con-
this time (the evening OF March 26) the town
began TO draw its water supply from the reser-
The first cases Of the fever developed on April
| 8, and before April 10 nearly three hundred
The The surroundnEs Of tie DAVIS house still re-
main In bad condition, and apparently no
precautions have been taken to thoroughly dis
the The ys1 Sa the
| thrown, has been partially covered with earth,
and the house removed q few feet farther from
DONE The odor surrounding the house is very
bad, and at the time Of our visit there the wife
Of Davis was apparently Just developing the
when the entire want Of all previous precantion
| and distinction Is considered and the appa-
rent inability Of the occupants TO at all realize