Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-13
Report OF the Committee AppOinfed
by the Medical S0cfety.


| THE UNsANTrARY CONDITION OF THE MOUTH
OF THE CoNDUIT-REMKDIALA ACTION cALLEr
FoR-THE CAUSE OF THE FIsHY oDoR Oh
THE WATER, ETC
Drs. Thos. Antisell, E. M. schaeffer, d. Web
ster Prentiss, ]. Ford Thompson and Louis
Mackall, jr., the committee appointed by the
Medical society to investigate the alleged pollu
ton OF the water supply of Washington, has
completed its report, which is as follows:
WASHINGTON, D. c., June 10th, 1885.
Mr.. President:
In pursuance of the instructions Of the so
ciety, your committee has had under considerar
ton the results Of several chemical analyses OF
the Potomac water, made by competent chem
lists, who have recently examined our water
| supply.
The opinion Of all these authorities, as far as
their analyses show, is to the effect that the
chemical analysis alone viii only indicate the
existence of impurity in the water, and will
not show such impurities as disease-germs, the
Is the occurrence of disease itself in o COM
tm n.y using It. There is no epidemic of In
tsstinal or febroid disease in Washington at
present; the experience of the medical profess
sion has been that during the existence of this
condition of the water the health of the COM
mun1ty has been generally good.
II Is proper to state, however, that the results
OF the analyses show q different proportion of
ingredients in the several analyses, which on
each other, as being derived from the same
source or body of water, and this varying con-
stitution leads to the presumption that water
rom the same source las the Potomac river)
has not been supplied through the pipes to the
dwellings day by day.
purest and most abundant Of the water courses
which over the whole extent Of our country
have been called into use, ranking in abund-
ance, quality and purity as third or fourth, 1t is
greatly to be desired that on no occasion should
any minor feeders or additional streams be al
lowed to commingle with the water of the Po-
1t is the opinion of the committee that the
offensive odor lately prevalent In the water has
been due to the decomposition of various aqua
tic forms of vegetable and animal life in the
reservoirs and pipes.
These are at this time Of the year stimulated
by the heat and light of the summer sun into
On entering the system of water-pipes these
Organisms are apt to form accommodations, which
If not removed, lead to their death and decay.
1t Is also in evidence that no incOnsiderable
number of dead fish are at such times removed
from the traps, and these no doubt contribute
somewhat to the evil. AS a remedy, frequent
and thorough fushings Of the pipes should be
made at stated intervals to prevent such &C
cumulatiOnS.
In this connection, 1t should be noticed that
in day or two after the heavy rain-storm of
last week the offensive odor of the water in the
a.,
water now June 1Oth) flowing in the pipes
being muddy, but devoid of odOr, and measur-
ably free from organic forms.
CONDITION OF THE MOUTH OF THE CONDUIT.
We desire to state that one of our number has
visited the point where the river water flows
into the mouth of the conduit, and it appears
that the condition Of the surroundings is such
as must be deemed certainly unsanitary, and
that this point calls for the immediate remedial
action of the authorities
The committee believe that this entry of our
water supply should be carefully protected, and
the river ITSELF for some distance up, kept free
from all possible contamination. Even if this
should involve considerable expense, it would
seem sound policy to make any necessary i'm
vast cost the United States have secured to the
city water supply which, if properly guarded
water, practically unlimited in quantity, ana
sufficient for any possible demands of an in
creased population.
be prevented or remedied by proper filtration
and aeration OF the water on a complete scale
by the authorities.
panying letter received from Prof. Leeds, of the
stevens institute, Hoboken, N. J.. in reference
to the condition and treatmentof river water at
Accompanying the report will be also found
chemical analysis of the water by the chair
man of this committee.
Having thus fulfilled so far as it was practical
pie, the duties assigned them, your committee
in making this report at the earliest period pos
sible. SO as to inform your body of the true con-
dition of the question, would respectfully ask
TO be relieved from the further consideration of
the subject
Thos. Antisell, M. D., chairman; Edward NJ.
Schaefer, NJ: D., secretary; Louis Mackall, NJ.
D.; ]. Ford Thompson, NJ. D.; d. w. Prentiss,
M. D., committee.
PROF. LEEDS LETTER.
STEVENS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
HOBOKEN, n. j., June 5, 1856.
To Prot. Thomas AntiseH, Washington, d. c.:
MY DEAR SIR: have been interested in
your valued favor Of the 31st ult, and should
have earlier replied had I not been so
busily engaged in regard to the very
troubles you speak of. Only last Saturday our
Hoboken water was threatened with the fishy
TASTE but 1t disappeared as soon as the proper
Ing station. The engineers had slowed down
the air pumps, contrary to my directions as to
the requisite amount OF oxygen required.
We have had four seasons Of this kind, but
the trouble has been at once remedied in the
same manner. I believe the trouble to be due
to those genera of nostochaceae, oscillariae and
similar alsae, which propagate rapidly in slug
glSh water, and that the simplest and most
ough aeration. Five air compressors have been
sent on to Philadelphia, and are now in course
OF installation. The May sample of our Hobo
ken water (aeratedl contained SO &C. of oxygen
in solution, the Philadelphia sample mon
aerated) of same date as &C. The former was
brilliant, sparkling, and delicious to taste; the
latter Observation-Disclosures! water Yours truly
(Signed) ALBERT r. LEEDS"
ANALYSIS OF POTOMAC WATER TAKEN FROM
THE PIPES JUNE 9TH, 1855.
Odorless when unboied slightly turbid, de-
posting yellow brown sediment.
CONTENTS IN ONE MILLION PARTS
Free ammonia 1O6