Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-04-18
THE WAFER SUPPLY QUESTION
AND THE CHOLERA.

hithc o unsatisfactory provided for
are taking steps 10 procore charters
and raise the nnre--s-, funds for new
constructions. The rapid growth aud
practical app cation OF sanitary
know ledge OF late years has largely
contributed 10 iiI- result, but in es-
pecial has the pupiie sense of the i'm
portance of a Wholesome wafer supply
been quick anu aroused to action
by widespread anticipation Of an i'll
yas.on y ~ ate cholera.
I l. III accordance with all past ex-
pcrieuce that this plague will reach u7
in the year following D., appearance
in western Europe, brt whether it
comes or not, we have had ampie
warning, and Furthermore are in pos
session of the requisite knowledge Of
now 10 meet il and forbid il to do
more than effect landing.
The cholera is purely a filth dise ise,
which alike i'll its home amid lne ieuo-
rance aud squalor of Bengal or i,ola-
ted in hospitals under the Surveillance
OF the most skilled physicians, claims
a victims more than 80 per cent OF
those reached by It's insidiouS attack
But while ii thus battles all medical
skill and arOuses the bittercst com en-
lion among those who seek To explore
the mystery of its genesis, the pricti-
cal methods OF dealing with it are well
understood and can be rendered en-
tiTely effective The individual victim
must take his half chance. but the
community can be protected.
Ii has been well determined that
only in the aIiucniary canal is the
specific poison of cholera capable of
its deadly work ia man. Ii /. true
that il fcctcd clothing Will transport
pointed place in the human iate>tincs
no harm can result. The healthy Stom
ach even Is proof AGAINST il. 20 that
whether al home or on its pcstilcnti,l
journeyings experience has proved
that the common vehicle OF Its trans
mission from victim to victim is
drinking water which has been pre-
yiously contaminated with cholera
discharges.
The moral of this is evident. The
first care of those who bear the res
possibility of protecting the public
health Is to see to il that the most
minute precautions shall be taken to
guard the water supply from possible /
contamination. 1t Is not enough that 1
the time has gone by when well sunk !
in earth saturated with sewage or sur
iacc-draiuagc can be permitted 10 /
I o. 49, IA.
be given TO this, il is true, since the I
ignorance of people is not surpassed /.
by their ob,tinacy. but the health-of- I
flee or local Off cial who fai', to close a |
source OF such deadly peril to the |
Shaud himself be buried /
alive in il. Ci>lernS and reservoirs |
too must be thoroughly cleansed and |
purified: drains explored, opened. re- |!
paired and ventilated; sewer counec- !
tons examined and trapped; care TAX
en- that the water TO be used for diet /
airy purposes have no possible counec- !
ton with that used for flush ny. /
These details are obvious and need not /
he enlarged upon.
But the broader field remains TO be |
explored. viii venture TO say that /
q
water supplies in the land into which /
more or less water-closet or similar
drainage does not find its way to a
greater or less extent.
The entire region drained by the
sapply should be gone over a. though
with tine-,ooth comb, and every
spot where human pollution could by
direct discharge or indirect liberation
reach, the drinking water should be at
once and permanently eradicated.
This Will IN many cases arouse oppo-
,iiion and contumacy, for il is impos-
,iblc, unless one has actually under
AIKEN the task. 10 realize the brutal
,eifishness of those who. unendangered
themselves. will claim the right To con-
inue the poisoning OF their neighbors.
" ere they 10 do so at close quarters
shotgun would be a proper argument,
,ut since their premises are beyond
he range OF rifle they will persist in
the lives of Others, unless
he strong hand OF the law be laid
upon them.
These considerations. YOU viii OBJ
erve. apply a. well to new sources of
upply As TO those already existing.
1t would be desirable To supplement
his minute exploration of physical
caturrS bv analvtica, and microscope
c Investigations. While chemistry
las its Limitations and cannot posi-
lively assign the causes of certain com
,onents of water supply, aud totally
ais To disclose the existence of dis
iScd germs, il l. extremely useful n
guide. and especially in confirming
he results of local examinations. The
ield OF micro biology. in connection
with water supply. l. a vet hardly
inferred upon. but it, application can
lot fail TO prove of the Ycry highest .
alue and furnish Indications beyond
he possibilities of other methods.
Ii i needless 10 say that both chem
sis and microScopists should be COM
,eicni 10 do their work Nothing is
more misleading ami worthless than
he report of the ignoramuS or the
hariaiau. and the world. even the
cientific world. i not Al present COM
0sed of instructed and conscientious
nen exclusively.
With the general supply thoroughly
no spread of peSiilence need
g feared Should individual cases
ccur they can be strictly localized and
he conjayiou eNierminated; but while
he presence of cholera need occasion
o panic. il mus. be remembered that
othing but unTcmiJting vigilance and
borough preparation can avail 10 sup
ress the foul visitor to prevent his
warming and invisible myrlnidons
rom penetrating TO our homes and
i>tening upon Their prey. Respect
liiy, WILLIAM LUDLOW.
Water Dept. Philadelphia, March 10.