The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-22
DIRT AND DEATH.


mouth, Pa, about one-third have suffered
from typhoid fever and many more with ma
larial poison. The origin of the epidemic is
clear-ignorance, filth and water pollution.
The town is situated on the alluvial soil of
hills sloping toward the Susquehanna. The
water supply is from reservoirs made by
damming brook running through the town.
There are number of these reservoirs, one
above the other, from which water is distribu
ted by pipes to most Of the town. There is
no sewerage system, and the water used for
domestic purposes finds its way through
the soil to the river. The water
of the reservoirs has been analyzed by Prof.
r. c. Kedzie, of the Michigan State Agri
cultural College, who reports it to be the
worst city drinking water he ever examined.
Post -mortem examinations by DR.. E. 0.
Shakespeare, of Philadelphia, establish the
fact that the disease is typical typhoid. The
first case was in the person Of citizen just
returned from Philadelphia with the disease,
and lying sick in house some forty feet
above the banks of the brook, between, the
third and fourth reservoirs. The excreta
from this patient were carried in March, by
the rains and melting SHOWS, into the brook,
thence to the reservoirs and widely distribut-
ed through the drinking water. Such an cpl
demic would have been impossible had the
town been clean. The water was foul,
the town ripe for the disease. The
seed was planted, and the harvest of
death followed. This was not dispensation
of Provi dence, but of ignorance. Doubtless
as foul conditions exist in many localities that
have heretofore miraculously escaped. The
miracle will cease upon the establishment Of
the first case.
Water may be purified by iltering but the
work must be thorough No old charcoal and
gravel filter, or plate of porous stone will do
the work. Fresh charcoal and gravel, renewed
often, will improve water, but all filters tenn
porize; the only way to be sure of good water
in the household is to get it from pure
source. In all cases of doubt, as where the
water has an unusual. tase or odor,
depth of several inches is viewed
toward the light in clear glass vessel, or if
alimentary disorders Of any kind follow upon
it's use, the water should be examined by a
competent analyst. Water of this region,
such as the White-river water, filtered through
a hundred feet of gravel and supplied by the
hydrants, or from the gravel under the blue
clay, should not contain chlorine, free or
combined ammonia, excess Of nitrites or nj
trates these may be in excess and the water
still be clear In all doubtful cases the
source Of supply should be examined, and
sanitary examination made. Water may be
purified for the sick by boiling and fltering
through cloth, then cooling and aerating.
This destroys and removes all organic matter,
and softens the water by the removal of car
Donate of lime.
But it is useless to give details Every house
holder of intelligence will keep his premises
clean, the surface drainage away from his
we'll, pumps new and clean. We have in this
city an exhaustless source Of pure water lying
in the gravel and the bedrock within one
hundred feet of the surface 1t rises to with
in the reach of common pump, and if the
wells are honestly bored and tubed the water
may be used with absolute safety. The n.y.
drant water should also be above suspicion
1t is well filtered and comes from the river
above all local sources of city filth. The danger
in our city and in country towns which may
make Plymouth epidemic possible is in sur
face waters contaminated in the localities
where they are used.