Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-08-27


The Danger of water-Drinking.
All discriminating people have long
been aware Of the great danger which
exists from the somewhat vicious
habit Of drinking water. The mala-
rial and zymotic emanation from this
apparently innocuous fluid are sim.
ply incalculable. In addition, the
periodical cleaning out Of the reser-
voirs Of the leading cities reveals un-
speakable horrors. We remember
that the last time the st. Louis reser-
voir was cleaned out fourteen babies,
Of various ages, and in various stages
Of decomposition, were ashed out, to
say nothing Of the dead cats, dogs,
rats, ETC., which we're on hand ad
aauseam. Such facts are calculated
TO intimidate the most robust water
maniacs. But, to add to these posi-
lively discouraging features Of the
case, water, where il does not result
in death outright, has been known to
be, to a distressing extent, provoca-
tive and generative Of bacill@, mi
crobes, microcuspides and many 9th
ers OF the thousand and one ills to
which human flesh is heir. So
numerous are the ailments begotten
Of the excessive and imprudent drink
ing OF water, that worms seem to be
the least Of these evils. Mr.. Charles
Y. Wingate, the well known sanitary
engineer, in communication to the
National BOILERS Gasette, summar-
ICES the objection to drinking water
in a very remarkable and convincing
manner. He says that the import
ance Of thorough filtration Of drink
ing water can hardly be over-esti-
mated. The sources. of both public
and private supply are 30 liable to
contamination by dangerous impuri-
ties that no dependence can be placed
upon their purity. Every little while
II Is discovered that the water supply
Of some place, previously supposed to
be pure and perfectly wholesome, is
contaminated by sewage or other
filth. Few persons have any con-
ception OF the extent to which pollu-
ton In water exists. 1t may be said
TO be the rule, rather than the excep.
ton, in all thickly populated rural Sec
tons, and even in towns which have a
public water supply. In Massachu-
sets alone 1903, 900 cases OF typhoid
fever, with 10000 deaths have been
traced to specific contamination Of
drinking water. The poison of ty-
phoid has been carried twenty-five
miles by river and communicated
to forty patients in one institution
through drinking of the water. The
marked increase in renal diseases
which have become almost epidemic,
~ it were, in all sections OF the coun.
try, among persons of all conditions
and both sexes, is ascribed by physi-
clans OF experience, in great meas
ure to the sediment contained in
drinking-water, which the kidneys,
the filters of the body, cannot elimi-
nate from the system, Hence the
clogging and consequent degenera-
ton of those organs.
In the last annual report of the
New York State Board OF Health oc-
ours the following important state
ment:
1T ia thing OF common expert
ence that water highly contaminated,
even with excremcntal matter, may
be drunk for long time with appar-
ent impunity, by many people; but
that at some unexpected moment,
either from an as yet unknown
change in the fermentation process,
or, as is often probable, from the in
PRODUCTION Of an almost inapprecia BILE
quantity of specific infective excreta,
an outbreak OF typhoid may devas-
tate the community thus supplied. !"
The distinguished sanitarian, ST.
mon, tells us that the effect of inn
pure water is not always sudden, vio-
lent or general. On the contrary, its
results are more usually so gradual
rs to elude ordinary observation but
they are none the less real on that ac-
count