Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-05

cal in Springfield.
"Air and water" the great essentials Of
existence, are being much discussed in this
city Just at present, in their relations to
public health and disease. If perfectly
pure, these are the most important aids to
general health; but il foul, they are the
carriers of disease. and the con-
slant originatOrs of serious maladies. Many
persons do not hesitate TO ascribe the re
cent severe diphtheria epidemic in Spring
field TO impure water. They believe that
its origin was in germs contained in drink
ing water 1t is a well known fact that
cholera is communicated by water contain
ing the germs of that disease. as well as
many other diseases. The analysis by
Prof. Smith, of Wittenberg college, recent
", of specimens of we'll water from various
parts of the city has directed the public at
tentiOn TO the matter in forci5le manner,
and will probably have the effee; of causing
the public generally to satisfy itself that it
is drinking pure water. The name of
Springfield came from its
MULTITUDES OF SPRINGS.
There is in few cases failure to get
water if a well is sunk anywhere in the
limits of this city. No city in the state,
probably, contains so many wells and
springs as does Springfield. There are
dozens of springs and wells almost in the
center Of the city. There is a magnificent
and never-faiiing spring of water in the
cellar of little house in Simpsons lumber
yard, on Washington street, within fourth
of a square from the Arcade right in the
center of Springfield. Several OF the
houses on west High street, within a few
squares of the poStoflice, have excellent
springs and wells, and it is probable that
half the citizens of Springfield habitually
drink spring and well water.
Now | firmly believe that half the sick
ness in this city can be directly traced to
drinking this well water and other impure
water. Take the southern part of Spring
field, which in many localities has an eX-
ceedingly porous sandy soil, and little or no
drainage. Stops and impurities of all
kind sink directly into the porous soil and
ultimately hnd their way into the wells and
springs. Another and very general cause
of impurities in we'll water comes from
clubhouse vaults, which, when sunk for q
few feet in the porous soil, cOntaminate the
water for great distance. A physician
said yesterday: "A case came under my
notice in Springfield few weeks ago, in
which lady died of disease which baf-
fled the skill of all the physicians. The
system showed many of the symptoms of
poison. 1t was quite an Old house where
she had lived. and the whole trouble was
traced directly back to an old we'll"
1t is well known fact that in great chol-
era epidemics the impure and infected
water of certain wells have given the dis
ease to all who drank of the water The
aricient Greeks and Romans were accus-
toned 10 poison the wells, wherever posi-
bic, in the neighborhOOd of a besieging
army. and the custom proved all etfectual
method Of warfare. The telegraph brought
the news last week that Pittsburg is suffer
ing from an epidemic of diphtheTa, over
200 cases being already reported. The ply
SiCians and scientists of the city inveStigat-
ed the matter. and discovered that the dis
ease came from defective system Of drain
age. Now, in many parts of Springfield
| there is no drainage at all, All the SlOp.
filth of all kinds and drainage is put right
in the ground, and there it stays, and the
water seeps through into our wells and
springs, full of all manner of poisonous
germs and infection. Then the public
drinks it; and if people get sick they won
der what did il. Prof. Smiths analysis
went far towards proving thai much of the
.ynil in SDrir otiali is npisnnnI,s anH
not fit TO drink, and il is probable that the
greater part of the well water is in this
condition.
have seen many persons stand before the
crystal spring which bubbles up in the
rocks at Ferncllf cemetery and declare
that they would not drink cup of it for
anything on earth. Ask them why and
they would describe with hOrrited eX-
preston how the water percOlates through
the graves, trickles over the decaying dead,
and Seeps through the mOuldering shrOuds
Unless you have a strong stomach such 8
companion will be very liable TO Induce you
to 20 away thirsty. There are dozens of
persons who would not drink from the
spring in Ferncliff for any money. Yet
these same people will go to their homes in
some pOpulOuS part of theCity where the
drainage is little better than nothing, and
the soil almost as porous as a sponge, and
will drink glass after glass of water from
the well or spring in their back yard-a
well walled up with stones which have
wide cracks between them, and into which
all kinds OF filth soak during every rain, if
not constantly. Such water is ten times a.
dangerous as that from any cemetery. A
physician said the other day: I'm neigh
bOrhOOds where there is poor drainage II
would probably be better for the people to
let the well water severely alone. 1t is also
well known that the limestone water pre-
dispOseS people to kidney and bladder dis
eases. There are, no doubt, many
wells in Springfield of which the
water is perfectly pure, and
harmless. but | would advise the owners
of the wells to satisfy themselves on this
point before they allow their families to
drink it,
Get your well water analyZed. 1t will
cost you but tritle, and may save you a
big doctors bill. When Springfield reports
twelve deaths from diphtheria within a
short time out of her population of S5, 900,
and Cincinnati but nine during the same
time, from population of 300, 900. it seems
to Re time for people TO study into these
matters of impure water and air, and see
what the matter is at home. A little study
and common sense around home will often
save a man one hundred-dollar doctor bill.