Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-22
GERMS IN THE ICE.
FREEZING WATER DOES NOT KILL
ALL THE BACTERIA.

| Alarming Results - Suggestions for
Health Boards.
1t is popularity supposed that water in
freezing becomes purified, and that the in
| furious elements that there may be in it are
eliminated by the action of the frost. For a
| long time it was considered that even though
| ice was frozen over water known to be filthy
| the ice was nevertheless pure, and the ap-
parent sanction of science was given to this
theory. Recent Investigations by learned
| microscopes have, however, thrown new
| light upon this question, and while it is still
admitted that large percentage of the in
furious elements Of impure water become
lost when it is frozen 1t has also been shown
that enough impurities remain in the frozen
water to make it possible to spread TO an
alarming extent any disease the infectious
| elements of which were contained in the
water in its liquid state.
One of the persons who has made an ex-
haustive study of this subject is DIR, T. Mitch
! ell Prudden, the director Of the laboratory
of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in
| this city. In the early part of tho year he
contributed a long article to The Medical
Record, in which he showed the result Of
very careful analyses Of different samples of
ice taken from all the source: Of supply
around New York. He came to the conclu-
sion that typhoid fever and possibly cholera
might easily be spread among the consumers
Of the ice which is formed on the Hudson.
''This river" he says, sis at the best rather
shallow, and large quantities of detritus an
nually brought down the stream cause con-
slant and considerable change in the bottom.
The islands in the river from Coxsackie to
Albany are gradually formed from the sedi-
mentary deposit. At the upper part Of this
section, Troy, a city Of over $4,000 inhnbit-
ants, emptie. daily S,00O,O gallons of sew
age into the river, which is already charged
with contributions from Cohoes and lansing
burg to say nothing of the impurities
brought by the Mohawk from the west. A
few miles below Troy Albany, with over
| co. 900 inhabitants, has also an efficient sew
age system, which it pours directly into the
river"
Taking the results of all his analyses of ice
from tbs various sources he finds that the
average number Of living bacteria contained
in one cubic centimeter of the melted ice is
$685. or, to put it in more common terms, a
pint OF melted ice would harbor about SOC, 900
living bacteria Of various kinds He who,
impressed with the Importance of a pure
drinking water, should perfectly filter half a
glass Of average winter Croton water and
then add to it an equal quantity Of average
ice, would have the satisfaction Of replacing
the bacteria removed with more than eight
times as many from more uncertain and
questionable sources.
One reason, DR.. PHlden says, why it was
never before known by scientific men that
ice might contain the germs Of disease was
that the only method Of research was by
chemical examination. These could not, ex-
cept inferentially, determine the presence of
bacteria 1t is no longer necessary to infer
their presence. These living germs may now
be actually counted, and their species and
actions on the animal body definitely deter
mined The new method by which this in
formation is obtained is called the biological
analysis.
In the experiments made by DR.. Pruden
samples of ice which contained evident gross
impurities, such as grass and straw, were in
all cases rejected as not fairly representative
1t has been shown that bacteria may exist in
enormous numbers without impairing the
clearness and transparency of the ice.
DR.. Pruden made biological analyses of i53
samples taken from blocks of ice from the
Hudson river at various points from West
Park to the vicinity Of Troy. These en-
braced samples ffch all the prominent ice
fields and many of the small ones In all OF
these he found large number of bacteria of
different kinds. Snow Ice, Dr. Pruden
found, contained many times the number of
bacteria found in transparent ice taken from
the same blocks Bubbly ice vas also i'm
pregnated to a much larger extent than
transparent ice with these organisms. but he
found that this rule as to bubbly ice and snow
ice holds good only when the water from
which the ice is formed contains a consider
able number Of bacteria.
Hudson river ice contained q much larger
number Of bacterial impurities than the ice
taken from the other waters near Now York,
and, while some Of these bacteria may be
considered harmless, others, be said were I'M
doubtedly injurious. The fact that two COM
mon and very Important bacterial forms of
disease, typhoid fever and diseases associated
with blood poisoning, are almost constantly
present in large towns like Troy and Albany,
and frequently in villages along the upper
Hudson, confirms the statement made by him
that Hudson river water is impure for drink
ing purposes. He says he does not know
whether the bacteria of typhoid fever may
retain life indefinitely or not in ice, as the
longest period in which they have been kept
frozen to his knowledge is 103 DAYS
He suggests that the state board Of health,
or some other authorized body should have
full control over the ice harry resting fields,
and by system Of inspection not less strict
than that which should exist in the care of
the ordinary water supply, determine which,
If any, Of the sources OF ice supply are so
situated as to inlperil the health OF the con-
sumers of the ice In the case of the Hudson
river it would be necessary to establish by
most thorough scientific examination the
distances from all existing sources Of sewage
pollution, at which il might be safely as
sumed that the water had freed itself from
bacteria and other impurities sufficiently 10
form safe ice. 1t might in this way be pos
sible 20 remove any chance Of danger by
permitting the questionable or bad ice TO be
sold only for non-drinking purposes, if such
a classification is practicable. and thus not
essentially interfere with the interests OF the
ice companies.
Dr. Walter De F. Day, the sanitary super
intendent of this city, said that the board of
health does not have any supervision over
the ice brought into the city at present, It
| has not yet been demonstrated that any dan
ger exists, or that any infection has been
caused in this way. and the question has
| there.orc not been seriously considered The
theoretical possibility Of infection from this
| source be admitted Professor Chandler, of
Columbia college, who is one OF the most enl-
inent microscopes IN the city, h.s also made
| some examination into the existence of dis
ease,l germs In ice. and has published q paDl-
| ptlet on the subject, which points out the