Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-04

Now this enormous quantity of earth
NAV have been our salvation
for the effect of clays in water is to act as ab-
sorbents-and not only absorbenfs, but peu-
tralizers of many of the poisons with which the
water may be charged. At least this is one of
natures ways of purifying water. The time, of
course, was very short for the action of the air
in oxidizing such materials. for it was not more
than nine or ten hours after the flood until the
great body of the drift reached u.s.
"Then, we must take into consideration the
further fact of the great dilution of the poi
sons. Nevertheless during the hours named
the water was in an alarming condition TO say
the least
"By Sunday morning it was evident, from
the change in the character Of the drift, that
the food carried more water from the upper
Allegheny than came out of the Kiskiminetas.
So that just now and until putrefaction sets in
to such an extent that carcasses of animals,
ETC., begin to fall apart ETC., / think there is
little to fear from the water And, If our rivers
keep up a tolerable fair stage for the next lew
weeks, would apprehend but little trouble.
Work it at the Reservoir.
zone thing would suggest is that frequent
examinations be made of the inhuent pipes at
lodged about them. recall an instance which
occurred in 1865 think which was never pub
lished but as it has an important bearing on
the subject lust now / viii relate IT,
About the period mentioned there were
600 Texas cattle seized with some fever IN
transit through this city. They were con-
demned and slaughtered for their hides. Some
time afterward there were statements made
that the entrails and some carcasses OF these
animals were thrown into the Allegheny at
Wainwrights Island, about Thirty-hfth street.
but the statement was denied. A week or so
afterward | was in skif in the Allie
6f 6feny the ana old ASa Pistsburg @ water Water Works
at Eleventh street, was Mortified to find en-
trails in all stages of decomposition accumu'
lated about the place, and held there py the IN
flow of the current I informed MI. James
McCauley, prominent member OF Counclls,
but he advised me to say nothing, as the eA-
OF itself produce fever. was agreeaoly dlsap-
pointed TO find the time pass away without any
epidemic of disease striking the city.
Fortunate in One Way.
tI don't know that there are any distinct
forms of disease liable to be produced by the
water even perceptibly contaminated with
putrefying flesh. But it would, of course, be
contributing cause for sickness in various FORMS
1t would be different if there had been recently
much typhoid fever, cholera, ETC., among the
people of Johnstown. Another thing the temper
ature of the water just nowis not favorable 70
the extent of the flood, our people should not
be unduly exc1ted about the water, so long as
samples standing three or four hours in warm
place have no offensive smell. tnlnk there Is
II believe the usual period of incubation for
typhoid and other fevers is nine days after the
germs have been introduced into the system,
so that if we pass say June 10 or L without an
alarming increase of such diseases in the city
we ought to consider ourselves safe"
DR.. Snlvely, physician to the City board OF
Health, said that he had been confronted on |
every hand yesterday with anxious inquirers to |
know whether it was safe to drink the water or |
not He said:
Hoping for the Best.
There is of course, a possibility of cpl |
demic; but don't think that the people need |
fear it. Running water pur1fies itself, and the |
distance is so great from here to the cause of |
trouble that the dilution alone would prevent |
great cause for fear. From the outlets of the |
sewers of Pittsburg and Allegheny to Sewick- |
lev it is only IL miles, and yet their water is |
aAnother thing, the contamination matter |
would be greatly oxidized by the water, the |
oxygen in the water fairly burning it up. The |
gases arising from the matter in water always /
rise to the surface and go off.
1.-The water supply of Pittsburg is drawn |
from deep pits at the bottom OF the
must be above where the supply is drawn
Dr. W. T. English said: 1.-THE contamination /
of Johnstown district, is beyond doubt.
Numerous circumstances will contribute TO
make the food one memorable, not only on
account of the immediate loss of life, but also |
as a result of the numerous sequetfe which, /
from the necessity of the case. will arise.
''The dead bodies are not the most important |
element in the case. 1nnumerable portions of /
the,valleys an& hills, long exempt from Hood /
= IL, ,haTe contributed to the contaminationl 4
-CesSp s6is along the line of the flood have long
been hidden and forgotten, but have added their
vitiating elements to the tide. The lowlands,
with marshes, swamps and stagnant pools,
filed with disease-breeding germs. have emp
tied themselves into the watery avalanche all
along the line of the flood, aiding in multiply
ing the variety as well as augmenting the ag-
sregate of filth and contamination.
Worse Things Yet.
THE effiuvia and solution of dead bodies de-
serve smaller consideration than may at first
be supposed from the fact that many will be
deposited upon the bank to 60 into dissolution
before they can affect the water A very
small percentage of the bodies will remain in
the water
"The diseases which are most likely to follow
are those affecting the bowels, among which
would be classed typhoid fever, diarrhHa, etc.
The season is unfortunate. as it is at the outset
of summer, and the heat of the sun will vivify
The germs.
at cannot be told how long the water will be
impure; il may be for months.
t'The best method for those who use the /
water for culinary and drinking purposes is to |
Doll L. Inc use OF Yea anu COnee from l0e /
water is not likely to spread infection, but it |
seems rather uninviting TO say the least"
DR.. McCann has been in Johnstown since the
Hood and has good knowledge OF the real sit
uation and possible danger. He said that !
every precaution possible should be taken to
purify the water. He advocated boiling as the |
only sure method to prevent contagion.
State Doctors to Tackle IL,
It is expected that this subject will be dis
cussed by the State Medical Society, which |
meets to-day.
E. M. Bigelow, Chief OF the Department of
Public Works, who has charge of the city
water works, has issued a notice of warning to
the people. He urges them to strain all the
water and then boil it before using it. He ad-
Fises that bag of duck or other like material |
be placed in the spigots of the water pipes, and
the water. after being strained in this way, be
boiled. Failure TO observe these precautions,
he says, will result in great sickness.
This warning applies to Allegheny as well as
Pittsburg, as both cities draw their water sup
ply from the Allegheny river.
The doctors generally agreed that filtering |
the water was not enough, as it only took out
the sediment and left the microbes should any
be present in the water.
Drs. Sutton and ]. n. Dickson.
DR.. Sutton said: 81 believe that, with the
immense mass of decomposing bodies of ami
mails which must necessarily be lodged IN drift /
piles between here and Johnstown the water |
cannot be otherwise than impure, and the use |
of it fraught with more or less danger. The |
best thing to dc is to bury the dead and burn
the animals at once. The burning of these |
great drift piles, which struck us all with hor-
ror. because of the feeling that large numbers
of human bodies were lodged in them, was,
after all. salutary thing In a hygienic sense.
rs great deal of organic matter which might |
have bred disease was removed. The thing /
to do is to set fire to the drift piles at once,
and thus clean up the rivers. There must be /
thousands OF dead animals in these piles, and /