Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-14
IMPURE WE'LL WATER.
What an Analysis of Samples From
the College Reveals.
Prof. Southweil Makes Alicroscop-
teal Study OF Four Different Bot
ties aud Makes Discoveries.

wells about the premises of Augustana
college, which has of late been infected
with a typhoid fever epidemic, were re-
Gently submitted by the college authori
ties to Prof j. Fl. Southwell. county SUI
perintendent of schools. for mi;roscopical
analysis, the belief being that impurities
existed in the water, 10 which the fatal
malady was largely attributed. The re-
port of Prof. Southwell just returned
bears out this belief 1t is appended in
full:
Microscopical examination o. four sam
pies of water labeled Nos. l, ?. 3 and 4:
MINERAL.
Placing u clean glass slide upon
warming table and putting thereon a
drop of water from each one Of the four
| samples, | find that each leave a residu-
UNI after evaporation which makes a
white stain upon the slide Magnifying
these spots under polarized light. | find
the stain No. to consist of an amorph>
Gus. non-polariZing mass, filed with mis-
mute crystals which polsriZe light strong,
ly with some cubical crystals that have
no polarization. The first mentioned
crystals are slightly rhombic il form, but
being very small-not larger than one
seven thoussndth of an inch il diameter
| could not determine the mineral from
their optical properties. Tie cubical
, CRYSTALS are without much dou bt. sodium
chloride.
The drop from sample No . left the
a IL
slide; ring the diameter of the drop of
water, and composed of polsrizing
mass in which were may needle shaped
pOlariz'ng crystals arranged radically.
Center of spot clean.
No. 8. spot similar to No. l. but not 50
dense deposit more of the material in
mass Crystals al polarizing. No salt
crystals noticed.
No. 4. Stain slight. material nearly all
of polarizing crystals: not much material
| in the stain and this about all in the form
of crystals BY measuring and compar-
| ing the thickness of the dry spots with
| the depth of the drops, should esti
mate that the solids present in pint TO
be about twelve grains in No l, eight
grains in No. ,, ten grains in No. 5. and
six grains in No. 4 The minute size of
the orystals-nOne larger than one fifty
| thousandth of an inch, with al exception
noted prevents the identficst on OF the
material.
VEGETABLE
Sample No. l contains micrOcncCi; No
,, bacterium ternio; No. 3. pa -ameceum
? and 3 might Indicate organic elements
| in solution, and while some of the micro
COCci are not known to be pathogenic, il
is to these germs and to bacillus that
most of bacteria seem now to be placed
that are found present in diseased condi-
tions, and to The residum products or
"ptomaines" of these parasitic plants is
attributed the poisonous chemical ele>
ments which produces the diseased con-
dtion.
The species of miCrococcus can be best
| determined by observing the manner in
which the colOmis grow in tubes of nu-
tri:ive geletiDe.
OF the miCrococcus seen some were
| small without movements, and some larger
| with rapid pedesis or brownian movement,
saw also in No. some transparent
globes. about one two-thousaudth Of an
| inch in diameter revolving rapidly, and
| invarious directions. / cannot idetify
| them.
In No. | saw a number o. colony
bacterium in families of fOurs. This is
| without doubt sdrdcind hyali3oG, which is
found in swamp water. and sometimes
swimming free in fresh water. saw
| also some little highly retroactive blotches
composed almost entirely OF perfOra-
tons, blOtches about one two hum
dredth in diameter, perforati1ns about
the one rty-thOusandeth inch across
Cannot identify this. In No. | saw
| only number of irregulsrly shaped float
ing particles, evidently organic, debris,
| not living organisms. In No. saw a
species of paramecium, some Dacterium,
| and some bacillus ulna These | believe
are not considered pathogenic; possibly
indicate organic matter in solution. Bac-
| illus ulna is found in various infusions--
for example, an infusion of the white of
an egg.
A microscopical examination should
supplement chemical analysis. for while
the latter destroys the identity of forms
of organic life. the former can do but lit
tie with minerals in solution.
From Prof. A. W. Williamson, who
furnished Prof. Southwell the samples,
an ARGUS representative gathered some
explanatory information concerning them.
Sample No. l." he said, WAS taken
from the well at the ladies' hall and used
chiefly for drinking purposed, by Profess
sor and Mrs. FOss and ten lady pupils,
also by Mrs. Ford and family of six no,
connected with the college. OF these
eighteen but two had the disease and
these very slightly. No 2 was from the
new well by the college building. Owing
to advice of some professors who did moi
| like its location, it was but little used by
| students rooming in the building, though
somewhat used by most of those who had
the sickness. 1t was. however, used none
by commercial pupils rooming and board
| ing elsewhere, none of whom had the
sickness. No. was the well ct DR.. Ger.
wins house. and No. 4 the we'll at the
Augustana book concern. Both of these
were considerably used by students.
None of those using water from them
who did not board or room in the college
building were sick though majority OF
| those who were affected probably con-
sumed some water from each well. F
l.. Peterson. one who died from the sick.
ness, scrupulously abstained from using
any water from any of these wells, and
Gust Swanson. and think some Others
who died, used chiefly the city water and