The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-05
LOCATION OF The WELL.
Extract from a lecture by Dr j. II. ISel-
Iosg, OF tho hattie Creek Sanitariun,.

Extract from lecture by Dr. j. II. Kel-
iosg, OF tho battle Creek Sanitariun,.
Dug wells arc likely 10 contain n va
rSsty Of germs unless their location is
exceptionally good and they are we'll
taken care Of The bottom Of the we'll
should always reach bedrock, but it
does not in every case. We arc all
familiar with the fact that the soil
which ovcrlics bedrock always con-
tainS water, and that this water will
fill the we'll up to the level of the
ground water Now suppose that ut
any distance from the we'll which is not
so great rs to bc ont OF the sphere of
possible contamination of the we'll, are
located n vault,a cess pool y heap of de-
composing rubbish. q pig-styc or n barn
yard-thcn the rain in altering through
these filthy substances will carry par
ticlcs from them below the surface OF
the earth. ana after awhile they will
reach and contaminatc the ground
water, thus, OF course, affecting the
purity Of the we'll. Matters may 70 on
about as usual for months, or even
years. and the persons who drink from
tho we'll suffer no apparent harm. a.
though they are swallowing mass of
germs all the while. The reason is that
10y II peculiarly bcnciiccnt arrangement
the body is able to protect itself against
these intrudcrs. The gastric Juice is
great gcrmicdc. and makes way with
most OF them, especially becoming ac-
customcd 10 those habitually received.
But suppose some new germ like that
of typhoid fever finds lodgncnt in
some of these reservoirs of filth; they
propagate rapidly, and finally are car.
ricd to the ground-watcr aud so 10 the
well. Then there will likely he All out
break of typhoid fever in the family.
unless all the water is boiled before
using.
We look with contempt upon the
practices of the Ilindoos. who battle
their bodies and wash their clothes in
the tanks which contain their drinking
water; but we really do worse things.
because our wells are often so located
that they receive the extract of the
ccss-pool and the barnyard, to
say nothing of the slops from
the house. Some scmi-civilizcd and
savage people have learned the wis
dom Of boiling the water which they
use for household purposes, and so sell
dom suffer from cpidcmics. although
they live in the midst of the most unhy-
gienic surroundings. For instance, the
Chinese, who live in large numbers in
boats upon sluggish streams into which
they deposit their filth, and from which
they take the water they use. There
are also certain savage tribes in Africa
who no more think of taking their
d drinking water uncoolicd than they do
their yams.
We arc utterly thoughtlcss about
what takes place underground and out
of our sight, and in this respect are as
stupid as the ostrich which, by hiding
its head so that it can not see its enc
mics, imagincs that none are about, If
we can contrivc to put our filth out of
sight, we feel perfectly safe about it,
though it is really more dangerous
when hidden than when exposed on
the surface of the ground. 1t
would be more offensive to the
senses of sight and smell if nm hurried
but not nearly SO dangerous to life
Why? Because natural means would
be brought to reduce it to harmless
condition rs rapidly us possible. The
ozone i'll the air. the sunshine and the
germs would do their part, and the
wind blowing over it would scatter and
dilute the filth, which, being no longer
concentrated, would soon be harmless.
Keep then the Drainage area of your
well free from all possible contaminat-
ing Influences and whenever you have
any doubts about the purity of Your
water supply, boil every drop you use.
Reported by Helen l.. Manning