New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-16
Week correspond
ing IN .JulY f.

Although the deaths from dlarrhoea diseases In
creased from 1S2 in the week ending July to az
last week DR.. Maggie said there indication
that impurities in the Croton water had caused the
| Increase. He pointed TO the record OF AL deaths
from diarrhoea diseases in average week In the
middle Of July proof that the warm weather Is the
main OF Increased mortality from diseases which
commonly called "summer complaints"
Mr. Martin. the chemist OF the Health Department.
yesterday completed another analysis Of water taken
from the hydrant al Mulberry and Bceckcr sts. and
he reported that The analysis had failed to disclose
any trace Of ntritcs in the water. There
doubt that the quality Of the Croon water had been
improving within few days he said
President Wilson. Of the Health Board yesterday
directed the chemist collect samples OF water
the gate house Of tho aqueduct for analysis He also
talked with Mr.. Bcebe. Of the biologists of the
Department, regarding meteorological examinations
Of the water. Mr.. Beebe said he had examined a
number Of the colonies Of microbes found in the Gro
ton water. and had not found any disease producing
germs. complete examination 10 determine the
character Of all the microbes found In the water would
take several months. he said. The chemists and hi
ologists OF the Health Department lay stress on tho
necessity Of collecting samples Of water In scriized
bottles for examination saying that samples mt thus
collected likely TO contain impurities impaired by
the vessels In which the water is carried TO the lab
oratory In that way they account for the different
results Of the official examinations and the tests made
by some private chemists in the city lately.
Mr. Wilson said "Thcre Is no doubt that the.
water in the city has had bad taste and smell
lately. hut the trouble Is disappearing. There Is no
evidence that the water has caused sickness among
the people. In fact the evidence appears 10 be
that the water is free from all germs OF disease.
Much OF the water coming through the aqucduct Is
drawn from the storage reservoirs. The water that
been standing in the reservoirs had been under
going a process OF publication, hut there l. vege
table growth In the reservoirs in the summer and
the wafer drawn from them contains some vegetable
matter. The quality Of the water l. not made
Pleasantly had long the water Is kept In mo-
ton in tho aQueduc and service pipes but whom
water Is allowed stand in the dead ends of
pipes II becomes offensive 10 the taste and smell
by of the decomposition of the vegetable
matter The complaints which have received
about the water show plainly what the trouble Is.
Those complaints have not been by people living
along the lines Of mains in which the Is kept
In constant motion. but by persons living in the side
streets. There thousands OF dead ends I'm the
water pipes In the city. by systematic blowing
on OF the hydrants In parts OF the city where the
dead ends abound. the quality OF N. water has
been much improved within few days.
There slight increase II uphold foyer in
he city last week. bur only twenty case, and
five deaths reported. SIX persons who were
to North Brother Island. and three Of them died.
Other contagious diseases appeared he decreasing
In the city last week. 1udg. from report on
file In the Office OF Chief Inspector DOty.