Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-02
Results of Recent Examinations by
Experts.
4 REPORT TO THE SANITARY LEAGUE
Bacteria Found in Samples Taken
From Wells of the City.
THE WATER OF THE POTOMAC

Prof. 7. c. Mendenhall, chairman of the
Sanitary League subcommittee on water
supply, has submitted q report of investi-
cations made under the direction of his
committee Of drinking water used in the
city. This report, which was made to the
sanitary committee of the league, was
brought before the council of the league by
Dr. j. s. Billings, chairman of the sanitary
committee, at meeting held yesterday az
ternoon. The report was adopted and the
secretary instructed to send to the District
Commissioners for their informal ton the
summary included in the report of the con-
dition in which the wells examined were
found, together with the recommendations
of the subcommittee concerning these wells.
Text of the Report.
Prof. MendenhalPs report was as follows:
beg to submit herewith report of pro-
gress from the subcommittee on water sup
ply, of which have the honor to be chair
man.
In the appointment of the committee you
were fortunate in being able to include
among its members two gentlemen widely
known as experts in the examination of
water One Of them, DR.. w. NJ. New Of
the Army Medical Museum, is skilled in the
detection of Impurities in water by chemical
the Department OF Agriculture, in its In
vestigation from the biological standpoint.
In order that the committee should be able
to avail itself of the full measure OF value
OF the professional attachments of these
gentlemen, 1t became necessary to seek the
friendly cooperation of the Honorable the
Secretary OF Agriculture and of the surgeon
general of the army, DIR. George Nj. Stern
berg. On d presentation to them OF the I'M
portance of the work to the citizens of
Washington, large number of whom are
government officers. an apprecative and
cordial interest in the plan of the commit
tee was exhibited and permission was freely
granted to Drs. New and Smith to make
use of the facilities OF their respective
laboratories in carrying out the proposed
investigation.
The facts now presented are founded up
on examinations made under the direction
OF Dr. New and DIR. Smith, by permission
OF the Honorable the Secretary of Agricul-
ture and the surgeon general of the army,
to whom, therefore. the committee and the
Sanitary League are much indebted.
The most important subject for investiga-
ton, in the judgment of the committee, was
the Character OF the water found in the
wells of the city, of which much use is
made, especially in the hot summer months.
Up to the date of the preparation OF this
report the water from thirty (3O) wells had
been examined OF these twenty-five Cl2)
had been examined for chemical impurities
by DR.. New and sixteen Q6) for harmful
bacteria by DIR. Smith. The water from
eight CS) wells had been examined by both.
The wells have been put into five classes,
according to the results of the examination,
and the following Is a tabular statement
showing the number of wells in each of the
several classes, as found in the chemical
analyses of DIR. New and the meteorological
studies of DIR. Smith:
Fair Sus-
Good or pi- Doubt Bad.