Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-02-01
MALARIA AND SURFACE
WATER.

When physicians tell their pa.
tients in the cities that the germs
of certain diseases are introduced
into the system III drinking water
they are frequently reminded
that typhoid-fever is a common
disease not only in the lower ru-
raj regions, but i'll the mountains.
But the answer IS not sufficient.
The Charleston Meas and Courier,
which has devoted much space to
this subject, recently quoted from
an article by DR.. Lewis in the
Sanitaria1l Magazine the testlmo-
ny of a number Of physicians IN
North Carolina, going to show
that the germs of 1nalarial diseas-
es in the low country are usual
" introduced into the system
through the medium of drinking
water obtained from shallow
wells and springs, and going to
show also that complete, or near
1y complete, immunity from such
diseases can be insured by the
use of water from cisterns, arte-
sian wells, and deep-driven wells.
If this simple and cheap method
can be relied upon to effect the
object had in view by these ply
sicians, then the people of the
districts supposed to be peculiar
ly liable to diseases of the kind
mentioned may congratulate
themselves.
There is much testimony quot
ed from persons competent to
express an intelligent opinion.
Hon. George H. Brown, Jr., of
Washington, Beaufort county,
says his family use cistern water
altogether, and never call i'll a
physician for sickness such as is
under consideration now. Mr..
David Fender, Of Edgecombe
county, writes as follows
"In 1850 I built comfortable
home in Tarboro, and for eight
years my family frequently had
chills and fever. DR., Pittnan,
our family physician, stated to
HE that the use Of cistern water
was the only cure for our ills. |
had a cistern made Immediately,
and for more than fifteen years
we had no fever whatever.
Mr.. Pender adds that six years
ago he rented his house to fam
lily, who report that they have
had no fever during the six years.
Mr.. John H. Shacl1elford writes:
"At my mills we worked 100
hands, and used we'll and spring
water, and had a great many cas-
es oftyphoid- fever and dysentery.
l had a 9o-foot driven we'll put
down and got good water. Have
had little or no sickness since.
Mr.. S. Heilbroner, of Tarboro,
writes: Prior to 1891 my farni-
ly used drinking water from wells
not over 20 feet deep. We had
malaria every year and had three
cases of typ11oid-fever In the fall
of 1891 | built a cistern, and
since that time scarcely any of
my numerous family have had
chill. My doctors bills from that
source are comparatively moth
ing"
Mr.. J. NJ. Thompson, of Bruins
wick county, writes:
II have been living i'll my
present quarters nearly thirt,
years, have used cistern water,
and have never had a case of
fever in my family ofnine grown
children, while those III the house
twenty feet from mine and others
in the same block using pump
water from pipes running down
ten or fifteen feet have attacks Of
malarial fever every summer.
There are only four cisterns III
this town, and to my knowledge
there has never been a case of
malarial fever iii any Of til
houses where they are.'
Such testimony ought to suffice
to settle the question. But we
must add the testimony of DR..
Lewis as to the depth of the driv-
ell wells. He writes:
"The1e is no special virtue in
4 driven we'll per Sc beyond keep
ing out the surface washings,
but it is the depth to which it is
driven that confers the virtue.'
To us this testimony seems
,onclusively. We leave it to the
Doctors to say whether it is or not
The Burlington ,NcavS says:
There seems to be no longer any
doubt about Northern cotton
manufacturers looking toward
he South for locations. Such
being the case it behooves the
Southern people to receive all
such with open arms, and not
only welcome them, but put mon
" into the mills they propose to
ouild.