Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-02

| lOilOWS.
"If we group all the cases in the suburbs
we find that the lis cases occurred in ITO
houses supplied with methods for the dis
posal of excreta, as follows:
water closets in yard or house. IS: water
closets connected with cesspool 2; box
privies, SO; surface privies, 81 no priVy, l.
"Of the 115 cases ~ were consumers OF
well water. IS were consumers of Potomac
water, 4 were consumers of ctstern water,
1 was consumer of spring water. Twenty
five consumers of we'll water had also taken
spring water.
Il have purposely devoted much space
to presentation of the facts as observed in
the suburbs, because what is true of them
now was under like circumstances true of
other parts of the city Before sewers there
were box privies, many of which are still
in use, when leaky or full to OVERLOOKING.
ard before the era Of box priEics there
were sinks and cesspools, ana therefore
ample opportunities for soil pollution to
have taken place.
Under such circumstances We need not
be surprised to find in the majority OF
well waters excess of the chlorides,
which, unless due to marine deposits, are
the invariable accompaniment of animal
pollution.
Sufficient evidence has been adlucei to
show how the germs of typhoid fever may
be conveyed from the intestinal tract TO
the soil and from the soil back TO he sys-
tenn chiefly through the water supply, not
excluding, however. the rar2- instances of
transmission alluded to. Soil pollution and
contaminated water, however, must he re-
garded as the most potent factors to ac-
count for the relative frequency Of this
disease i'll the suburbs
In the Northeast.
DR.. Kober then gives account of the
examination of eighty-four cases in the
northeast section, of which five cases We're
contracted at summer resorts.
"A summary of the evidence reveals the
q in he
northeast sixty were consumers of well
water, twenty-five were consumers of Po-
tomac water, three were consumers of
spring water, one was consumer of Co.
lumpla Hthia water.
'Twenty-seven of the sixty consumers of
well water had also been occasional con-
sumers of Potomac water
The eighty-nine houses were supplied
With methods for the disposal of eXcreta
follows:
Water closets in house IS: S.
Water closets in ard.......................;s: 80
Box prlvies. ...........................21
80
THE general sanitary condition of the
northeast Is by no means bad and the ma
jority of the infected houses have sewer
connections. number of squares between
North Capitol and LIST street northeast oc-
cupy the Led of old Tiber creek, and the
houses are built upon made SOIL with I'M
Cemented cellars, thus allowing free access
of the ground air from polluted subsoils,
winch DOUBTLESS is strong predisposing
cause to disease. especially in cities with
lnpei meable paVementS. Nevertheless, the
banefui effects of contaminated wells
strikingly illustrated, and in the suburbs
so here, l am forced to conclude that they
have furnished the largest quota of cases"
Southwest and Southeast.
Forty-eight cases in the southeast and
forty-nine cases in the southwest We're ex-
amned. OF these cases seventy-eght were
contracted in this city.
summary of the evidence shows that
in the seventyeight cases contracted in this
sanitary district, forty-three were con-
sumers of well water and thirty-five con-
sumers of Potomac water.
Twenty of the consumers of well water
also occasionally drank Potomac water,
but in all such instances it may be fairly
assumed that during the hot months of
July, August and September the we'll water
was largely preferred
Sewer connections existed in fifty-one
premises as water closets were found in
twenty-three houses and closets in twenty
eight yards. Twenty-Five premises had box
prities, one had privy pit and No. 106 @
street southwest had 10 privy of any de-
scription.
In large number of the cases. especially
in the southwest and along the eastern
branch of the Potomac, the system was
very much debiltated by the malarial
cachexia prior to the attack. What effect
the James Creek canal the backing up of
sewage and consequent flooding OF unce-
mented Easements and cellars. or the ema-
nations from the filth-reeking shores of the
Eastern branch of the Potomac may have
had. as a contrbutory factor. it is difficult
to say, except that backing up of sewage
means soil and water pollution, and all the
conditions, in the judgment of sanitarians,
constitute fruitful sources of disease The
sanitary environment of the individual!
homes can. in a measure, be judged by the
fact that the coored popula ton furnished
30 per cent of the fatal cases.
The Central District.
The report says that 1O4 cases were in
vestiSated in the central district. from
North Capitol to 18th street northwest
north of the public grounds and south of
the boundary. OF these % were contracted
at home OF the 92 cases, 81 were consum-
ers of well water, 81 were consumers of Po-
tomas water, were consumers of melted
kennebec ice, were consumers of Column
ba lithia water.
The methods for the disposal of excreta
in the houses were as follows: Water clos
cts In the house. 80: water closets in the
yard. p; water closets in the cellar, l; box
privies, 6.
The marked frequency Of the disease
among consumers of well water is appar-
ent, and other modes of dissemination can
not be ignored.
The Northwest.
In the northwest. from 18th street to
| Rock creek, fifty-nire cases were investf-
! gated, of which sixteen were imported Of
| the forty-three cases contracted at home
twentysix were consumers of we'll water
| sixteen We're consumers of Potomac water
| and was a consumer of melted Kenne-
| bee ice.
All but two of the consumers of well
| water also drank Potomac water.
| Water closets in house, twenty four:
| water closets in yard, twelve; box privies
| seven.
| Twenty-siX of the cases occurred in the
| white and seventeen in the coiored race.
| Personal inspection reveals the gratifying
| fact that sanitary homes with occupants
| who careful in the selection of their
| drinking water furnish the least number
| Of cases.
| Georgetown.
| OF the twenty-four cases investigated in
| Georgetown nineteen We're of local origin.
| OF the nineteen cases fourteen were con-
| sumers of we'll water, four were consumers
of Potomac water, and one was a con-
| sumner of water from spring located in
| the cellar and liable to seepage.
| General summary