The morning times., 1895-12-03
TYPHOID IN THE DISTRICT
Dr.. ROBBERS Report on Its CAUSES
and Prevention.
PREVAILS MOST IN SUBURBS
Potomac water. Wells and Lack of
Chiefly Responsible for the Disease.
1t lis Readily Checked by Sa nitatiOn.
Closing of All Wells Urged.

Potomac water, wells, and lack OF
sewer connection are condemned in the
report of DR.. George NJ. Kober, special
inspector, TO investigate typhoid fever,
WHICH was submitted To the Commiss loiers
by Health Officer Woodward yesterday.
The figures show the county and north
east most affected by the disease.
The conclusions Reached by DIR. kober
are that typhoid fever has increased here
almost unirormiy for twelve years, indi-
eating the persistence of local causes, and
i.at II is most prevalent in the suDurDs
and In unsanitary sections, showing that
sanitation checks 1t.
He found that the ma jority of persons
attacked used well water, and many OF
the wells proved to be contaminated. A
large percentage OF the cases were from
houses with box privies, which pollute
the soil and disseminate germs through
the agency OF flies. No water from streams
once polluted he saws, can be considered
wh4Cut nItIa..On or Steri.I@h ,iUii-
and Potomac water, as good as any, is
dangerous.
DR. KubER'S RECOMMENDATIONS
DIR. Kober says experience has proved
that typhoidfeveri is preventablc, and recon-
mends for prevention as follows:
- ihiIlcuiatv t.osiLS oI oNcry WEI IN
the District wherever Il better water sup
ply eau be obta incd.
The early completion and extension OF all
necessary sewers within the city limits, and
the enforcement OF the law To make sewer
connections.
The a h. udonment of all box privies within
the city limits and the enactment of more
stringent iaws Tor the prevention of soil
pollution, together with rigid, frequent
,;Iu SYSTEM ~ inspection or all box prIvieS
iu the uhurbs.
The Improvement OF the Potomac water
by means OF filtering basins, and the ex-
tension OF TINS water supply To Tue suburbs
at the earliest moment Practicable.
Such measures as may be necessary TO
improve the sanitary condition IN the lower
part or the city, along the Potomac ana
tne Eastern branch, LOCKING to The reciania-
ton o. stagnant and polluted marshes. and
the prompt disposal oI the sewage.
sixth. The enactment OF d Jaw recuir-
ing notification 10 the health officer or all
cases OF typhoid fever and other infectious
diseases in the District OF Columbia. together
with rigid enforcement of the building
regulations reGuiri ing the cementing of
cellars ana Easements opreyent cUntaInina-
uon oi the AIR from poiiuied subsois, and
the systematic inspection %; diaries in
auguratcd by your department
PREVENTIVE MEASURES.
''1n the meantime, as a preventive meas
urc, / earnestly recommend Ia the public
the thorough oisiniectlon OF the cNcrcta
from all typhoid fever patients and greater ;!,er
the sick, together with boiling the water
and milk supply"
DR.. Woodward approves these recon-
mendations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 500 cases. or these
1856 were contracted in the District. OF
the 81 who took the disease while away.
SO had been drinking spring water at sum-
nier resorts. THIS is believed TO confirm
the opi ION that the lutunna! rise oftypnoid
fever in cities is partly due 10 return of
persons from the country with germs taken
with spring or well water there.
A comparison shows that in the southeast
and southwest sections of the CITY there
were about 2 cases to every 10000 popu-
.atlon: in the northeast, 81 casts to 0.UOu:
in the central, being the part bet ween North
Capitol md Thirteenth street north west and
north of the public grounds TO the boundary.
| . cases to 10000: IN the northwest, from
Thirteenth street to Rock Greek and north
of the river 10 Florida avenue. cases to
10000, in Georgetown, 10 cases: i'll the
county, SO cases to every 10000 inhabi-
tants. The cases with number oil deaths for
every 10000 of population in the several
sections as given above are shown in the