Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-05

the meantime three other cases occurred
in family residing in different part of
Takoma, who had drank water from the
well and received their milk supply from
this house, and still another case developed
in gentleman. who received his milk sup
ply there, but even in this case it was fair
to assume that the germs We're conveyed
by washing the utensils and milk pans with
the infected well water. l made an in
spection September ~. and from the topog-
raphy and nature of the soil 1t was at once
apparent that the premises and well,
occupying a rather low ground. re-
ceived the drainage from several blocks
OF houses. The next step was to dis
cover the source of a specific contain
nation of this well. From the cleanly hab-
its of this family and the statement of the
physician in charge it appeared highly i'm
probable that the case from last year was
the source of infection, the dejecta had
been properly disinfected and disposed of,
but two other possible sources were dis
covered viz: In the summer Of 1893 typhoid
fever preyailed in the premises on lot No.
4, indicated on plat, also two cases on lot
No. l. Both houses were supplied with
wells, the trend of the land from lot 4 being
toward lot |, and the drainage from the lat
ter is decidedly in the direction of the well
in question. These premises, prior to 1S:3.
had privy sinks or cesspocls Now they are
supplied with box privies, but lot l also has
a water closet in the house, and the con-
tents, with other drainage. is discharged
into the soil about 300 feet west of the well
of this unfortunate family. The house on
lot had mild case of typhoid fever in
July of the present year, and although it
is claimed that the water closet is not used.
l found it to be in working order when |
emptied the flushing tank.
las a second source | found a 2-inch
sewer, which discharges upon the surface
into a depression directly in rear of prem
ises southeast corner of Maple and Car
roll avenues and about 100 feet north of
the well referred to; after rains the con-
tents of this sewer are. of course, washed
further down. This sewer carries the
drainage from several houses. One of these
houses had case of typhoid fever in 1874,
shortly before the in the house under
consideration. The general facts warrant
ed the conclusion that the well had been
exposed to the contamination both from the
north and west sources described. In any
event, 1 considered this well infected ard
confidently expected that ARCHAEOLOGICAL
examination would demonstrate the pres
ence of the specific germs and so expressed
myself to Dr. j. ]. Kinyoun of the Marine
Hospital service, who conducted the exam
nation. You can readily imagine my
prise when this accomplished bacteriologist
informed me that the water presented for
examination September % was free from
suspicious bacteria, and since that time he
has examined three more samples at differ
ent intervals with the same negative result
l felt a source of bitter disappointment
that method of reasoning based upon
observed facts could not be confirmed by
meteorological proof. Fortunately for
science the family had s.nt a specimen CT
the water five days before to the Army Med
ical Museum. and in that specimen faecal
bacteria were found.
Two cases occurred among consumers of
contaminated spring located in de-
preston between Spring, Oak, Chestnut
and the Baltimore and OHIO railroad, and
the mother of one Of these patients cen
tracted the disease while nursing her son.
'Of the twenty-three cases, all white, at
Brightwood avenue and Takoma Park
there were six deaths All have been con-
sumers of well water, eight had drank both
well and Potomac water; eleven were
traced to the we'll repeatedly REFER ed to.
BrOoklnnd.
II have examined eleven cases at this
suburb All but two of these could be
traced directly to infected wells. One of
these was located IN a depression near the
University station. and the other the
side hill of private premises on Bunker Hill
road, between 18th and Sth streets \ case
of typhoid fever occurred on Milwaukee
street between 9TH and Sth streets, June 49,
1893. The father hoping to prevent con-
tagion buried the deiec;a. the slope and
character of the soil favorng percola zion
toward the wells in question. The next
case occurred in consumers of water from
these wells July II. Is, ~, -, August
and =. and a secondary case in one Of the
houses September l.
Two other cases occurred in one of the
seminarieS among consumers of Potomac
water. More of the eleven cases proved
fatal
LAS the evidence pointed strongly to the
contamination of the wells l recommend
ed their temporary closing, and the result
of the meteorological oAamiratior proved
the wisdom of this preoaut;on. 1 also
recommended a house-to- house inspection
to determine the number of cesspools. the
disposal Of refuse, the condition of pr:vy
boxes and stables. and their relation to
wells. The fact thar quite 4 humber of
hn 1inl 1I-ifI, cIn
and house drains. whose contents We're dis
charged upon the surface, together with
reckless disposal of garbage and Stops, inn
pressed me as formidable causes fo~ soil
pollution in locality which, like Takoma,
was favored with very porous soil.
sIvy City and Biadcnsburg.
81 have examined eleven cases at Ivy
City and eight on Bladens9urg road. In
the former suburb there are no sewer con-
lie ctons. The cases occurred in eight diff
ferent houses; seven were supplied with
box privies four of which We're found In a
leaky condition, and one house had no
privy in any shape. the deecta having been
thrown upon vacant lot in rear of the
premises
Five of the patients had drank water
from BENEFITS we'll, three from Cleve-
lands well. two from an underground els
tern. and one from Il surface spring. The
cistern, as also Cleveland's and Benefits
leaky box privies. and faecal bacteria were
demonstrated in the cistern water and sew
eral of the wells.
'All of the cases on Bladensburg road and
vicinity, except those on Lewis street. oc-
CURED in houses supplied with box prives.
1t was admitted that the stools from pa
TENTS residing on Bladensburg road We're
thrown upon the ground without dsnfec-
ton, and as the drainage from these houses
is in the direction of Trinidad avenue and
King street, the residents there were ex-
posed to infection. There is abundant evil
dence of unlawful surface pollution and
stagnant kitchen Stops may be observed on
Trinidad avenue in number of places and,
as the germs find a suitable soil in such sur
roundings. it is possible that the flies which
abound wherever surface pollution exists
may carry the germs into the houses and
contaminate the food drink. The first
cases occurred on Bladensburg road on July
.. A little girl from S street northwest
visited one of the infected premises on
Bladensburg road remained several weeks
and was taken sick there. There was moth
ing common in the milk supply of the diff
ferent houses and. as there was no well
liable to contamination from the first source
it is not improba BILE that the infection was