The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-08-17
SICKNESS In WELLS.
Doctors Condemn Drinking Water
From Topeka Wells.
CITY WATER REGARDED Is BAD

CITY WATER REGARDED is BAD
BY Many OF the Physicians AIsO-A
Boom in Boiling and FtIterIag or
Water Likely to Take place.
While there are no contagious diseases
within the llmits of Topeka, there is con-
siderable sickness at present Most of it
is caused, the doctors say, by the people
drinking impure water, and being IN
wise in the selection of their summer
diet
There is at present large number of
cases of summer sickness, and it keeps
the doctors busy relieving the suffering
public.
Topeka is very clean city-in fact,
those who know, say that it is the clean
est city in the world, of its size. It's
water supply is as good as others, but not
what it should be. The physicians claim
that much of the summer sickness is
caused by the impurities in the drinking
water. Doctor NJ B. " ard said to the
reporter: mo water but that which
comes from the mountains is fit to drink
Ot course, there are some springs that
are all right, but hydrant water and we'll
water are terrible"
''What do you think of the hydrant
water here?"
~ don't think it is fit to drink-it's
nasty"
DR.. G. A. Wall took a little different
| view of the hydrant water. Concerning
| it he said: 81 never paid much attention
to it, but think it is as good as the city
water anywhere. l drink it at home. but
! filter it Now, if you want my opinion
| of the water company, can give it to
you" But the reporter didn't care for
| that, though he listened to the opinion.
DR.. Wall was of the opinion that the
well water of Topeka was Injurious.
Dr. 6. 2. Howard, it seems, has taken
the trouble to anaIyze the city hydrant
) water, and he pronounces it unfit for
! drinking purposes. He doesn't think
much of we'll water, either. In speaking
| of the hydrant water, he said: 81 think
that it is impure and unfit for use. l
made an analysis of it some time ago,
showing that it contained organic mat
ter. When / find free ammonia and or
ganic matter in water consider it dan
| gerous."
Doctor L. n. Powell is the state
chemist, but he has never analysed the
city hydrant water-because, he says, he
has never been ordered to do 80.
"What about the drinking water in
| TOpeka?" asked the reporter.
II wouldn't take either without boil
ing" said the doctor.
Il wish you would set some movement
on foot to have this water analysed.
think it is criminal neglect for the city
not to have an analysis made of the
water" The doctor thinks the council
should be stirred up" in the matter.
DR.. J. B. Hibben, ex city physician.
thought that the hydrant water was not
so bad after all He said: "All I Can
say is that the people have been drinking
that water for about fifteen years, and
there isn't d healthier city in the country
than Topeka"
What do you think of the well water
in Topeka?"
81 think every well in Topeka ought
to be sbated."
The reporter next talked with DR.. W.
E. McVey, who said:
81 don't know much about the city wa
ter. l don't think it is very bad. It is a
good deal better than we'll water"
DR.. S. E Sheldon said: Gas far as
know the hydrant water ia a healthy
water" Concerning the use of we'll wa
ter he said:
"Only those wells where the water
comes in below the rock are safe to
drink from. I use the we'll water at my
hospital; it is a very deep well and the
<.
The city hydrant water is much better
than it was before the waterworks wells
were sunk above the asylum, but it
could be improved upon greatly. After
a fire the water resembles ST. Louis n.y.
drant water 1t is very murky. The
sediment in the pipes gets stirred up and
makes a horrible mess
There is no doubt but that the wells Of
Topeka are the cause of much summer
ill l.
contamination if it is located in the
business portions or closely settled
parts of the town. Many Topeka people
use we'll water, and it is no wonder thai
the doctors are kept busy attending them
Wells in the outlying portions of the city
are comparatively pure. but in a block
where there are a dozen houses and q
dozen clubhouse vaults the water is sure
to be more or less contaminated The
city board of health seems to have beer
diligent in its work of cleaning up the
filthy parts of the city, but probably no
enough attention has been paid to the
condition of the water that the people
drink. Water is very quick to Absorb
impurities.
PULLING DOCTORS OUT OF BED.
, A NoOted Question Which is Away
Open for Discussion
Ougnb Qoctor 10 ger out OF MS Ded
night and go to attend patient whom
: he is morally certain will not pay hin
J for his work? The doctor has no CAPT
tai except his skill He has put severa
thousand dollars into his head; he ha
leaned hard on his elbows, ragged o.
3 shiny. while he pored over books telling
: him where our femurs and mastoid pro
cesses are Bald headed professors have
: poured knowledge into his ears anC
D shaken bones and Hgaments before hi
< eyes while they explained to him theil
1 uses in the human frame; all of which b,
s has paid for.