The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-16
UNCLEAN WATER EVIL.
slyITAS ON IT'S ESsENTIALITf TO
HEALTH.
IL Produces Typhoid-Fever to . Remark
abIe Dcgree-The Practice OF Fiitra-
tion-Boyine Tubesculosis.

Apropos OF the question Of settling
basins now agitatlng our Council and cit
liens is the following:
DR.. George II. Robe, Of Baltimore, In
his address on state Medicine" stated
the most vitality important problem con-
fronting American municipalities at the
present day was unquestionably the sup
ply OF pure water for drinking and other
domestic purposes The widespread prev
alence OF typhoid-fever might be practL
cally looked upon as measure OF the
pollution of the drinking water. De-
pending, as this disease does. almost en-
tirey upon an infected water supply, the
Importance Of having the latter of pure
quality il self-evident. In 1924 twenty
five of the principal cities Of the United
States had an average typhoid-fever NOR
tality Of 1915 for each hundred thousand
OF population. Those cities which had the
largest mortality from this disease were
supplied 10y highly suspicious quality OF
drinking water.
PRODUCES TYPHOID-FEVER
IL would be hardly necessary at the pres
ent day TO insist upon the causatiye re-
lation Of infected drinking water TO ty-
phoid-feyor. The numerous epidemics in
this country and abroad. which have been
studied with so much care by eminent
sanitarians. have demonstrated this rela-
ton. While cases. doubtless, have occur
red in which the disease could not be
traced 10 the water supply, they consul
tute the vanishing minority-the over
whelming majority being unquestionabiy
due to infected water.
In epidemics Of cholera. a similar rela-
hot no
extension OF the disease to an infected
water supply. Aside. however. from the
production OF these specific diseases pure
water. or water free from all sorts or I'M
cleanness. Is demanded 10y the sanitary
conscience" Of the public.
TWO ALTERNATIVES.
In sparsey- settled districts or where
supply OF unpolluted water could be
brought from a distance 10 a large COM
munity, IL would probably be better TO
secure such pure supply, rather than
purify n source OF supply which mas been
polluted, but In the majority Of Instances,
particularly in the eastern and central
sections Of the country, the procuring OF
such an unpolluted supply IS practically
barred by financial considerations. We
are. therefore. reduced to one Of two al
ternatves either 10 limit as much as
possible or 10 altogether prevent (WHICH
is practically impossible the access OF
impurities NOTABLY OF sewage. etc. TO the
sources OF supply. Or else to resort 10
some method Of publication Of the water
after IL has been polluted.
Tho city OF New York has recently
chosen the first alternative mentioned. by
the purchase OF ground Immediately bor-
dering on the streams furnishing the
drinking water 20 that great metropolis.
by the removal Of sources OF pollution
from the area Of land 80 acquired. the en-
deaVOr has been made TO secure a pure
drinking water In Chicago the extraor-
binary outbreak Of typhoid-fever from
1889 10 1893 has led To the extension Of the
intake pipes I'm Lake Michigan TO a dis
lance Of four miles from the shore and
the constant diminutiOn Of the sewage
contamination reduced the typhoid-fever
mortality from 1897 in a hundred thou
sand in 1891 70 3i4 In 1894
AS TO FILTRATION.
A great Impetus TO filtration has been
given by the experiments conducted un-
der the auspices Of the Massachusetts,
state Board Of Health I'm Lawrence These
experiments. conducted with painstaking
care for a number OF years. prove con-
cusiyely that water. no matter how pol
luted. can be rendered pure by simply
altering II through sand filters. provided
certain cautions are observed regarding