The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-27

and of 122 deaths from typhoid fever in
1895 not one could be traced to the public
supply. but all were believed to have pro-
ceded from wells.
ACCIDENTAL POLLUTION.
We come now, however, to tell of acciden-
tai pollution. which was first known TO en-
ter the mains April q. 1t was not until
very recently that meteorological studies
have been made. although the tests for in
festival bacteria were made last November
by DR.. Ferguson by Parietti's method, with
negative results So at that time. and at in
tervals since. this test has agreed with the
chemical analyses and the typhoid studies
as given above
On April . Dr.. Ferguson, in the munic-
ipal laboratory, first noticed that cultures
in beef bouillon gave the indol reaction,
and from that time on until the bacteriolog-
icai study shows intestinal bacteria 10 be
present. DR.. Ferguson says in public COM
ION March II. 1896. in a sample of city
water from 286 Central avenue, / obtained
the indol reaction in tubes grown by Pari-
etti method, The same result was obtained
on the following dates: March q, No. 6
SCHOOL; March q, No. 80 Sanders street;
March q, No. 567lx Virginia avenue.
ION the 1st of May began a careful sys-
tematic examination Of the water taken
from the. tap at the city laboratory, and
bacillus: On the LIST, %, Sd, 4th, 9Th, 9th,
9TH, Sth and 9th.
Into test tubes, containing 10 &C of Dun
hams peptone, prepared accurately by the
method of Parleiti. was put in / &C of wa
ter drawn from the tap, after allowing the
water TO run for one hour in full stream.
temperature of $50 c., there was an abun-
dant growth in every instance, each tube
giving the indol reaction very strong. The
colon bacillus was proved TO be present by
eacn OF the following tests: Potato, milk,
litmus-milk, giuccse-agar, corallin peptone
and mcroscopically.
a m M 6nH NJ a
bacteria the chemical analyses showed no
change, but in few days change came;
the solids increased 20 per cent. TIE
chlorin more than doubled, and the solids.
which prior to this time gave no odor or
appearance OF changing upon ignition, now
gave ahundantly both OF these evidences Of
telling OF pollution, the city health Office has
much evidence to believe that several cases
Of typloid fever have been produced by
city water
The water company. some days prior 10
these discoveries, requested the State Board
Ripple Park. on the river, about eighteen
miles by the river. above the works At
| the same time the State Health Board was
requested to take such steps as would pre-
| vent any pollution of the streams. In ac-
| cordance with tnis request the county health
officer was requested To join with the town
oihcer at Broad Ripple In the work. The
result of their investigation, through the
aid OF water company employe at Broad
Ripple. was the discovery that vault clean
/ ers had very lately emptied vault clean
iags into tne river and washed their tubs
! therein.
In addition, heaps of excrement were
| found close by the rivers edge. so close
that slight rise IN the stream or light
| rain would wash II away. These heaps
were Immediately removed and the Offend
| ers arrested and punished. The cause OF
contamination being removed and heavy
| rains having fallen, IL is expected that the
| river Will soon clean Itself, and the river,
| from the first alarm, has been absolutely
| cut off from the gallery, It Is expected that
| this, the first instance OF pollution OF our
| history.