The times., 1897-09-24

The long promised investigation into the
present and prospective contamination Of
the weter supply Of Washington has been
begun. Under the direction Of the Geolog-
ical Survey, parties are in the field TO
examine the head aters of the Potona,
River for the purpose of determining the
character of the supply and to obtain
samples OF the water, which VIII be sub
Jeeted 10 meteorological analyses by the
Marine Hospital Bureau.
On December =, 1898, DR.. william c
Woodward health officer OF the District,
rendered report on the prevalence or
Iyptoid fever iii the District OF Columbia
In y hich he said: In view Of the sources
Of pollution OF the Potomac River, re
vealed by the investigation conducted by
Dr. George NJ. Koher, special medical sani-
tary inspector, ana OF the paramount iEl
portance OF a proper water supply, l am
Df the opinion that in addition. 10 the
construction Of filter beds TO remove i'm
purities which cannot be prevented from
entering tEe river, steps should b,- taken
To reduce TO a minimum the amount OF
such impurities. ! recommend, there
fore, that the Potomac basin be surveyed
with especial reference to the present and
prospective sources OF contamination of
our water supply, and with a view TO
adopting whatever measure may be pos
sIble 10 remove and prevent the recurrence
oi such sources.
Last year Joint resolution was intro
duced IN Congress, largely through the ef
forts u the Civic Center appointing COM
Mission rC consist OF the health officer or
.he District, a representative OF the War
Department and the surgeon general, TO
inquire into the source Of Washihgton's
water supply. This ioint resolution con
ternplated IA appropriation Of 81 goo. Sen
ator GallingeI offered an amendment ap-
propriating $4,000, and directing the
Marine Hospital Bureau TO cause TO be
made surveys Of the " water supply sources
OF various cities IN the United States,
where those cities received their water
supply from a Tver flowing through an.
other State OF between two States. The
amendment provided that the Potomac
River saouiC ne Investigated first. THIS
proposed icgfs7tion was not enacted and
now the Geological Survey has undertaken
the work On its own responsibility. The
geological party which has begun the
bushes. af Investigating the local supply
OF water IS now at Cum mberiand Nd, under
the direction Of Arthur ?. Davis, OF the
hydrOgTa plc division Of the survey. Sam.
pies of tie water thrTe, at Harper's Ferry
and at other points along the Potomac
WI be taken in specially sterilized bottles
ana sent here 10 the Marine Hospital Bu-
reau, where they viii be examined under
the direction of the surgeon general.
The photographic division Of the sur
vey is fitted for examining the water
chemically, but not bacteriologicaIy, so
the Marine Hospital bureau will do this.
TIE samples, when the tests have been
made viii be compared with samples
taken from the river near here, 80 that
T. can be determined exactly how many
Of the impurities in the water come from
the towns on the headwaters and how
many are gathered on the way down.
Twelve analyses OF Potomac W ater drawn
from faucets were made in 1895. Three
OF these SAMPLES revealed the presence Of
intestinal h;acciui, and three other samples
were designated as suspicious" Health
officer Woo dwaId has said: While
the Potomac water compares favoramy
as regards purity with other rivers, there is
much reason for believing that it is not
always free from danger. There are. Of
course, number of competent men, who,
on account OF the character of its water
shed, and the comparative absence Of large
towns ai'ove It, believe there is little or no
danger from specific contamination, es-
pecially as none OF the towns is severed.
These towns range from 10 to I25 miles
from the city We have the bacteriologicaI
examinations Of Thebold Smith TO show
that tnrhiditE OF Potomac water is al
ways accompanied by a larger amount Of
organic matter and germs, and that fecal
bacteria and turbicity are also coiHcident