The Portland daily press., 1897-11-10

LII. W HlJUlor or the college,, repOfbeu uHdb
he had personal knowledge of seventy live
cases, and it is said that as many as
twenty five of the students suffered. OF
the students, about twenty-five became
so i'll that they were allowed to go to
their homes. Just how many cases there
were In the village is not known, but DR..
u. M. Elliott the secretary of the local
board OF health estimates that there must
have been a S many as three or four hum
dred persons who were i'll, many of the
cases being of little severity, however.
Inc Androscoggin water was in the pipes
for about five days, although before that
time had elapsed the fact was generally
known SO that people were ON their guard
There seems to be difference Of opinion
as to the number of cases of illness among
people who did not use the water from
the company's pipes. By como it is
claimed that the trouble had appeared be-
lore the river water was turned on, but
all seem to be agreed that whatever may
be the truth as to this feature of the case,
the trouble was greatly aggravated by the
water from the Androscoggin.
The PRESS correspondent has talked
today with two members of the board of
selectmen, Messrs. F. G. Webb and e. A :.
Crawford both of whom said that in
their opinion a mistake was made not
taking steps to see that all the water
takers were notified when the Androscog-
ing water was turned on. DR.. Elliott, of
| tho hna rI Of hna ha ufar
Of the matter. Or. Elliott thinks that
there was more or less Of the trouble
among those who did not use the water
and in support of his belief mentions
cases Of which he has knowledge where
such was the fact One of these cases was
village on a hill where the sanitary con-
ditions are good. She had druniS III
water but had the same complaint; .at
which was SO prevalent IN the village.
DIR. Elliott thinks, however, that the An
droscoggin water aggravated the illness.
| He said that the board of health knew
nothing Of the action of the water COM
pany and the selectmen in turning on the
water until they began to receive COM
plants day or two later. Then the
mem pers of the board when they COM
pared notes, found that they had received
complaints from as many as dozen
sources. DIR. Elliott added that If it ever
became necessary to resort to the river
water again tho board would be informed
of it.
DR.. Elliott defined his position in the
following letter to the Bath Independent:
Brunswick, November 3, 1897
Editor Brunswick Department, Bath
Independent:
From what l have heard, the opinion
seems to be that 1, speaking for myself
i personally, and for the Board of Health
as it's executive officer, approve of the
Androscoggin river, as source of supply
for drinking water. Nothing is further
} from my mind. 1t is my opinion that
Androscoggin water, whether taken from
above the Falls or below them, is unfit
for either drinking or culinary purposes,
and | have never expressed myself in any
!, other way on that question.
What did say and the impression in
tended to convey was, that the change of
water could not have been the exciting
cause of sickness in all cases, for there
were, before the water was changed, and
are, at the present, cases among people
who did not then use, and who are now
using Androscogging water. have no
the trouble, but the epidemic, SO called,
struck Brunswick before any change was
made in the water supply, and is continu-
ing since the Nequasset supply was re-
sumed.
Very truly yours,
G. N. ELLIOTT, M. D..
Secretary Board of Health.
DIR. Alfred Mitchell when asked as to
the extent of the trouble, said that he
was not prepared to make an estimate of
the number of cases outside the college,
AS to the proportion of the trouble due to
the drinking of the river water. he said
that, SO far as he was able to learn in the
course of his own practice, nine out of
ten of those who were i'll had drank the
Androscoggin water. DR.. Mitchell said
that at the time of the outbreak the vii
lage was free from typhoid fever and
other contagious diseases which are like
| ly to be transmitted through drinking
water He thought that the trouble had
now almost entirely disappeared.
Professor E. G. Robinson Of Bowdoin
college said that he had examined samples
of the Androscoggin water and that they
| were unfit for use.
Mr.. A. S. Hall, the superintendent of
the Maine Water company, talked freely
about the occurrence. He said that he
was very busy at the time endeavoring to
overcome the trouble caused by the break
in the pipe at Bath. He had been at
Harding's station between Brunswick and
Bath, where the company have pump.
This pump had broken and he had come
into Brunswick to see about repairs to a
piece of the machinery 1t was then that
he took the steps which resulted in the
use of the Androscoggin water He first
saw Mr.. Eaton, the agent of the mill,
and made arrangements with him for the
| pumping. He then notified the selectmen
that the Androscoggin water must be
used If the pressure was to be kept up.
MIR. Hall said that he took what measures
ne could to have people notified of the
change. He left directions in his office
mat water takers calling there should be
lAl ~ ,<sT n m