The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-09-28
DOCTORS TALK WATER.
Superintcndent Boiling Makes an In
tcresting Statement.

The fact that Superintendent Boiling
was to be the leader in the discussion on
James river water. drew Il larger num-
her of physicians than usual TO the res
ular seini-mOnthlX@ meeting OF the flcn-
mond Academy Of Medicine ana surgery
held last evening. , ,,t,
MIR Boiling first gave a running ms,
torv of the water works OF Richmond
from its inception In 1871 10 lh'- ui 'st.il
time. The first system OF llludloH "a9
conceived by Mr.. Albert stem VINO tn.
gineered the construction Of the earliest
reservoir hut ne gave II up i'm rev
months for "a failure The results OF the
various analyses made by Drs. Mahet anu
TAYLOR and then professor OF CHEMIST
at the Virginia Military Institute "i.
that recently made by the professor or
chemistry at Cornell University were
read DR. Taylor said the water at the
hydrant was better than az the r,H ~,
yoir because of sedimentatlon ana mat
in the morning. IL snOluc~b be allowed 10
run a while before being used elther LOT
cooking or drinking. IT,
Comparing Richmond water with otner
cities II was found that the former viii
the exception of that Of Brooklyn to
which II was but little If any INFERIOR
was the best. "
the water showed so little clay that II
was hardly clear after standing an the
laboratory for three months. the mud
was so light IL would not precipiiate.
Concerning an ar&le on the water pub
Nshed in recent number OF me bulltllh
OF the Virginia Board of Health. MI.
Boiling said ne looked over the city reg
lister and found but twenty deaths from
typhoid Tracing these. he learned that
three occurred at the penitenuary ana
might easily have been due TO a rotO-
riOus spring. The remainder were scat
tered all over the city. ON one premises
the water had not been turned on Tor
three OF four months but. the water
might have been taken from another lot.
In Charleston. there had been thirty or
forty deaths from typhoid. but the au-
thoiities there said there was none where
the city water was supplied.
Water should not bear all the blame.
Milk was known TO carry typhoid, and
not a single test for II had been made IN
Richmond. Most OF 1t used here was
from outside the city, ana COWS drink the
stagnant water. In 1876 the death-rate
in Richmond was among the lowest, as
compared with that of cities In the North,
East South and West In deaths from
typhoid. diphtheria and scarlet fever IL
was absolutely the lowest.
The water IS difficult 10 filter. because
the clay is of slight weight, and IL will
not pass through any pores except those
of baked tubes, which cannot be utilized
by city as n whole. The method OF
clearing by cOagulatiOn and sur se0rfnf
filtration was explained. This must not
be exposed 70 light ana air. which from
some unknown cause, render n harmlu
For this reason and others. Mr.. Boiling
said he advocated the appropriation of
5000 fof experimentation, for the city
should look carefully before 10 made a
large expenditure for a clearing plant.
At the conclusion Of his very interesting
remarks a vote OF thanks was given MT
Boiling.
In the discussion DR.. I'd Mcclure In
duired as TO the harmfulnoss of water
that had been allowed to stand re
thought that acration would overcome
this objection.
allowing the water TO stand some days
and then sampiing it 81 various depths.
ANY water kept for a time acquires a
taste like that Of cistern water hut II
might be restored by I0uring II from one
glass into another. whereby II became
aeratod. For that reason, If the process
Of sedimentaton be adopted mere, ne
would recommend tho construction or a
shallow tank 20 allow OF the constant
liow 10 insure admiXture with the az;
Dr. Gordon said typhoid fever could ne
spread from the suburbs by dairymen
using foul water. In the city, an imp"i
| tant matter was where water was ai-
| lowed 20 run I'm closets all night, the sew
| orage IN many instances, here the con-
| struction was faulty. backing into the
| supply pipe. and thus injecting the drink
ing. This was disgusting, ana YET wa
I true. and IL was horrible that the conui'
ton should be allowed 10 remain III I'll.
mond. In one town IN England. where
typhoid and gastro-enterie diseases were
traced TO this cause, closets Of an APP
proved construction were prescribed 10y
the authorities
chemistry IS unable 10 tell when wa
ter is pure. although 1t can say when II Is
impure: but there IS vast difference be
| tween the two. All cities situated on
| water courses are liable 20 epidcmics
| The odor. taste. etc. o. water are not q
| be taken IN judgment. The bacterioiogi-
al test Is most important not so much
| because of the number OF germs as 'ne'i
! lrst Injection and Virulenoe.