The record-union., 1898-08-09

germ during this epidemic. We found
that only one of the patients had ex-
clusively used boiled water or water
filtered through an approved filter, and
with this one exception all had used
raw Sacramento River water.
We corresponded with the several
towns bordering on the Sacramento and
American Rivers in an effort to locate
the likely source of infection. We
learned that several cases of typhoid
had been reported in Folsom early in
the year; that case developed in the
Folsom Prison on April 10th, and three
more developed in the prison soon
after. DR.. Browning, the prison physi-
clan, realizing the probable source or
infection, advised the boiling of the
water used by the prisoners and the
thorough disinfection Of all excreta. The
authorities followed his advice, and no
new cases have developed since the in
PRODUCTION of these prophylactic meas
ures.
1t may be that Sacramento was in
| fected from the same source as the
| Folsom Prison. The prison, however,
| likely served as a station for the multi
plication Of the infection, and the eff
feet would probably have been much
more serious to the prison and Sacra-
mento in turn has the prison physi-
clan not acted promptly in the mat
| ter.
| Many physicians and civil engineers
| who have studied the matter have an
ticipated trouble for Sacramento on
| condition that a water-borne disease
should appear in Folsom Prison. DR..
Ross mentioned the danger in paper
read at the fourth annual State Sani-
tary Convention, held at Los Angeles,
| April 20, 1896. c. E. Grunskey, civil
engineer, in a paper read before the
| conference of the Boards of Health, held
in San Francisco October %, 1897.
warned Sacramento against this dan
ger. Assemblyman Scott +. Ennis
| also used this argument befort the last
| Legislature in his efforts to abate the
nuisance at Folsom. Had the words
of these gentlemen been needed during
| this year many a family would nave
been saved a member stricken by ty-
| phoid; many another family would
have been saved the anxiety which at
tends the lingering illness; these fami-
| lies would have been saved a consid-
cradle expense and the city would not
have lost valuable lives.
| A city official whose office is in po-
sition to materially assist in obtaining
the Improvement needed, said: I'VE
have gotten rid of the Folsom nuisance,
and for the present that is enough. !"
1t is scarcely a beginning. In being
freed from the prison sewage we shall
be relieved of but one Of many dam
gers A single case of typhoid in any
bo1 oil la nj ic n
as much typhoid in this city as has
occurred in the epidemic through which
we are just passing. The epidemic of
cholera which occurred in Hamburg in
1892 is evidence of this fact. The
excrement Of one gypsy sick with chol-
era, was emptied into the River Elbe,
above the city of Hamburg. The cpl
demic broke out Immediately in Ham
burg, and during the epidemic 17O2O
cases, with S,605 deaths, occurred.
The epidemic Of typhoid which oc-
Cured at Plymouth, Pa, in 1888
teaches the same lesson. mountain
stream, supplying a population of S,OOO
people with drinking water was in
fected by a single patient. AS result
900 persons (one-eighth part Of the
entire population) contracted the dis
ease at a rate Of from fifty to lOO
day, and 100 persons died. The oc-
currence of typhoid in any of the towns
located above the city of Sacramento
on the Sacramento River or its trib-
utaries is quite likely to spread the dis
ease throughout Sacramento. In sup
port Of this opinion we quote the clos
ing lines Of an article on 1.-THE Filter
of the Water Supply Of the City of
Lawrence, and the Result" by Hiram
F. Mills, A. NJ, c. E., member Of the
State Board of Health Of Massachu-
setts:
THE study of this problem and its
solution have established with more Of
certainty than ever before three i'm
portant points in sanitary science:
"First-The insufficiency Of the self
publication of streams.
"Second-The ready conveyance of
typhoid fever down stream by sew
age polluted drinking water.
'tThird-The practicability of pro-
tecting a community against an infect
ed drinking water supply by natural
sand filtration"
AS a relief for an existing prevalence
of typhoid fever, the citizens have been
amply advised. Boiling the water
from one-quarter to one-half hour has
been universally accepted as a sufficient
precaution against contracting the dis
ease through drinking water. AS some
difference Of opinion has been mani
tested relative to the efficiency Of house
filters in the exclusion Of the germs Of
typhoid fever. it may be we'll to refer
to the late researches of G.. Sims Wood
head, F. r. s. E, director of the re-
search laboratories of the Conjoint
Board Of Physicians Uondon) and Sur
geons England), and E. Cartwright
Wood, NJ. D., B. &c., late research
scholar of the British Medical Associa-
ton, report of which was published
in the British Medical Journal
and reprinted in January, 1898.
These researches were conducted
under the direction of the Brit
| ish Medical Journal" and not