Evening star., 1898-09-20
DRINK PURE WATER
Importance Of Taking Precautions
Against Typhoid Fever.
some VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS
DR.. Charles H. Stone Talks Upon
Vital Subject.
y VICE TO PARENT S

This season. said DR.. Chas. H. Stone of
Brightwood. ''is very similar to that of
1Sg5-96, when the death rate from typhoid
fever here in the District was the highest
ever known. perhaps. In that season, as in
this, there was very wet spring. followed
by a long. dry and very warm summer,
conditions most favorable for the disease.
1t IS true, l am glad to say, that we have
many less wells from which the public
drink, but otherwise the conditions which
have and are now prevailing this season
are those of the season of 1886 In that
year the deaths from typhoid fever num-
bered 22s. During the following fiscal year
it was 14I, and during the fiscal year end
ing June 30, 1898. the number was 130.
From those figures it will be observed that
the number of deaths have decreased in
very gratifying degree, due to the fact that
the District authorities have filled up many
of the city wells, and also to the fact that
the people have taken greater precautions.
Danger Much Greater Now.
But" continued DR.. Stone, 1.-The people
of the District should now take still greater
precautions, because the danger, in my
opinion is much greater now than during
the past two years. In speaking of these
precautions, l refer more particularly to
the care Of school children. Typhoid fever
as rule makes its appearance here in
June. and the number of cases gradually
increase until they are more numerous in
September and October. Therefore, now is
the time when our people should be more
cautious and Vigilant. We will soon have
the autumna1 rains, and with them will
come into the water the people of the Dis
trict use the surface refuse of the country
above US.
PubIic school Water.
1T is comparatively an easy matter to
purify the water used in our homes" said
Or. Stone, but 1t IS an entirely different
matter as to the water which our children
will use while at school. Boiling is un-
doubtedly one of the best means of purify
ing water. but there are, / understand. no
facilities for boiling the water at the pub
lie schools. Yet there is no reason why
parents should not furnish their children
with bottles of boiled water to carry to
school with them ! imagine of course
that permission would have to be first OBJ
tatp=d from the District Commissioners or
II ON the public school authorities to per-
init the children to carry boiled water to
school with them and drink it. But in view
OF the danger which cOnfrontS the chill
dren l believe that the authorities will not
object. They should not. and if they do |
would advise parents to insist upon the
privilege being granted to thus protect
their little ones
FILTERED water would prove another
great remedy remarked DR.. Stone but /
understand that while experiments are
being made with filters it will be some
time before their use in our public schools
can be made general. So. ! would advise
parents to meantime furnish their chill
uTen with boiled water to be drank at
school Deep drilled wells, wholly pro
tected from seepage. would also be .sreat
,ffg lrs1 i,,g.f ~. i,
Ike to see tie use of Potomac water done
away with al every District public school,
and the water supplied from sucn wells We
have such vel here in Brightwood Major
Powell the Engineer COMMISSIONER being
entitled to the credit OF sinking it for our
people, and it has proven d great blessing
To US.
other Valuable Suggestions.
Boiled water" explained DR.. Stone, "is
not unhealthy, as some people imagine.
But after the water is purified by boiling
1t can be contaminated by bad ice. There
fore, ! would suggest that instead Of cool
ing boiled water by placing ice in it, the
water be cooled by placing the vessel con-
tanning 1t in refrigerator, or, better still,
in some cool place. But the vessel con-
tanning the water should at all times be
so closed as to prevent its contamination.
The typhoid fever germs are destroyed
when the water reaches the boiling point
but the water should be kept boiling Tor
some time. and not taken off the moment
it reaches the boiling point
Too Often.' said DR.. Stone, in con-
c'usiJn, people fail to appreciate the
d2.Iser of negIecting to take the proper
precautions against typhoid fever. They
Will fly from diphtheria, smallpox ana
other like diseases. and will do all in their
power To protect themselves ana their chill
dren. while they fail to appreciate the
danger from the other direction. Typhoid
fever IS = terrible disease, and parents
should DO everythiI & possible to protect
themselves and their households against IT.
They should net shut their eyes 20 the
fact that to a very large extent they have
it III their power to afford this protecUIDn.
To fai. to do 50 is hardly less tndn GRIM
inal If the proper precautions are taken
and continued ] do not hesitate to say
that the danger to our people win be re-
dUced To a minimum, despite the very
prgy. condition " hiGh NOW co1frOnts u.s.