The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-06-21

CONTINUED from Fourth Page.)
presence Of iron and sulphuretted hy-
drogen, is Objectionable especially to
strangers. The inference must be that
the water is pure from a bacteriolog-
1ca1 standpoint whatever may be the
result of chemical analysis. The eX-
perlence of these cities does not set
tie the question of sufficiency of sup
ply, as in no instance is there re-
Qulrement for half the amount con-
sumed in Sacramento. Reports from
the health departments of these cities
show a low death rate from zymotic
diseases, and almost entire immunity
from typhoid fever. If after mature
Oehberation, comparative analysis ana
impartial experimentation 1t be deemed
wise to continue to draw our pubic
water supply from the present source,
then must we cease to bid defiance TO
the authority of sanitary law and COM
mon humanity. No longer can any
municipality hope to find justification
for placing so low an estimate upon the
value of human health and human
life as is manifest in subjecting it's
people to the dire consequences of a
polluted water service There is no
this origin have sprung disastrous cpl
denies, and that the death rate from
water borne diseases have fallen to an
almost insignificant figure through the
beneficent influence of reform meas
ures. It is not my province to advo-
cate any special method of publication.
At the proper time there will be found
those who can speak in tones Of au-
thority upon mechanical technic, and
who will point to the merits or de-
merits of individual schemes. My only
contention will be that filtration must
be accepted as the only solution of
this vital problem.
Relative to this position, and strictly
in accord with all reputable authori-
ties, James n. Fuertes, Civil and San
ltary Engineer for the city of New
York, has recently given utterance to
these sentiments. After an exhaustive
study Of the water supplies Of many
European cities, and the collection Of
overwhelming statistical evidence bear
ing upon artificial publication, he con-
cludes: THE most gratifying and inn
portant lesson to be drawn from these
statistics is that it is possible to take
water of the poorest quality, and by
intelligent treatment make them safe
for use These are not laboratory eX-
periments, made under theoretically
perfect conditions. They are results
actually obtained, often under adverse
conditions with large plants, in large
cities, in different lands, among differ
ent peoples, and under different eli
matte conditions
AT the risk of wearying you, 1 shall
now refer to the experience Of two
European cities, which admirably illus
trateS the effectiveness of water I'LL
tration in securing immunity from ep-
idemics. Altoona and Hamburg are
two cities in the German Empire I'M
der different Councils, but SO close to-
gether that they merge into one an
other. Both take their water supply
from the River Elbe, and the same riv-
CT receives the sewage of both cities.
Hamburg pumps from above both cit
les; Altoona from a point fourteen
miles lower down, and seven miles be-
low the point where the sewage of
both cities discharges into the river
During August, 1892, a band of gyp-
sizes encamped upon the river above
Hamburg. One of the number sick
ened with cholera, and from this single
case the waters Of the Elbe We're in
1tClSQ. lHtTe SpeGully lO1lON6Q oil
epidemic of the disease in Hamburg,
during the course of which there oc-
Cured 1920 cases with S,605 deaths
During the outbreak there were but
few cases in Altoona These occurred
along the dividing line between the
two cities, and the victims were pre-
sumed to have drunk Hamburg water
Hamburg served it's inhabitants
with raw water. The water of Altoona
though polluted by the sewage of near
ly 100000 people, was artificially puri-
fed by an elaborate system Of sand
filtration. The following figures speak
eloquently for artificial methods OF
publication. For every thousand inhab-
itants, Hamburg had 26.31 cases and
1929 deaths, while Altoona had 81
cases and 2.13 deaths.
In 1888 the Legislature of Massachu-
sets by special enactment authorized
the State Board of Health to enter
upon an elaborate system of expert
mentation with reference to the char
acter of drinking water, the protection
of water courses and the disposal OF
sewage. The operations of the board
under the provisions Of this Act have
been continuous since its passage
Vast sums Of money, running into the
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars. have
been expended in prosecuting re-
searches thus set on foot. The pub
lished annual reports embodying the