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

This season. said DR.. Chas. II. Stone of
Brightwood, is very similar to that of
1S9J-m. 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 a very wet spring, followed
by a long, dry and very warm summer,
conditions most favorable for the disease
1t is true. | 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 147, and during the fiscal year end
ing June 30, 1898, the number was 13O.
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 DIR. Stone, ''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 autumnal rains, and with them will
come into the water the people of the Dis
trict use the surface refuse of the country
above US.
Public school Water.
1T is comparatively an easy matter to
purify the water used in our homes" said
DR.. Stone, but it is 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. l 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
tatTed from the District Commissioners or
from 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 thev 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 DIR. Stone. but 1
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
Chool. Deep drilled wells, wholly pro-
tected from seepage. would also be great
safeguard against the disease. and | would
Ike TO see II g use of Potomac water done
away with at every District public school,
and the water supplied from SUCH wells. We
have such vel here in Brightwood Major
Powell, the Engineer COMMISSIONER bei1cr
entitled to the credit of sinking it for our
people, and 1t has proven d great blessing
to us
other Valuable SuGgestfons
Boiled water" explained DR.. Stone, "is
not unhealthy, as some people ina gine
But after the water is purified by boiling
it can be contaminated by bad ice. There
fore, L 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 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 DIR. Stone, in con-
c'UsiJn, people fail to appreciate the
da.Iger Of negleCting to take the proper
precautions %eainst typhoid fever. They
will fly frcm diphtheria, smallpox ana
other like diseases, and will do all in their
power to protect themselves ana their chill
dren, while they fai! to appreciate the
danger from the other direction. Typhoid
fever is a terrible disease. and parents
should do eyerythiI g possible to protect
themselves and their households against It.
They should net shut their eyes 20 the
fact that to Il very large extent they have
it III their power TO afford this protccuJn.
To fail to do 50 is hardly less tnan Grim
inal If the proper precautions are taken
and continued | do not hesitate to say
that the danger to our people will be re-
dUced TO a minimum, despite the very
grave condition which now colfronts US"