Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-03
To Prevent "Fevers."
charleston News and Courier.)


We believe that the exclusive use or
good water for drinking purposes azores
practical insurance against most or The
forms of sickness prevalent In both town
and country I'm the summer and fall. ana,
indeed. In all seasons OF the year, ana tho
belief is gaining many converts every
wear. The demand for puro water Is De-
coming general, and has EXTENDED even
10 the army in the field, ana Is accom-
panied everywhere with earnest ana au-
thoritative advice TO citizens and soidiers
alike to boil all drinking water that Is OK
even doubtful quality. II may serve 10
impress the Importance or the SUBJECT on
the minds of the people who are disposed
to treat it lightly 10 note that the prime
requisite with the government officials
now In establishing camps for the sol
dlers before embarkng them for Cuba IS
n free supply OF good water; that extra
ordinary precautions are taken IN All tho
CAMPS TO protect the supply from contain
nation. and that the feet OF transports
which has Just left Tampa for santiago
carried with It two or three ships freisnt-
ed with drinking water alone. Inc DIS
patches report that the expedition was oe-
layed on its passage by reason or the
fact that II was necessary 10 tow 1he
water vessels, as 1t was determined not
70 expose the men 10 the risk OF drinking
the water TO be obtained at the points OF
decentralization.
The fad" for good water. and result
ing good health, has taken hold on balu-
more II appears Drs. Fulton and Jones,
of that city, says the American, are
insisting upon the necessity OF taxing
every precaution 10 avoid diseases caused
by impure water Inc adVice' IL says.
ia "yerv timely" although the water that
baltimore uses 'is as good as that found
in the average American city. There Is
nIentv of il. but il needs filtering. BY
NAV OF enforcing the timely advice or
the physicians. II adds;
"The summer is here, and from now
until November typhoid and other levers
must be looked for. Ii Is agreed that the
greatest danger from fevers lies IN drink
ing water. Poison Is more easily taken
into the body in water than from any
other source Some months ago, when
General system OF filtration was dis
cussed Il was shown that II was abso-
Iutelv necessary 10 have the water purer
n diseases, particularly fevers, are TO DO
avoided.
..Dr Fulton has reported that last year
there were about 1900 cases or typhold
fever in the city during the summer ana
autumn. and over 10 per cent OF these
were fatal 1t is almost certain that no
such condition would have existed IL inc
water had been filtered. Typhoid cases
are usually more fatal In the autumn.
and even in the early part OF the WINTER
than in the beginning OF the summer,
which is due. perhaps TO the tact that
the water becomes worse as the summer
advances from pollution from decayin8
vegetable and other matter that gets
into solution. Two hundred and nfty
deaths in a population of half million
people may not seem 70 be high rate
of mortality TO some people, but any rate
IS high IL deaths can be prevented. IL the
fact is considered that diphtherla ana
other troubles contribute their quota
also. the aggregate may amount 10 some
thing startling. =.
ANY death rate is 'high" that can be
prevented. is a remark worth remember
ing II holds good OF city and country
and the family alike. and one OF inc
surest preventives that is known Is tns
use Of pure drinking water. Pure water
the American notes. Is difficult 10 obtain
in some places, and the problem. then,
"a 20 get the best obtainable. THE most
feasible plan Is the simplest and cheap
est one also: It is 10 boil all the drinking
water used And the point to be kept
IN view" Is 10 take the precautlon 10
boil and use it before the levers MAKE
their appearance" II may be too late
little later -
All these considerations apply IN
Charleston as well as In Baltimore. ana
in every town and country district In the
state as well as In Charleston. Whoa
the drinking water Is not drawn from an
Artesian well or from some source OF es-
tablished purity. IL Is fairly subject 10
suspicion. The only safe plan is 10 boil
the danger out of II. and no prudent
householder will omit or neglect that
simple precaution.