The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-09-21
DEMAND PURE WATER
Health Officer Cleary Declares That
Some Change Must be Made in
the Water Supply of City.
TYPHOID FEVER ON INCREASE

Twenty Cases Have Been Reported and
Yesterday Four New Cases Were Report
ed to the Board of Hea1th-Nearly All
Are Resultant From the Use of Impure
Well and Lake Water Artesian Mains
Should be Extended and Wells Drilled.
The. prevalence of typhoid fever in
Kenosha is becoming alarming and
Health Officer DR.. C1eary reports that
some immediate action should be taken
to prevent the further spread of the
disease. According to reports sent to
this official, the disease has been cling
in the city for month past and the
end of the month shows the number of
cases of the disease increasing rather
than diminishing. During the month
DIR. C1eary reports that twenty cases
have been reported. Of this number
four cases were reported yesterday,
this being the largest number of cases
reported in any single day. AS yet no
deaths have resulted FROM the dread
disease, but in many cases the disease
is of the most malignant form and
deaths are expected.
In speaking of the matter last even
ing the doctor stated that unless there
was some din1inution in the number of
cases soon he would ask the State
Board of Health to visit the city, and,
if possible, find the cause Of the disease
and some remedy to prevent its further
spread. ~ %
IN many Of the cases the disease is
reported to have resulted from the use
of well or lake water and. the health
officer seems TO lay the burden of the
cause on the lake water. No remedy
presents itself. The use of the ar
tesian water has been condemned by
the Board Of Water Commissioners and
the lake water is not fit for the use of
the people of the city. DR.. C1eary will
at once ask that some action be made
to secure pure water for the city. He
said last evening that it would be nee
sessary for the city to make the use of
the1 aftesian water more general or
else tdetcity would be forced to put in
a. system Of filtration which would
make the lake water fit for use.
The doctor had an examination of
water made and it shows that it is full
of impurities. The sample which was
examined was taken from the lake
near the opening of the intake pipe
and the doctor declares that the water
is full of impure materials which are
gathered from sewage emptied into the
lake. The source of the sewage is not
certain, but it is the opinion of many
people that the impure water comes
from sewers emptying into the lake at
| Racine. The extension of the intake
pipe would of course present tenn
porary remedy to the matter, but DR..
C1eary states that it is only q question
of a very short time when the city will
be forced to put in complete system
of filtration or extend the artesian
mains to all parts of the city. He
states that the statement made by the
Water Conmi that the supply
of artesian water was not great enough
to warrant an extension is hardly the
fact. New wells could be drilled for
the purpose of supplying extensions as
has DSSE dOuS III INC past nc
doctor declares that unless the city
take some action in the matter it will
be necessary for the public health of
the city~that the water to be used at
tables be Imported from springs in this
and other counties. The complaint of
the health officer is certainly one
which is worthy of an early considera-
tom by the Council.