The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-11-28

bastsris. the danger Of The content.
being carried into wells aod eis.erns
adds to the danger. Az to the die
sanes. such confirmation may be
carried. no dedui.s opinion can be
given. Some authorities claim that
tho typhoid germs Gao be water. borne
through porous soil or along hard
strata OF rock or msrl for over ose
uile Experiments with ohemieals
iedin, aour aud salt placed in springs
or wells, whsu tested At loog distances,
several hundred yards. the response to
sests have shove that such agents have
passed With the ground water or
streams from spriugs to long distances.
Ma'eo; 10 water Supply. Chap viii.
Grouod Water. says: II is hopeless
to depend upon the purifying ipaueuoes
OF intervening soil to protect wells from
prlvy and cess pool fouliog, because
coil filtration. 10 order to be effective,
mass be Intermittent. aud that after
. dose Of sewage has been added
to the soil. (snd the dose must not be
lsrgs) opportunity for thorough ser..
tioo OF tho soil must follow or the
second dose csuno: be purified. With
. constant Gov Of pollutiug material the
purifying process Of soil quickly
2. What diseases are most likely to
result from water contaminated by the
sepsge from GEES pools2
Disrrhoes. dyseatery, typhoid fever :,
cholera are the communicable diseases
that are most likely to OCCUR from use
OF sewage contamios alton 10 drinking
water. Many examples Of epidsmics Of
cholera and typhoid fever ore recorded
from use Of water polluted With sewage.
The germs Of these two diseases more
rapidly perish when dried. but live for
loog periods in damp soil or wstsr.
Experiments show that the spirilium Of
cholera, when placed in sterlised soil
and kept moist may survive for 80
dsys. The bacillus Of typhoid fever 10
dry soil persisted 10 2 to 4 days, 10 vet
soil wss active Tor As days
Surg Gen Sssruburg, u. 8. A. states
thss tho typhoid germs will survive .. .
depth Of from 4 to 6 fest under ground
10 Summer aud 10 Wiotsr at 8 Il.
8 Is the sbssues OF taste, odor and
discolorssioe regarded .ss conclusive
proof that wster 10 pure. wholesous 0
and unoontamiuated Z
10 90 way eso water be tbus Judged
% pure. W. 8. Mason. "Waser Suppl"
p. Sl6 states 1T is . fatal error to
fancy that because water has . bright,
sparkling, clear appearance sud .
pleasant taste that such water 10 pure
and Wholesome Carbonie acid gas is
what causes tho brillisuy aud refreshing
taste OF grouod water and to the solvent
action Of thst gas 10 due the elesruess
OF mssy waters that hold orgsoic
matter 10 solution. Carbouio acid ess
10 ono Of the products Of sewage deeou.
position"
The dsugsrs from the use Of water
polluted with sewage slshough they
may chow the presence Of nitrites free
snd slbumiuoid smuonias chlorine, to q
dangerous degree when subjected to
ehemicsl analysis yet persons may and
have used sueh wstsrs without harm
being shown snd the water may be
most pslssable, bat % soon % tho osss
pool that oontaminates suoh wates
receives the exereta from oholers OF
typhoid fever then will such diseases be
most liable to break out among those
Who use suob polluted waters. 10 very
dry seasons when tho grouod water !.
low then BY gravisasioa will the
contents from tho privy vault aud dry
we'll be drawn to tho we'll sod cracked
oisterns that arc deeper. Nor csu va
dsrecs tho presence Of sush disease
bearing organisms BY chemical snslysis
these coudisisas can osly be detected
by the bsctsriologist after carefal esl.
ture and laboratory exsuinatiou.
4. This have snswered fsiiy 10
discussing dry wells ssd their dassers
aod how BY construction Of sigh,
reoepsacles or oess pools With prope,
ventilation aud house plunbiug the
dangers oao be lesseoed bat not remov
ed. I regard the dagger froa privy
vaults - great almost % from leaobiu 1
cess pools.
| l have endesvored to give sssb in.
formation - you both desire. The
matter 10 one Of deep interest aad CON
eern to me aud one that must continue
to cause much trouble to oil OF ou,
communities until the wisdom and
economy OF having . proper sewer eye.
ten is apparent. The death rate bas
been reduced to such . degree 10 oil
cities after Introduction Of sewers and
the fgures are shown 10 oil works OF
sseitary engineering. and medical works
| team NTH atatiatios ss IN IN. .od. ..x:o-