Evening star., 1900-12-11
Tn. Causes of Typhoid. j.

The project for fltering the Potomac
river water is well under way and should
he unreinittingIy pressed to the point OF
early completion. This need does not re-
feet a panicky degree of public apprehen-
sion a To- the healthfuiness of the water
supply. but is based upon general prlncl-
pies The Potomac river water Is at times
muddy. offensive TO the eye and to the pal
at. as a result of the suspended mari which
it contains. Colon bacilli are found in 1t.
showing that cxcrement drains into it at
some points in its course. But up to this
time no. typhoid bacteria have been
discovered in the Potomac water, and In
comparison with other rivers which supply
large cities the conditions of its water
she'd are favorable and its water generally
wholesome.
Some years ago the possible sources of
infection were three in number-the Poto-
mac water the milk supply and the wells
which were still in frequent use through
out the District. Most of the wells have
now been closed. certainly all that were
ever brought under suspicion on this ac-
count Therefore the well menace may be
considered as eliminated. There remain
the Potomac water and the milk as the
sources from which this disease may find
its way into the human system. There Is
ample reason for suspecting the milk at
times 1t is known that the dairy cond1-
tions in the country beyond the District
are often very bad and that without the
interposition of an adequate inspection
force and in the absence of additional laws
the consumers of the District are in large
measure at the mercy of careless dairy
men.
Inasmuch as violent difference of opin-
ion as to the better method of filtration
may possibly have the regrettable result of
postponine definite action and inasmuch
AS a long time must elapse even after the
legislation is secured before the filtration
plant can be Installed. 1t is fortunate that
the typhoid fever cannot be traced exclu-
sively to the Potomac water: for otherwise
during this long interval of enforced use of
the river water visitors would be repelled
from the capital, and residents would live
in a state of panic.
While II is unwise to condemn sweepingly
and as the sole cause of typhoid the Po-
tomac water supply, 1t is, nevertheless, In
the public interest that every shadow of
doubt should be removed. and 1T Is the
course of common prudence TO filter all the
water which is supplied to the houses of
the District. SO that there may be no future
apprehension. The community demands
filtration system which will serve as a
guarantee to the consumers that the water
supply has been rid. az far as science will
permit of every deleterious substance, and
that the system. whatever II may be, shall
be authoritatively determined at once.
When this has been done, If proper legis-
lation has not meanwhile been enacted,
there will remain only the milk supply-of
al! the broad possible causes of typhoid-to
be suspected of responsibility for whatever
typhoid may develop from local sources.
II is not to be expected that even with the
water filtered. the wells closed and the
milk subjected to the most rigid inspection
typhoid will entirely disappear from the
District. But the public health demands
the adoption of every possible remedy to
keep the chances of this disease at a mini