Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-08-03
(Boston Correspondence


(Boston Correspondence
The water supply of cities and towns,
whether drawn from a river or lake,
and whether or not supplemented by
artesian wells, has become within fif-
teen years a universal problem of the
greatest Importance. Before that time
municipal governments were con-
cerned mainly about securing suf-
ficient quantity of drinkable water,
and cities that were able to draw
their supply from rivers and running
streams were considered particularly
fortunate, until in Massachusetts an
Narm was raised by disastrous cpl
denies of typhoid fever which fol-
lowed the course of the Merrlmac
River. The disease was carried by the
sewage with which the river was con-
taminated from town to town, wher-
ever the stream was used as a water
supply, down to the city of Lawrence,
which suffered worst of all. In 1897 an
experiment station, the first of it's kind
in the world, for the publication of
sewage and water by filtration
through sand, was established in Law
renee by the Massachusetts State
Board of Health, and the Lawrence
filtration beds became an object les
son for the instruction not only of the
State, but of the world at large.
Good and Bad Microbes.
The cooperation of the State and
the Massachusetts, Institute of Techn mol
ogy in the early years of the conduct
of these experiments at Lawrence at
once assured the success of the inves-
-. 1n-
wick of the institute, as bacteriologist
of the State Board of Health, for eight
years directing the meteorological ex-
periments on which the work of puri-
fcation depended. For, after all, it is
held to-day at the Institute of Tech
nology, as everywhere else, that the
publication. of water and sewage-un-
purified water being considered by the
bacteriologist merely as very dilute
sewage-is almost solely matter of
controlling the microbes, the good"
microbes and the bad" ones, so that
the pathogenic or disease-breeding
germs shall be prevented from reach
ing the human system, while the
good" ones are encouraged to do their
natural work of publication.
The dramatic story of the microbe
has frequently been told since Pasteur
established the germ theory of fer
mentation, but there is something
| unique in the Accomplishment of such
| psychologists as Professor Sedgwick
| by which millions of micro-organisms
are herded together intelligently. with
the character OF their work and their
hours of labor and rest definitely es-
tablished.
To MAZE RfOer Wafer -yefe.
From experiments in Lawrence and
in the biological laboratories of the
Institute of Technology it has been
demonstrated that any river water
purified by means of fve-foot filter
is safe and wholesome, and, further
that ef1uent water from proper filtra-
ton of sewage would not be dangerous
for domestic use The records also
have shown that since Lawrence, en-
| couraged by the example of the State
experiment station, has installed a mu.
nicipal filter, though it is still using
the water of the Merrimac River, al
ways more or less contaminated by the
drainage of Lowell-the very cifcum-
stance. that is, which caused the great
epidemic of few years ago-typhoid
has practically been eradicated in that
city. although, of course. it might still
be introduced by other means-bad
oysters as well as bad water being ar
easy vehicle for the disease
The lesson which Lawrence ha:
illustrated SO graphically not only has
| worked revolution In the methods o.
water supply in Massachusetts, cite.
and towns. but is having its effect al
over the world A notable instance il
the city of Albany. which by a system
of filtration has been enabled to OBJ
tain a supply of pure water from tn,
Hudson River. previously . constan