Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-02
IS RIVER WATER UNFIT?
OHIO STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
ALARMS CITIZENS OF NEIGH
BORING TOWNS.
A WARNING NOTICE ISSUED
To Several Cities Along the River
On the Ohio side-said to BE Tn
mt Even For Washing-The opin-
ion of Some of the Local Health
Authorities.

The Ohio State Board of Health has
greatly alarmed the towns of the upper
Ohio valley by causing notice to be
posted declaring the water of the Ohio
river to be unfit for drinking and other
domestic uses, even going so far as to
state that at times it is not disable even
for washing clothes or bathing. The
Ohio board also says that the State is
unable to remedy this condition Of the
water, as the sources of pollution are
Downs in Pennsylvania, chiefly Pitts
bugr, and consequently beyond the
control of the Ohio authorities.
Towns from Cincinnati to East Liv
erpool are most affected. among them
being Martins Ferry, Bridgeport and
Bellaire.
1t is evident that this is a matter of
vital importance to Wheeling and
neighboring cities on the West Virginia
side of the river We obtain our by
drant water from the same source as
these Ohio towns, and if it be indeed
true that their sources of supply are
dangerous and a menace to the public
health ours must be equally so.
Investigation by Register reporter
revealed the fact that the water sup
Piled to Wheeling residents has not been
subjected to scientific examination for
some years past by the Health De-
partment, and consequently little is
known of its actual condition or wheth-
er it really be a continual source ts-iis-
ease
JAS only those cases of typhoid fever
that terminate fatally are reported to
''the Health Department 1t is nearly, II I
not quite impossible. to even estimate
the actual number of cases Of this dis
ease occurring in the city's limits.
While it is quite true that typhoid is
not regarded as one of the contagious
diseases, still it is well accepted fact
among physicians that it is the most
dangerous of the infectious diseases,
and that in the majority Of cases it
peaches the human system through foe
Eal matter in waters of streams, wells
or springs near human habitations.
There are but two sure methods of |
safeguarding ourselves and families
from disease germs in drinking water, |
namely, thoroughly boiling the water
after filtering it or by distilling it.
A brief but pleasant interview with |
10 o;t
fact that there is no provision made by
our city authorities for the scientific ex
animation of our drinking water or
the sources of supply. Also that only
nose cases of typhoid and tuberculosis
THAT terminate fatally are required by
law to be reported to the Health De-
partment.
Physicians Do Net Use 1t.
DR.. ]. A. Cox, when asked by a rep
resentatiye of the Register for his opin-
ion Of the city's water supply. said Il
do not drink the hydrant water until
after fltering or boiling it. The ideal
drink is double distilled water. Those
using this are far safer from zymotic
diseases. such as typhoid fever, than
those who use the river water in its
knatural state or water from wells
DR.. c. F. Ulrich stopped moment
ITO say. yer pleasantly, when asked his
opinion of city water: Il never drink
Gater from hydrants if : can possibly
Rid it. The only safety is in boiling
6istiiling the river water before
linking ON using. l never use it until
1t Has been filtered and, if possible
boiled afterward. Boiling after fltering
does away with the unpleasant taste the
river water always has if boiled before
filtering. Spring water is all right, pro,
vided one be sure there are no contami-
mating surroundings. Wells are nearly
always dangerous source of supply"
Several other physicians were called