Waterbury Democrat., 1903-02-24
ITHACA'S EPIDEMIC.
President Schurman Of Cor
nell Issues a Statement.
CONTAMINATED WATER THE CAUSE
Fafteen Students and Sixteen Cttf-
gems Have Already Succumbed
TO the Typhoid-Five HUM
bred Are Nosv III.

ITHACA, N. Y, Feb. 24.-In reply to
ment concerning the origin of the ty-
pho1d fever epidemic as it has affected
Cornell university, it's cause, the num-
Der of cases and deaths and the steps
that have been taken to remedy exist
Ing conditions at the university Presi-
dent Jacob G. Schurman has given out
the following:
1.-THE cause of the epidemic Of typhoid
is generally believed to be contamina-
ton Of the water of Six Mile creek,
which, along with Buttermilk creek,
furnishes the water supply Of the city
of Ithaca, by a band Of laborers who
were engaged in the fall and early
winter in the construction Of dam in
that creek for the ithaca Water COM
pany. This belief is confirmed by an
investigation which in behalf of Cor
nell university has been made by DR..
v. A. Moore, our bacteriologist, and
DR.. e. M. Chamot, our taxicologist,
and which they have just completed.
"They say study of the various
ways by which typhoid bacilli are dis
seminated will show that in our pres
ent epidemic we should look to but two
Of the channels of dissemination
namely, milk and water-for source Of
Infection. A careful inquiry into dis
tribution Of routes does not show or
give reason to suspect that milk has
hoor, q r. inf This
us with but one possible source for the
infection, the water.
"The university authorities have
made arrangements to enable students
to secure pure water duly inspected.
Artesian water has been placed in all
the university buildings, where stu
dents may draw it freely. Distributing
stations have also been established
both on and near the campus, and stu
dents have been officially informed that
I they may have pure water in any
quantity desired at the expense of the
university.
ITO insure pure water for the city
and university not later than Sept. I,
this year, the board of trustees has
authorized the expenditure of $4,000
for the installation of a complete and
adequate filtration plant"
From a gentleman who has visited
/ ithaca for the purpose Of ascertaining
/ the actual facts regarding the situa-
ton we are enabled to print the fol
lowing statement:
The death roll among the students Of
!! Cornell university from the scourge Of
| typhoid fever has already reached
| alarming proportions, and there are
now no less than fifty-four cases the
outcome of which is uncertain Fifteen
student deaths have been recorded
within sixteen days, four of these oc-
curing within the last twenty four
hours.
! Up to the present only one young wo-
man student, Miss Charlotte e. Spen-
Ger, has fallen a victim to the fever
| plague.
/ Despite the fact that the university
! authorities are inclined to the belief
that the crisis is past there. is no deny
Ing the fact that the situation is APP
palling. Every day brings forth it's
/ dread list of new cases, and the physi-
clans of Ithaca are toiling night and
4 day in their efforts to bring relief to
the suffering. Already nearly half Of
the 1890 students have fed from the
pest ridden place.
| The situation outside the university
Is equally alarming. Sixteen of the
townspeople have died of the fever.
and the death rate is increasing at an
appalling rate. Five hundred others
are stricken down, and among these
there are certain to be many deaths.