The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-09-08
PARLEYS CREEK
CONTAMINATED
Dr.. Stewart Says It is the Cause
Of Typhoid Epidemic.
BULLOCK FAMILY STARTED IT
SON HAD CASE OF DISEASE SOME
WEEKS AGO.

The contaminated condition of the
waters of Parley's creek is responsible
Tor the present epidemic of typhoid
lever. The cause is "a case of that dis
ease which manifested Itself some
weeks ago in the Bullock family. The
EuIlocks live IN Lambs canyon, which
opens into Parley's canyon near
Roach's half way house.
The fumiSatiOn of the premises is not
within the Jurisdiction of the city
health authorities The cause of the
epidemic has been called to the atten-
ton of the state and county authorities.
They alone have jurisdiction. Health
Commissioner NJ. r. Stewart has made
the request that they take immediate
steps to eradicate the cause, and there
by circumvent a further spread of the
disease. Prompt action has been prom
ised
Cause of the Epidemic.
The cause of the typhoid epidemic
was discovered yesterday by Health
Commissioner Stewart and city Chem
list Harms. They visited Parley's and
Lambs canyons Saturday and brought
back with them samples of water. The
chemical analysis showed a state Of
contamination which sets at rest all
doubts as to the cause of the disease.
The direct cause. as DR.. Stewart said
yesterday afternoon, is a case of ty-
phoid fever which broke out in the
Bullock family, which lives in Lamo.
canyon on the very edge of the creek
The young man in the family was
taken III the latter part of July. He
was first sick i'm Farmers ward and
was later removed to his home in the
Shortly after his return home,
typhoid made its appearance in the
city and has been increasing ever
since.
Tt was found Saturday by DR.. Stew
art and Chemist Harms. according, to
statements of the former that the Bull
lock family apparently took no pre-
cautions to prevent the waters of the
creek from becoming contaminated.
All excreta either found its way dl-
rectly into the stream or was taken
there indirectly The clothes of the
family, it is said, were washed in the
creek. Those two means resulted in
the stream becoming infected with the
deadly germs. They sooner or later
found their way into the water supply
Of the city and caused the present
epidemic
Distinction is Necessary.
DR.. Stewart said yesterday that Un-
infected and all sources of germ prop
igatiOn destroyed. the disease would
continue to spread throughout the city.
n the Bullock homestead is fumigated.
then it is only a question Of time. all
things being considered. when the cause
81 the disease will have been eradt-
eated
The convictions Of DR.. Stewart and
Chemist Harms have been endorsed by
Tns. ], Tgs
staying al the Kenyon. DR.. Metz i
professor Of chemistry and medical jur-
sprudence in Tulane university, New
orleans, and for twelve years has been
a member Of the board Of health Of
hat city. DR.. Metz said uuQuestion- /
bly, the epidemic is caused by the con- /
condition of Parley's creek, z
md urges the citizens of Salt Lake 4
ity to boil all water before using it,
whether it be for cooking or drinking
Water Must Be Boiled.
He read with considerable interest .
he article published i'm Sunday morn
ng's Herald, by Dr. Beatty, giving his
-iews on the cause Of the epidemic, +
md the results Of the chemical anaIy- '
lis of water as demonstrating the /
'ause In the following interview DR.. T.
'Ietz takes exceptions TO DR. Beatty's /.
curse Of reasoning. He said yesterday /
n substance.
Says Boil the Water.
The article is well written. The I
at its head relative to boil I
ne water cannot be too highly en-
ICrsed. The theory of soil pollution is .
'nlv too true, and is borne out by .
experiments made in other cities. I (
axe exceptions to the worthy physician
when he says that a bi-chemiCal eX-
animation Of contaminated water can
rot be recognized. This was the con- D
.ensus of opinion eight OF ten years .
matters and laboratory technique have /
,ept apace with the Importance Of the /
subject
I'VE can state beyond a doubt the
onditions OF contaminated water
upply with accuracy. This requires
kin and time. From a archaeological /
tandpOint, we cultivate these germs:
transplant them to various nutriment
Iatural. study their peculiar growth
nd classify them. The only exception /,
know of at this moment is an absO-
Ite distinction between colon and ty-
.ho!d bacilh. But as they belong to F.
he same group, produce pathological
aSiOns in the intestines almost similar
n character. II does not make much
ractical difference. for we have infec-
ions from colon bacilli which resemble
cry much the disease produced by ty-
hold bacilli.
Water Supply Contaminated.
The finding of colon bacili i'm wa
err in conjunction with nitrites. is
roof conclusive in my mind that your
'ater supply is contaminated.
When asked why the disease has not
s yet proven very fatal. DR.. Metz at
ribUted IL 20 two reasons-the eff
iency of the local physicians and the
ossible mildness of the disease.
He said il is the duty Of the health
uthorites TO at once cleanse the Bull
)ck ranch, and as a further precau-
ion. said.
Boil every drop OF water used. an
unce of prevention is worth the risk
f losing your life.v
When asked how long Il would be
fter the Bullock ranch is disinfected
efOre the disease would show a de-
rease. the doctor said il is problemat-
al. Typhoid germs. he added. die a
atural death within one to three
eebs if not fed by various nutriments
. conclusion DR.. Metz advised watch
~ the milk supply very carefully. /
lying that if any dairy uses Parlev's
A..