Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-27
WATER HEARING.
Expert WhippIe Under Cross
examination on Monday.
Typhoid Fever and Water Supply the
Subject Under Discussion.
Another Session Before Commission
Full of Interest.

wateryille, Me-, Oct. 26.-(SpeciaD.-
The appraisers and attorneys in the
water hearing took the usual Sunday re-
cess most of them going to their homes.
The hearing was resumed on the arriv-
nj of the afternoon express trains, and
the time fully occupied until o'clock.
when an adjournment was taken I'M
+. til 9 o'clock. Tuesday morning.
Mr.. Whipple, the bacteriologist ex-
pert, was the principal witness of the
afternoon, and was under cross-exam-
ipation nearly all of the time while on
the stand. Several other witnesses were
examined, but very briefly. At the start
Mr.. Whipple was questioned regarding
the typhoid fever epidemic which re-
Gently ragged in this vicinity. He had
great bundle of charts and tables very
carefully and minutely prepared, 10
show the various phases of the disease
and it's ravages here. Some of these
were very technical and puzzled the
majority. of those present outside OF the
experts. They were all new Tor MT.
Baker, and although he grasped their
meaning very rapidly and was seen us
ing them like his own weapons, there
were some things of these that Mr..
Thayer suggested that more tables
might make the point clearer and they
might be prepared. Il rather think we
shall need more tables to put these on,
retorted Mr.. Baker, as quick as flash
and starting a general laugh.
During the latter part of the after
noon the examination worked into the
water again and all but the very best
swimmers had to remain on shore until
the others returned. Mr.. Baker has
evidently been making study of bac-
teriology, for he showed so intimate
knowledge of some of the more techni-
cal points as to make it interesting for
Messrs. Whipple and Blake, while the
laylnen only caught meaning now and
then. He forced the witness to a pretty
clean cut defence of the whole germ
theory and especially of that of the
typhoid fever germ. The most APP
proved methods of pursuing, catching,
examining and growing germs were
discussed at length. The condition of
the water was again debated, also.
When Mr.. Baker had finished for the
lions and then it was Greek meet
Greek, for both he and the witness are
possessed of much the same technical
knowledge. The examination of Mr.
Whipple will be continued. Tuesday,
and will probably be completed then
At the opening of the afternoon SeS-
sion Mir. Hill first made some minor
L: -cr,x- n
urday.
S. w. Morrill, of Watcrville, whose
! son was sick with typhoid about two
years ago ard daughter. wife, wifc's
mother and himself later. was then eX-
amined. Mr.. Morrill, lives about mile
and half from the Watervlle post
office and from quarters to mile
from the water mains. The drinking
water was obtained from Il well OF
spring. The discharges from these
cases were disinfected and buried in a
field at a depth of about IL feet. The
field was about 40 or Al rods from :"
small stream emptyinfs into the Mes
.;alonskec. From the burial place along
the stream TO the MessalOnskec he
thought it might be half d mile. He did
not think any discharges had been dis
infected before a physician had been
called.
During the sickness at his home Mr..
Morrill, was conducting a milk route in
Waterville, tin cans and bottles being
used, some times indiscriminately and
sometimes being kept especially for Il
particular customer. He delivered from
IS to 10 quarts of milk daily to from $50
TO 100 persons.
- At this point Mr.. Morrill, was asked to
bring in later the list of his milk GUS
toners during the years of 1901 and 1902.
During Mr.. Morrills own sickness.
his son conducted the route and shortly
after he sold the business to G..
Fred Terry.
Mr.. Morrill, stated that SO far as he
knew there was but one case of typhoid
among his customers.
Ralph ]. Patterson, general manager
q, of the Waterville & Fairfield Railway
& Light Co. and of the Union Gas &,
Electric Co., was next called. He was
examined regarding the dams on the
Messalonskee controlled by his COM
panies and the control Of the water
and was on the stand but a few min
utes..
Mr.. Whipple was then recalled and
made some corrections of his testimony
of Saturday. Here was where the stem
ographers experienced the pleasure of
taking scientific evidence, for most of
the corrections made were Of a very
technical nature. Most Of these seemed
insignificant to the layman, but were
important from a scientific standpoint.
Mr.. Whipple then exhibited several
charts of technical nature. relating
to typhoid fever. The first one showed
the distribution of cases chronological
~, and the second geographically.
Mr.. Whipple also had an abundance
Of carefully prepared tables showing
Z percentages, etc. He stated. that in a
!. year and a half there were 271 cases
and Is deaths from typhoid I'm Water
!. vile; 56 cases and eight deaths in Fair
field; Al cases and five deaths in Wins
low; and three cases and one death in
Benton. This makes total in the four
8. places of 371 cases and 80 deaths from
this disease in Is months. In Water
willie it was found that 1925 had Maine
water. S66 Maine and well water. 2424
Maine and spring water, and 20 Maine,