The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-09
CHILDREN OF THE SCHOOLS
VS.. CITY WATER BACTERIA
Average Drink Such Water Is Now Drawn the Public Schools
Contains 500 GemAmong the Number Are Large Colonies Of
the Deadly soMuch Typhoid Attributed Pumping
Station Water.

roof, for in a majority of cases, they have
nothing else to drink. Spring water isn't
generally used in this district. Poor peo-
pie who pay water tax want to- get their
moneys worth even if they have to take
a chance with typhus."
Wel,Water Gases.
August N. Farmer, principal of the
Seward school, was of the opinion that
the city water was far less to be dreaded
than we'll water.
The fact is, said he. that the schol-
ars hereabout are a pretty rugged set,
and have grown up on city water. You
might say that they are immune from
any typhoid germs which find Judgment
in their systems in that way. had occa-
ten to which both city and well water
were use. There were several cases of
typhoid in this distict at the time, and
I found that we'll water was responsible
in each case. The only. family which
lodged both well and city water used milk
exclusively as a beverage
1t Is a somewhat anomalous condition
of affairs that, while the scholars at all
the schools; with the exception noted,
drink city water. the teachers refuse to
imperil their health in that way. They
dodge the typhoid germs by drinking
spring water. The teachers contribute on
their own account to the small sum neces-
.Sdry 10 provide LHeI1 With pure walter,
and the scholars at the South Side high
school do likewise.
At most of the schools the scholars
drink out of ordinary tin cups from base
nlent faucets. AT one or two schools the
janitors take the extra precaution of al
lowing the water to run awhile and then
filing buckets from which the scholars
drink at recess.
So long as scholars have free access to
city water at the schools, there is little
sense in boiling the water for home con-
sumption: Few cases of typhoid were re-
ported among scholars at the different
schools visited. The absence list was a
long one at some of the schools and the
teachers admitted that for all they knew
typhoid might be keeping some pupils
away.
A pro rata assessment of 10 cents would
provide all the spring water needed at the
different schools. Such an assessment, Of
course, would necessarily be voluntary.
1t has been suggested that it might be
we'll for the board of education to make
pure water appropriation.
deterioration of Germs.
deterioration Of criminal disease germs
premeditating murder in the city water,
as now contemplated in the latest local
continuance for purifying the common
drink, can commence none too soon for
the benefit of the city, according to DR..
Corbett Three analyses of city water
made by him since jan l show that the
bacteria are no longer content to travel
in pairs and small groups, where the
vicious ones are at the disadvantage of
being in a hopeless minority They are
now colonizing in earnest multiplying
at a rate which threatens to make typhoid
fever and other germ diseases far more
prevalent than public safety will permit.
The first analysis of samples Of city
water taken jan from the North Side
pumping station and the reservoir showed
| an >appreciable increase, rather than a
diminution, of bacteria at the reservoir.
The total number of bacteria to each cubic
| centimeter at the North Side station was
81, as against 90 at the reservoir: Even
with the increase, there was noscause for
alarm in this instance for the number OF
bacteria to a cubic centimeter does not
reach the danger limit until it exceeds
| 100 By March l, when the second sam
| pies were secured. the bacteria were com
| ing in sWarms, there being $50 to a cubic
| centimeter at the North Side station and
| 200 at the reservoir. The total number
per cubic centimeter had dwindled March
Is to 478 at the North Side station and &C
at the reservoir. 81