The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-01
DR.. j. N. Hurry, Secretary of the State
Board of Health, Says IL II Not
Dangerous.
POKE FUN AT COLON BACILLUS
1T Is NOT THE DREAD MONSTER 1T
HAS BEEN PICTURED.
Drs. Brayton, Morrison, Dodds and
stake-Less Typhoid Than Usual.

water still Is uppermost in the minds of
the majority of the citizens OF Indianapolis
and number of prominent physicians were
called upon yesterday to interpret the
port OF Drs. Clark and White, who made
a meteorological examination of the city
water and several days ago reported their
results to the Board of Health. 1t was
claimed by some persons that the report
submitted to the Board of Health could
not be construed to mean that the city
water was pure and safe for drinking pur-
poses The conclusions of Drs. Clark and
White follows:
THAT the total number of bacteria in the
water Is at this time very low, only one
series, those from the taps on June IL being
moderately high. the highest count being
90 per euDlc csntImeteI OF water IN the
were taken the day after very heavy rain.
The plate taken from the same point two
days later showed lib organisms TO the
cubic centimeter, so that it is possible that
the rain flowing in the sides of the main
gallery may have caused the increase in
number at the time OF the first plates.
~. That from the fountain at Sixteenth
and ILLINOIS streets and from three places in
the gallery l. e. the tunnel opening, lower
intake pipe and lower two-thirds of the
gallery and questionably from the Tenth
and Locke streets fountain organisms were
found which conformed in every particular
20 the colon bacillus But the colon baci-
1us, IL not itself widely distributed In
nature resembles certain common bacteria
in all points covered by the usual tests to
such extent to throw doubt upon the
use of this organism conclusive test
for fecal contamination.
20. That although numbers of staphyloc-
occi We're found, that these also of
questionable value as an evidence of sew
age pollution.
"a. That although we believe that the
upper gallery is not a part OF a perfect
water supply for the city yet there is no
evidence Of direct contamination from the
river
DR. HURTYs VIEW.
DR.. ]. ~. Hurry. secretary of the State
Board OF Health, in commenting on the
report submitted to the City Board of
Health, said:
Il have nc. reed the full report OF the
examination OF the public water supply
by Drs. White and Clark but from their
summary which l have read, l will say
that any evidence that the water is dan
gerous to drink that il is worse than
in former years has not been presented.
The highest count Of bacteria, namely, 3S4
10 the cubic centimeter. is certainly not
high and for the colon hacilli. Vaughn,
Theobold Smith and other eminent author
tiles say they have little significance If
the analysis had discovered bacilh to be
present which had the form OF colon bacilli,
: but Which did not coaguate milk, and did
not case blue ltmus culture media TO
redden, and did not form indol, then there
would have been solid reason for fearing
the water"
the report OF the analysis should say the
water was good and / drink Ii myself with
81 ,b f ater 5sT b as 10 ve en@
much exaggerated and We're not founded
on fact have made number of examin-
ations OF the water and at all times have
found II above the average. The low num-
Der OF bacteria in the water shows posi-
lively that 1t is not polluted by sewage and
the presence of colon bacilh is the only
meteorological test of sewage pollution. If
the common water supply of the city is
polluted then the colon bacill would have
been found In great numbers and for
only on four occasions. as the report of
Drs. Clark and White would indicate. |
understand that the investigators found
baciili consistent with the colon at four
different times, but at scattered periods
and not IN any two samples taken on the
colon bacillus Ia found in the excrement of
all arimals. on grain and In the ground
ant that they are distributed by the winds
IT would not be surprising to find the oc-
casional presence of one or two colonies
of colon in the water. But that would be
no evidence of pollution. consider from
the report that there is no evidence that
the city water Is polluted.
Dr. Dodds said: THE city water Is pure
and in as good condition as II has been for
fienfs Is to drink II. The finding OF few
bacinI that resemble the colon Is not suff1-
Gent evidence on which to base an argu-
ment that the water is polluted. few,
such as were discovered by the investiga-
tors, might have got the plate in
some other manner than from the water.
All this pollution story has been a scare and
the water from the Indianapolis water
works is purer than any other in the city,
THINKS 1T is GOOD.
DIR. f. w. Morrison said: after reading
the report of Drs. Clark and White on the
city water 1 say 1t is good Every water
contains bacilli but II Is a mistake to think
that all bacilli are disease producers. The
colon bacillus has not been proven present.
and II 1t had 1t would not be cause for
any alarm the colon is omnipresent
and exists on the trees and in the grass
and In the air which we breathe. 1t is pres
ent everywhere. have such faith in the
city water that I use II In my house IN
boiled"
DR.. A. w. Brayton. after seeing the, re-
port made to the Board of Health by Drs
Clark and White. handed the reporter the
following written statement: "Drs Clark
and White have made report TO the city
Board of Health which on the whole shows
the city water supply TO be about the same
a. IL had been for years. do not pose as
an expert on the water question. but in
earlier times 1 studied the city water sup
ply with Dr. j. N. Hurry. and Ii is his duty
TO look after such matters of public health
rs interest the profession and the citizens
who use the waters in question.
ITO that end / wrote TO DIR. Richard
Vaughn. OF the University of Michigan
probably the highest authority in the United
States on typhoid fever and its causation
BY stream pollution and also as to the sig
uifcance OF the colon bacillus as an index
of the presence OF absence of typhoid pol
luton of our water supply. DIR. Vaughn in
reply said: To my personal knowledge
there are cities In Michigan the inhabitants
Of which are constantly drinking rich cul-
lures of the colon baciln group. They have
been doing so for years and still have not
suffered from epidernics OF typhoid fever.
r. I'm maj Gfafa 1arf Of hr
group OF coon bacilli which do not liquify
gelatin. but coagulate milk and respond &c
the indol test. and this. understand from
the report OF Drs. White and Clark. Is the
character of the group of colon bacilli which
were found in only four cultures out OF over
two hundred cultures OF the city water ex.
amined from the last OF April up TO the
present time AS the kind of colon bacil
found In the city water ubiquitous ard
are found in the soil. on grain, in roof WA.
tiers and field waters IL is not at all re-
markable that some few of them should bs
found I'm reservoirs and even In waters
which have been subjected TO the most an.
proved systems OF sand filtration.
INDEX OF WATER POLLUTION
ssThe colon group. then. means nothing as
an index OF water pollution unless certain
members OF this group are present and ar,
found in large numbers. The group is like
the Night-shade family IN botany. which