The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-06-04
ELEVEN NEW CASES Of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
TWO FROM IRWNGTON N
No City Water in the Suburb, So
These Cases Are Attributed
to Well Water.
THE. MAYOR IS ALARMED
Fears Crisis Not Yet Reached in
Epidemic, and Emphasizes Warn
ing to Boil All Water.

There was slight decrease in the num-
Der OF typhoid fever cases reported yester-
day at the office of the City Board of
Health. Eleven new cases marked the prog
ress of the disease during the day. swelling
the number since June 1 to fifty-two and
the total number since May l to 252 The
daily average increase in cases this month
has been about seventeen.
OF the eleven new cases reported yester-
day two in Irvington, where there is no
city water. The suburb up to this time has
been free of the disease, and its outbreak
there is taken to prove that the dangerous
germ turks in we'll water much as in city
water. The typhoid patients in Irvington
are Merl Mathews, boy of fourteen, who
lives at Downey avenue and Omar street
The other case is that of Mrs. Gilschrist
age sixty. 564s Lowell street. The cases are
in opposite parts of the suburb.
The variations in the number of cases
from day to day do not signify much.
Clerks at the office say that last month
there were days when but two or three
cases were reported. and the next day the
new cases mounted up into the twenties.
However, the figures of the past few DAYS
show without a doubt that the disease is
1t is the general opinion Of doctors that
the typhoid epidemic has not reached its
zenith and that the most critical stage is
yet to come. 1t is pointed out that the
weather for the past month has been most
propitious for the fourishing of typhoid.
and, with most of the water in the city
contaminated, crisis may come this
month.
Mayor Hoffman is one of those who be.
lieve that the worst is yet to come. He said
last night:
Ever since the floods I have been ex-
pecting serious outbreak of typhoid fever
and have repeatedly suggested 10 the
Health Board to emphasize the order TO boil
all water.
Everything is being done that can be
done to stop the spread of the disease. but
this is not very much. as typhoid is difficult
to combat You see the trouble is that peo-
pie won't take precautions against the
water. They may boil it for few days
and then they come to the conclusion that
ii is not worth while and go back TO drink
ing unboiled water.
THE people themselves are the greatest
factor in the curbing of tho disease. l be-
lieve that if they would drink only distilled
and boiled water it would not be very long
until the epidemic would subside. They
can also help great deal by insisting that
all back yards. dirty alleys and unsanitary
places be cleaned up.
.The Board of Health is doing all in its
power. l think. to stop further spread of
typhoid There is nothing the city do.
even if il wanted to. The Health Board
has all jurisdiction and can go ahead at its
own prerogative- i want to emphasize.
though what they persstently insist upon
I.sfe
or distilled water.
DR.. Ferguson. whom the Board of
Health instructed TO make a bacterioogical
examination of city water. will begin his
test to-day and will he able to report with
ing a day City Chemist Moffatt yes
terday received samples of water from four
different parts of the city and began the
work of making chemical tests. These
tests require about two days TO complete.