Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-08

| contimeters of the water to be tested,
one from l cubic centimeter and one
| from one-tenth of a cubic centimeter Of
water. y cubic centimeter is about
| third of a teaspoonful and one-tenth of
that quantity is about two drops.
Each day we tested for this Bacillus
| Coli the three quantities of river water
drawn from the laboratory tap connect
ed with the mains of the Augusta Wa
ter Co. Many of these tests showed pos
tive results even with the smallest
| quantity and for weeks nearly every
sample Of the water contained this
germ.
Think Of the degree of pollution which
gives 4 fecal germ in every two drops
of kennebec river water. Imagine how
many hundreds a person would drink
in glass of water.
At this point the question naturally
suggests itself:
What is the effect of drinking these
fecal germs and fungi?
AS yet it has not been proved that
these particular germs are injurious to
health; but the danger lies in the sew
age pollution and focal contamination
which their presence indicates.
Water thus polluted is always I'M
wholesome in proportion to the degree
of its contamination, and at any time,
and without warning. is likely to be-
come infected with the germs of dead
| ly disease.
| This brings US to the subject of the
typhoid fever epidemic in Augusta.
| Like other Zymatic diseases, typhoid
fever can only come from typhoid fe-
yer.
1t is not contagious like scarlet fe
yer, but for the infection to occur. the
typhoid germ must enter the intestine,
which is the seat of this disease. Prac-
! tically, then the germ must be swallow
ed. All the eXcretiOns of typhoid pat
lent contain myriads of these germs:
any one of which entering the bowels
| of u human being may reproduce the
| disease.
For these reasons typhoid fever is
most commonly communicated and
spread through polluted drinking water.
| These typhoid germs multiply with
wonderful rapidity in the human organ
ism and after they are expelled, while
they do not multiply in water. they
| live for considerable time ut all nat
| ural temperatures and under all natur-
| al conditions. They have been known
| to live for weeks even frozen into ice.
Other diseases of the bowels ,as dys-
EMERY and cholera, are spread by in
| fected water.
| In the fall of 1902 and winter of 1903
4 very large epidemic of typhoid fever
broke out in Waterville, and as would
naturally be expected, in about the
time required for the germs to reach
Augusta by the river current and to
terminate here, n large and general
epidemic of the disease spread through
ever section Of Augusta which is served
by the mains Of the Augusta Water
Co. Two hundred and eighty cases
with 80 deaths, in population of
about 5000, is the grand summary of
this epidemic which ragged with un-
abateI fury until the source OF con-
tamination in Waterville had ceased.
Is other evidence required to satisfy
this honorable commission that this
epidemic was caused by the infection
of the Kennebec river water through
the sewers Of Waterville?
II so, we call attention 10 tho fact
that the $500 inmates Of the National
Home ana the 1000 inmates and attend
ants At the Insane hospital We're ex-
empt; unquestionably in consequence
Of n regulation in both institutions for
bidding the drinking of river water.
Furthermore. Hallowell and Gardiner.
just below us on the river, which take
their water supplies from n pure source
had no epidemic at that time, while
Richmond. IS miles below us, taking
It's water from the Kenncbec river. had
an epidemic of typhoid fever shortly
following that in Augusta and number
ing 90 cases in that small village.
Our canvass shows that of the $50
persons who contracted the disease in
Augusta, go were supplied in whole
or in part with the river water, and
Il Is not surprising that in city whose
general supply was so strongly infect
Cd some of those who did their best
10 avoid it should have encountered the
pestilence. FFse
But my brother in his opening for
the Water Company asked, rWuy-f