Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-12
FEVER ON THE WANE
BUT FOUR NEW CASES OF TY-
PHoID REPORTED TODAY.

Typhoid fever Is apparently on tho wans
In the District Only four new cases were
reported today up to I o'clock. and four
were reported during all OF yesterday.
Seven typhoid patients recovered yesterday
and one died-so that the number under
treatment at 1 O'Clock this afternoon was
20. This Is the irst time for nearly two
weeks that the number OF patients In tho
District has at any one time been less than
800.
In connection with the marked decrease
In the number OF new cases reported dur
ing the past few days 1t Is interesting to
note that the quantity OF filtered water in
the city mains has been steadily increasing
until now there are approximately 80. 600 900
gallons Of the purified product pumped into
the distributing reservoir every twenty
-FOUR hours. As this represents nearly two
thirds of the total daily consumption of
water In the District 1t Is but fair to as
sumo that the filtration Of water Is having
the good effect contemplated by the author
tiles about month ago. when. by a her
culean effort, the filtration plant was got
into operation weeks before the scheduled
date.
Results Obtained.
The results attained by this filtration
were summarized yesterday by F. F. Lang
ley, chief chemist of the plant. when he
stated that series OF exhaustive tests
showed a reduction OF fully 70 per cent
IN the number of bacteria in the city water
between the inlet Of the filtration plant
and the outlet. In a cubic centimeter Of
water, or about an ordinary thimble full
Prof. Langley found that on last Thurs
day there were TAO bacteria In the water
before filtration and III after: on Friday,
46S before and 70 after. and on Saturday.
go before and 90 after All of the tests
At the same time that Prof. Langley was
making meteorological tests of the city
water e. H. Hardy, superintendent of the
fltration plant. maintained a record of
the relative turbidity of the supply The
result of this phase of the test was set
forth In the following:
AT one time when the water was un-
usually muddy in the Potomac the record
showed 2.125 parts Of suspended clay, bac-
terra, ETC., to the million at Great Falls
AS 1t left the Dalecarlia reservoir It show
ed oOo parts; as 1t left the Georgetown
reservoir. 100 parts. and as 1t entered the
mains from the Washington city reser-
voir. 265 parts
Mr.. Hardy explained the largest particles
OF silt settled out at the Dalecarlia reser-
voir. More of it went out at the George
town basin. but by far the greater part of
1t settled in the Washington city reservoir
Just before entering the mains.
Period Of Incubation.
1t has been stated many times recently
that the period of incubation of the typhoid
fever germ is three weeks-that is, the germ
first shows its grip on the prospective VIC
tim three weeks after it has been taken
into the system. With this wcll-established
rule as basis 1t seems that at least a
portion of the decrease In the fever in
Washington should be attributed to the fill
tration OF part Of the water supply, while
probably another portion Of the credit
should be given to the public who, doubt
less, have needed the many warnings to boil
all drinking water or to otherwise take pre-
cautions against possible infection Filter
ed water has been flowing through the city
mains In steadily increasing quantity for
nearly four weeks