The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1905-09-16

ml5ieadlnR reports which have
gone broadcast in regard to the
alleged u%nsanitary condition in
Columbia l deem it my duty to make a
plain ttatementof facts. That there
hage been a number of cases of tyr Did
fever during the past SUMNER is not to
Be denied, but that there he's been or
is an epidemic Of the disease or that it
exists in any malignant form 1 deny,
aud in c%Orroboration Of this ,enial l
append the following statement of the
principal practicing physicians of this
community.
1--WE the undersigned physicians
residing in Columbia, Missouri. and in
active practice, state it as our belief
thar there Is not now and has not been
during the past year any epidemic of
typhoid fever in Columbia. While
there has been some casss of fever In
mild form there has been but one
death and there have not been enough
bases to warrant the Apprehension that
there would be any hazard of con
tracting the disease to any students
coming to attend the institutions Of
learning in this city at this time:
]. NJ. Fisher, M. D.; B. A. Watson,
M. D.; Fl. Mikel, NJ. D.; J. L.
Corlew, NJ. D. Jennie v. Flemming,
D. o.; W A. Norris, NJ. D j. E.
Thornton, M. D.. E. @. Guthrie, M.
D.; R. E. Graham, NJ. D.; W. H.
Douglas, M. D.; R. B. Tilley, M. D.;
G. F. Edmonston, M. D.: P. H.
Murry, D. o.; W. r. Shaefer, M. D.,
w. E. Belden, M. D.; G. A. Bradford,
M. D.. M. D. Lewis, M. D.
1 have also been handed the follow
ing statement by DIR. A. J.. Detweiler,
state b~acteriologist, who has made an
analysis Of Oolumbia's water supply
and pronounces it to be free Of typhoid
germs:
1.-THE public water supply Of
Columbia is a most excellent and
wholesome drinking water. The two
diaries which supply practically all the
milk used in Columbia are fairly we'll
kept and are in no way responsible for
typhoid lever. The cases OF typhoid
fever which exist in Columbia at the
present time are due to polluted wells,
cIsterns and surface closets which are
now being cleaned up and disinfected
hence there being no general source oil
infection. There is no epidemic Of
typhoid but sporadic cases resulting
from local conditions, which can and
are beng improved.
A. j. DETwEnER
Bacteriologist to the State Board o.
Health.
Within the past few years the city
Of Columbia has expended over one
hundred and City thousand dollars for
the establishment OF water works snc
for the sewerage, and it is believed has
done more in the expenditure of money
and In the scientific demonstration Of
the purity of Its water supply than any
other city in the state. Less than q
year ago It absudoped the source OF
yater which it had been using for the
asst ten years, and largely through the
ivice and the efforts OF the professors
Il the State University, SUNK seVera
leep wells from which it is nov
obtaining its water. This water ha,
been subjected to critical scientific
nalysis and has been pronounced
Pure.
Inc condition OF the city, public anC
private, is as clearly as that Of othei
cities. 1t is not perfect. But, IN the
judgement of its municipal authorities,
it is not worse than the average Mis-
souri, city of ten thousand inhabitanti
and better than a large majority o
them.
Il has a city board of health Which
Jas endeavored to do its duty in pre-
serving a heathiul condition.
A great deal Of rain has fallen ii
this vicinity during the past summer
and in addition to ssturating thu
ground and muddying some Of th'
streets has caused a rank growth o,
vegetation, and the atmosphere hal
been 10 that humid condition fayorabl,
to the generation of malaria. Blu
this condition has prevailed through
out the state, and it is no worse herr
than elsewhere. To this cause haI
been largely due the prevalence o
cases Of fever, some typhoid and somI
malarial hnt nnna M than, have haa,