The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-03-17
Still, Water From the Franklin
School Well Is Suspicious.
Health Officer Will Now Per-
manentIy Bar Its Use.
Several Cases Believed to Be
Due to Cows Milk Used.
From FRIDAYS Daily.

ilucty
Health Officer Edwards today receiv
ed from DIR. II. NJ. Bracken, secretary
of the state board of health, DIR. E. H.
Beckman's report of his investigation
and examination bearing upon the out
break of typhoid fever in this city.
The exact source of infection could
not be determined from the data at
hand. No pathogenic bactheria were
found at the meteorological examination
of milkmans milk. The sample of
water from the spring southeast of st.
Josephs hospital shows an average
colony of only ten bactenia per C. C.
and no gas forming or colon-like bac-
terra, so that it hardly sooms possible
that infection came through the water
supply. The most probable source of
infection seems to be through the milk.
The following are notes concerning
the water examined:
'Franklin school well, chemically
shows very high chlorine, $50 parts
per million, and rather high amount
of nitrates, i. e. 5000 parts per million,
whilst the albuminoid ammonia was
higher than in any of the other sam
Piles which were collected at the same
time. Nitrates were present. The pres
ence of 426 bacteria per C. C. and the
fact that certain of these were gas
producing would, Independent of the
chemical examination, be sufficient to
throw suspicion upon this water. The
wisdom of the health officer in closing
this well is borne out by the results
of laboratory analysis. The very great
amount of hardness, 1874 parts per mil
lion, would render this water objection
able for commercial and laundry pur-
poses also.
3 "City supply, artesian well. This wat
er is considerably softer (4S6 parts per
million) than that of the Franklin
school well. 1t contains large amount
of iron. The high amount of free am
monia, l.22 parts per million, would
seem to require some explanation, and
a later examination would be desirable.
1t is possible that the content may be
due to the reduction of heterogeneous
matter previously present as nitrates TO
free ammonia by iron present in the
ferrous form. The archaeological eX-
animation showed only Ii bacteria per
C. c., and Preventative or putrefactive
heterogeneous were absent.
"Spring near st. Joseph's hospital
shows a high amount of chlorine, III
parts per million, and hardness mid
way between the other samples. This
sample is too high in nitrates, although
there are only ten bacteria per C. C.
and no gas producing or Preventative
organisms were present. Apart from
its hardness, it is probable that other
examinations would show it to be quite
satisfactory since there is nothing from
a sanitary point of view, except possib-
ly the high nitrates, to cast suspic-
ion upon it.
"The milkman's well shows a water
which is undoubtedly polluted, as indi-
Gated by the high chlorine, 1913 parts
per million, nitrates, 10 parts per mil
lion, and albuminoid ammonia, los
part per million The meteorological
findings show the presence of 100 bac-
terra per c. C. The undoubted evidence
of pollution in this water as well as the
sanitary surroundings are sufficient to
condemn it for domestic USE"
Health Officer Edwards will perman-
emily bar the use of water of the Frank
lin school well. As regards the milk
man, no disease has been traced to his
milk, and there mas been more in his
family, but the water from his well
made a poor showing, and he will no
doubt take steps to remedy this.
Events For May Track Meet.