Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-17
rvnho;d Fever and Filtration.
(Naxy York Tribune


Few cities in the United States have
had 4 higher death rate from tHpholu
fever than Washington. 1t was long
suspected, moreover, that the lrouoie
was due largely to the water supply
which is derived from the potomac
for a good deal of sewage Is dis-
charged into that stream at polnts
above the national capital. IL was
natural, therefore. to assume tnat re-
lief would be secured if the city were
to install a suitable filtration plant.
The execution of that idea was begun
in 1903 and completed in October. l9Oo
The Improvement cost $3,OOO.OOO. ana
sanitary experts who examined the
work expressed the utmost satisfac-
ton. Ii was. discovered a short time
ago, however, that the deaths from
typhoid for a portion of 1906 were as
numerous as those reported IN the
corresponding months last year, and
fears were expressed that the filters
were imperfect or useless as a safe
guard against typhoid.
Recognizing the seriousness Of these
misgivings. Engineering News m
stituted an investigation into the
matter securing for that purpose the
services of Mr.. Theodore Horton, con-
sulting engineer of the New York
State Department of Health. His re-
port emphasizes fact which was
known before. but which seems to be
peculiarly applicable to the City OF
Washington. Drinking water is not
the only means by which typhoid
germs are disseminated in COM
munity. The opinion is expressed by
Mr.. Horton that contaminated oysters
have contributed a share to the infec-
ton in Washington. though he puts
the case in a guarded way. Again. the
local authorities in Washington eX-
ercise a rather close watch on the milk
supply but Mr.. Horton thinks that it
has not been quite as strict as it
should have been. Some of the water
consumed in the city, too. is taken
from shallow wells, and the commits
sioner of Engineering News sees
how these might easily have been
rendered sources of danger. Finally.
he points out that all Southern cities
fare rather worse i'm the matter of
typhoid than do Northern cities, and
he is satisfied that Washington may
properly be assigned to the former
class.
So contradictory of the experience
of Albany. Ithaca. Lawrence and other
cities where filtration has been adopt
ed is that of Washington that the
latter must be regarded as an eXcep-
ton to the rule. Nowhere. it is as
serted, does typhoid completely dis
appear when means have been adopted
to obtain pure water There always
remains what Professor William r.
Sedgwick. Of the Massachusetts In
stitute of Technology. calls residual
typhoid" There is a marked reduc-
ton in the prevalence of the disease,
but at least few cases are observed
from time to time. II looks as If
Washington was merely illustrating
this phenomenon in an extreme degree.
1t is not unreasonable to hope that. If
the various suggestions made by Mr..
Horton regarding additional Irecau-
tions which may be taken with adj
vantage are followed. the filters of the
national capital will have a chance to
demonstrate their value more fully
than they have done thus far.
Such cities as now have under con-
sideration the adoption Of filtration, in
the interests of public health. should
not be deferred by Washington's dis
appointment, which will in all prob
ability prove temporary, and which, as
has just been pointed out, is
practically unique in municipal ex-
perience. In the choice of sanitary
measures the guidance Of experts is
infinitely preferable to that of the
uninitiated. We do not believe that
any one whose opinion is likely to be
really helpful will lose his faith in
filtration became there has not been
prompt reduction in the number of
typhoid cases in a single instance.