The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-07
DEATH IN WATER.
Epidemic of Typhoid Due to
Cessp0ols.
DR.. Crumbine Reports on Con-
ditions at EIlinwOod.
MUST BE CEMENTED.
--
Drinking Water Is Contaminated
by Drainage.
Bacteriologist Finds an Alarm
ing Condition.

Contaminated drinking water is re-
sponsible for the serious epidemic Of
typhoid fever at Ellinwood, Barton
county, according to the report made to-
day to Dr. S. J. Crumbine, secretary of
the state board of health. DR.. Crumbine
says that all cesspools in the city must
be filled Up. and all cesspools construct
ed in the future must be cemented water
tight with openings above the line of
the water strata from which the city
draws its drinking water.
What is also true at Ellinwood is
also true of hundreds of other towns
similarly situated in the Arkansas vat
ley. It is evident from Or. Crumbine's
report that all of these towns are me-
naced by typhoid so long as present con
ditions of sewage disposal continue.
DR.. Crumbine was first notified of the
typhoid conditions at Ellinwood about
May 1, when such conditions had been
prevalent for year, and had been
steadily growing worse. One physician
reported S5 cases of typhoid in Film
wood in the year, and fevers of all kinds
were extremely prevalent in the town.
DR.. Crumbine went to Ellinwood OH
May to make an investigation. DIR.
Crumbine says in his report on the con-
ditions which he found to exist:
Upon arrival in this city we found a
town of about 1000 inhabitants, scatter
ed over an area of one-hal1 square mile.
The location is in the Arkansas valley,
but a short distance from the Arkansas
river, the surrounding country almost as
level as a floor, thereby making the
drainage very imperfect The soil is
composed of d sandy loan. The water
supply of the city is cotton from wells,
in most instances driven into the soil
twenty to twenty-five feet deep. where
fire+ fo~ 11x ic rod
from which almost all of the residents
of the city are supplied.
a number of modern houses have
constructed cesspools for the disposal
of sewage. Each one OF these cesspools
was discovered to have been dug to the
water bearing stratum and the contents
of the cesspool allowed to drain off
through this sand and gravel Three
of the cesspools are located immediate
ly west of the principal point of infee-
ton
A meteorological examination of the
water was made by the state bacterio-
logist, DR.. S. E. Greenfield, and was
found to be filled with bacilli, indicat-
ing a serious state Of contamina ton.
and warranting the condemnation of
the water for drinking purposes
In his conclusions Dr. Crunbine
says;
from the location of these cesspools,
the location of the principal source of
infection, the location of most of the
cases of typhoid, would seem to indi-
cate the necessity Of the abandonment
of all cesspools in this city immediate
ly, filling them up with earth to above
the water stratum then. if desired to
be used as cesspools, to require them
to be cemented water-tight as a cistern
and be emptfed as occasion required
There can be no doubt that many cases
of typhoid fever in towns of this size
having no sewerage system and a com
mon water supply are occasioned by the
pollution Of the water current from the
cesspoOls. County health Offices should
demand the abandonment of all cess
pools that empty themselves in a water
bearing stratum from which people in
villages obtain their water supply.
THE general prosperity over the state
has shown itself in no greater manner
than by the movement on the part of
the people to make their homes modern,
and this movement, requiring some dis
pOsal of sewage, in the absence of a
sewer system, is one that should re-
ceive the careful attention and consid-
Grafton of the health authorities
1T is suggested that these cesspools
should be cemented water-tight, and
that drainage therefFom might be had
by four openings near the top, just be-
low the frost line, through perforated
tions. Such a constructed cesspOol
would act somewhat in the capacity
of a septic tank, liquefying great deal
of its contents by bacterial action, and
supplying trees and growing vegetation
with subirrigation. The top should be
pumped out when occasion required.
Such a method would be free from con-
Eliminating the source of Water-supply.
and would still permit the construction
Of modern homes in towns too small to
have sewerage systems"