Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-08
HTS EFFECT ON HEALTH
Operation of Filtration Plant in
the District +
DISCUSSED BY ENGINEERS
Papers by DR.. Kober and Dr. Wood
ward of Washington.
MEETING HELD IN NEW YORK
Publication of Water Supply Consid-
ered-Conditions. Here and
in Other Cities.

The American Society of Civil Engineers
last evening discussed a paper by Allen
Hazen and E. D. Hardy. the experts who
designed the Washington filtration plant on
the work of that plant. This paper was
published some time ago by the American
Society The discussion last evening was
| Of especial interest because of the fact that
with the operation of the filtration work
| there was no decrease in typhoid fever
cases in the city.
Among those who discussed the subject
were DR.. Woodward, health officer of the
| District, and DIR. Geo. NJ. Kober, filtration
officer of this city. Neither DR.. Woodward
nor DR.. Kober was able to attend the meet
ing, but sent papers. which were read.
DR.. Kober In his paper said:
Il have perused with much pleasure the
excellent paper by Messrs. HaZen ana
Hardy on the work of the publication OF
! the water supply of Washington, ID. e,
and have considered the question whlch
naturally concerns the sanitarian most-tne
bacterial efficiency of the filtration system
, and its effect upon lessening the typnoio
| fever rate, and here we are at once con-
| fronted with the remarkable 1act mat
while the bacterial efficiency of the plant is
all that could be expected, the average
number of bacteria in the effluent peing
| only % as compared with 1900 in the raw
water, no apparent decrease IN the NUMBER
L
| the first year of it's practical operation.
Potomac Water as Factor.
This would seem to indicate that the
Potomac water was either not so i'm
portant a factor in the prevalence of ty-
phoid fever in this District as heretofore
| assumed, or that seasonal and telluric in
fuences were exceptionally favorable for
| large crop of typhoid this year. and that
the situation would have been Infinitely
worse had it not been for the efficiency OF
! the filtration plant.
It am disposed to accept the latter eX-
PLANTATION until further observation compels
different view. had confidently expected
| a decrease Of 80 per cent in our typhoid
fever rate. believing, as do. that about 90
per cent of the cases are water-borne, and
| this too in spite of the fact that the writer
was the first to point out the agency of
| flies in the spread of this disease; about 10
per cent are brought to the city from
mountain resorts by returning vacationists;
milk produced in typhOid-ridden districts is
\ likely to be responsible for Is per cent of
the cases, and the remainder, about 20 per
cent may be spread through the agency of
flies and personal contact. the consump-
| ton of raw oysters raised In sewage-pol-
| luted oyster beds, or the eating of straw
| berries, radishes. celery. lettuce or other
vegetables which have been contaminated
| by infected night soil.
Il have not had the time or opportunity
to examine into the typhoid situation else
where. but have suggested the desirabiiity
of taking such comparison to those
now engaged In the Investigation of
the subject. I am not disposed to ex-
clude the drinking water theory altogether,
and to regard the amount of typhoid fever
now remaining as purely residual because
all the other factors have operated in for
mer years and there is no reason to assume
that the milk supply is any worse now than
it was ten years ago. when, as a matter
of fact, since the enactment of pure milk
| law in 1895. there has been decided de-
crease in the death rate of children under
| five years of age.
Percentage Of Deaths.
Indeed the percentage of deaths of child
rem under one year has been reduced from
| % "a in 1893 to 1886 in 1905. The gradual
| reduction In the number of box privies from
| 20 600 in 1871 to about 1000 in 1908 should
| also have resulted in a reduction of the
| danger of flies in the transmission of the
| germs. The same may be said OF public
! wells. which have been reduced from III
| in 1895 to 1O2 in 1905, the number O. prt-
| vate wells however, is still matter of
| conjecture.
| "As long as public pumps are permitted
to exist at all 1t is difficult to estimate the
mischief they have played In the dissemina-
| ton of typhoid fever They are promiscuous-
| " used, and located as they are In a polluted
| sub soil must be regarded as constant
| source of danger, and upon general prin-
ciples should be condemned. The gradual
elimination of public pumps appears to me
| an extremely conservative policy, because
| wells which are declared from time to time
infected. passed the scrutiny of the chemist
! and bacteriologist years before. The rivers
| pollution commission, 9th report. page 2S4.
| over twenty-five years ago advised tie clos
| ing of all the wells in London but three,
| which We're exceptionally placed.
! 1.-The situation on the whole to the stu
| dent of epidemoogy is extremely interest
ing and perpiexing, and indicates uhat we
! causes and spread of typhoid fever, but
| have not ceased to hope that our typhoid
situation will clear up, as 1t did In Berlin.
Berlin and Washington.
sIn 1872 the cities of Berlin and Washing
ton were alike in primitive municipal meth
| DDS of sanitation. Without adequate dis
| tribution Of the water supply, the larger
| part Of their populations was dependent
apon public and private wells. Without
| systems Of sewage, both were alike sup
| piled with makeshifts for the d1sposal OF
human excreta and waste waters Inc I'M
| paved streets were the common receptacles
| of garbage. ashes and house sweepings,
| and along the cutters the surface and house
drainage were conducted to the neighboring
water courses. Since the city Of Berlin be-
gan the system of sanitary improvements
| completed In 1890, at cost Of 100000
marks for a pure and ample water supply
| and A 10000 marks for construction OF
| sewers the typhoid fever death rate has
fallen off from 143 in 1872 to four in 1894
per 100. 600 of its Inhabitants. and the gem
| eral death rate from 1928 in 1875 per 1000
| to 1874 per 1000 In 1904. while our death
rate from typhoid fever is still SIX times
/ greater than that OF Berlin. and our gen,
| eral death rate has been reduced from 2s.0S
| In 1875 to 1920 in 1905, which is encourag-
| ing, considering the mixed character of our
population.
Comparison Made.
I'm 1875 there were only flfty-seven
houses in Berlin connected with sewers:
general death rate, S2.9 per 1000. In 1885
the city had 1886 houses with sewer con-
nection: death rate, 24.4. Washington rate.
| 24.9. In 1895 the Berlin death rate was 1873;
| our death rate. 205.
.In conclusion desire to express the hope
I that Mr.. Hazen's recommendation for the
l Of aC11lating process in