The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1906-02-16
USE WATER.
In Cor Wallis Board
Says-Typhoid Still Spread
ing at Eugene.


Corvallis is practically free from
typhoid fever. That the town was
threatened for a time recently by
an epidemic of the disease is the be-
lief Of many. Publicity given to
the facts by the local papers and
the repeated urging upon consum-
ers to use boiled water and other
precautions may have sayed Cor
vallisites serious conditions. A X
cal physician said yesterday that it
is not at all impossib..e that the notes
of warning sounded may have for
Tended a scourge. However this
may be, there was something like
eight cases at one time recently,
more than there ever was stimuli
%taneously in the history of the
town.
The Benton County Health Board,
as a precaution, requests the Times
to still further urge upon local peo-
pie the Importance of using none
but boiled water, regardless of
whether it be taken from the Viii
lamette or from wells. Where the
disease has been prevalent, it is
very easy for wells to receive sur
face water and thereby undergo
contamination. 1t is of the utmost
importance, the board says, to use
water that has been cooled after
boiled at least 20 minutes.
Eugene Water Killed Guinea Pigs.
At Eugene the epidemic is far
from being under control. Indeed
at last accounts, new cases were
developing at the rate of IS per day
as will be seen in the following
from the Guard:
"Drs. Bart1e and Prof. Sweetser
have just concluded an experiment
that proves beyond adoubt that the
city water is responsible for our
typhoid epidemic. A fewdays ago
the doctors obtained some water
from a city hydrant and segregated
the germs. inoculating two small
guinea pigs with them. One o.
the pigs was an old one and had g
hard spell of typhoid but recovered.
The other pig died. An autopsy
was held on the latter pig and con-
elusive evidence was found to show
that he died from the result of the
incubation.
"Drs. Bartle have again inocula-
the three guinea pigs, this time
with the city water direct as it
comes to the consumer, and thess
pigs have well-developed cases o
the fever and one will die from the
sickness.
"The doctors say that hope fol
the abatement of the disease is In
boiled water alone, and that none
should be 81 foolhardy or ignoran
as to ignore this matter.
yesterday IS new cases were re-
ported and it is thought as many
more exist today. Up to the time
of going to press today six new
cases have been reported. Nearly
all the late cases reported ear b
traced to the city water"
Comment on Fever Situation.
The Portland Journal, speaking
editorially of the fever situation a
Eugene, says:
In the neighborhood of 100 PEG
pie have been stricken in Eugene
and a considerable number il
Springfield and other towns, all c
them users of contaminated water
i while none who use we'll water hav
been attacked. The lesson to nc
only Eugene but to other cite
is clear and plain; to escape such
scourge they must provide them
selves with absolutely pure water
and this cannot be obtained from
. stream flowing through a settle
country and receiving sewage fror
various sources. The cost of OBJ
tanning IN ample supply of pur
: water is considerable. and entails
burden on taxpayers, but it is
duty encumbent upon every tow
of considerable size, in justice t
., itself.
Eugene being the seat Of th
State University Corvallis of til
State College, and Salem of th
state capitol and other state instit,
lions, these towns r PARTICULAR
obliged to provide pure water, an
it is evident that Eugene has neg
. lected this duty too long.
Fortunately, the disease in Eu
gene has mostly been of rather
+ light form, and but few cases hav
q resulted fatally, yet several hay
died, and many have been put =,
much expense and suffering. TIL
will not do for such a city, and
: may be taken for granted that tt
..Igood enterprising people of tt
university city will take promI
measures to prevent a recurrence
an epidemic.
III an n. A 5000 IL