Evening journal., 1907-01-15

lage OF amy size being Moscow with
population q about 900, which drains d.
rectly into the Roaring Brook. However,
two railroad lines PASS al0nr the branches
OF fhe Roarins Brook iho Erlc and ps
j.. and w.. ana tplse form a possip.e
source 81 POLLUTION
The water works arc owned hg tine
Scranton Gas and Wstsr Company ami
are estimated by The owners 70 be worm
si20g0oO.
che water has been of good quality and
there Is no record Of any marked pollution
Of the supply nor would the mortality Of
typhoid fever in the past indicate that
the supply was not conf arativeiy pure
In the report Of the Bureau Of Health
for 1905, the following settlement is made:
THE city Of Scranton can proudly beast
Of its pure and unlimited water supply as
also the protection given to its water
shods. The bacteriologist, DR.. Wilson. has,
on numerous occasions, examined spsci-
mems from the different reservoirs at diff
ferent times and found them in excellent
condition. This statement seems to find
corroboration in the low typhoid fever
mortality. the deaths from typhoid fever
being in l905-1g06. II and % respectively.
However, amidst all this security and
confidence. the blow struck Whether the
sudden contamination of the water sup
ply came from passengers suffering, or
convalescent from mild form OF typhoid
fever, on either, or both Of the railroads;
whether it came from one or more OF
the hunters who have hunted on the
watershed; whether from some visitor
at the hotel at Moscow which drains into
the Roaring Brook. is not known. Ine
fact however, is that the supply in the
Eimhurst Reservoir was found badly
polluted, and what is of the greatest inn
portance. the typhoid bacilL have been
actually discovered in some OF the samples
CT water analysed at the state laboratory
at Harrisburg. This, I believe, is the
first instance in uhis country Of actually
demonstrating the presence of typhoid
baciln in water suspected of causing ty-
phoid fever. In view Of this fact, 1 made
special Inquiries and was assured by DR.
johnson and Mr.. Snow. that bacillus
which ehe state bacteriologist isolated
from the water. responded to all the cul-
tunal and othertests. and was found iden-
teal with the typhoid bacillus isolated
from the discharges from typho patients
at Scranton. This remarkable and unique
demonstration establishes beyond doubt
not only the cause OF the Scranton epi'
demic, but the relation of water supplies
to typhoid epidemics in general.
As a result of these findings, the sup
ply from Elmhurst Reservoir has been cut
/ off, and the city Of Scranton IS supplied
/ from Lake Scranton. As a further pre-
caution. the health authorities have urged
/ the people to boil the water and MILK q
/ precaution which is generally being OBJ
served
1t should be noted that the health au-
/ thorities have shown remarkable ABILITY
and zeal in coping with the serious stu
alton. Daily bulletins apprise the people
OF the exact situation, while thorough dis.
infection Of the premises is vigorously en-.
forced. The hospitals and charitable in
situations have lent their entire forces t,
meet the conditions prevailing at tn,
present time. while the press has all along
supported and helped the administration
AS a result. there is no panic. The situa,
ton is viewed calmly and sensibiy, ang
4 there is every reason to believe that tn
epidemic will soon be under control.
II The Scranton epidemic still further EN-
phasises the fact long ago recognized il
Europe, that no surface water is SAT-
without final purihcaEion. ana that a.
ounce Of prevention is worth many pound
of cure.
Il Respectfully submitted,
A. ROBIN, Bacteriologist.