Evening journal., 1907-08-12
TYPHOID MENACE
HANGS OVER CITY
BaC!eTiOIOgiSt Robin Says a
Filtration System is Only
Relief
TELLS OF SANITARY CRUSADE

Our city Is under a Damocles sword
IN the shape Of a possible typhoid epi-
denic, and the only safeguard against
such possible calamity is to instili
our filters as quickly as possible" says
Dr. Albert Robin, city bacteriologist. in
his report TO the Water commissioners
The reference TO the water supply Of
the city Is the most important featured
In this connection DR.. Robin says
"As was 10 be expected. the sanitary
improvements along the banks Of the
lBrandywine, as far as the State iines
brought about through the efforts OF
this department (the Wafer Depart
menD. and the strict supervision over
this part Of our watershed maintained
by our two patrolmen, resulted in a
considerable Improvement inlthe quail
ity OF the Brandywine water.
decreased Death Rate
"The improvement in the sanitary
condition Of our watershed reflected
markedly on the mortality from tyl
phoid fever in Wilmington. The num-
ber OF deaths from that disease was
"a, only two more than in thelyear pre-
vious, and less than It hasl been for
years.
Gratifying as these results are. they
still further emphasize our 'helpless-
ness in dealing with the situation sat-
isfactorily. The smallest portion or
about one-fourth OF our watershed ii
In Delaware. while the other three
fourths are in Pennsylvania. beyond
our jurisdiction. Consequently we hava
no control whatever over the major
part OF our watershed. and are con-
stantly menaced by the pollution from
several towns beyond our State line.
No Relief Vet
ITO this grave situation there seema
10 be no prospect Of relief. There Is
no direct law compelling the Pennsyl-
vania towns TO purify their sewage for
1.-THE benefit OF the citizens OF another.
State. and litigation based on tho
lclaims OF riparian rights would prove
lcostly, procrastinating and quite
doubtful in its outcome.
"Dr. Samuel Dixon, State commits
sion Of health for Pennsylvania, is do
ing all IN his power to help Whining
ton, but unfortunately he can do very
little. He is at present refusing per-
Units for extensions Of sewers both IN
west Chester and Coatesville unless
these towns build sewage purihcation
lplants.
Whether this course, the only one
available. win bring them 20 terms re-
mains to be seem"
Filtration Experiments
Speaking Of the filtration experi-
ments DR.. Robin says;
sThe general conclusion that may be
Idrawn from our experiments on pre-
lliminary filtration Is that OF the first
married.: A preliminary filter win re-
move about 75 per cent OF the bacteria
and turbidity when the latter is less
than 100 parts per million. and about
l50 per cent when the turbidity Is above
100 rarts per million. The results,
therefore. are but slightly better than
can be obtained by efficient sedimentas
/ ton The only point in favor Of pre-
llIminary filtration Is that Of the hrsf
cost is far less. This advantage, how.
ever. holds good only If the cost Of
maintenance Of the iflter is small. In
Icreased cost Of maintenance soon wipes
out the difference IN the first cost and
eventually renders the preliminary hl-
ter more expensive"