New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-10
WATER NEEDS BOILING
Cross Riuer Dam LabOrers Caused
Typhoid, Say Health officials.

It has been practically determined that the
tynhoid outbreak at Katonah was due TO the
contamination of the village water supply by
the Italians employed at the Cross River Dam.
The Investigations of the Water and Health de-
partments of this city have led TO this con-
clusion
II was said in a news report yesterday that
there had been no cases of typhoid at the Cross
River camps. DR. Walton Jay Carpenter, the
Health officer Of Bedford Township, which en-
braces Katonah, has made an affidavit that he
knew of only two cases in the Cross River see
tion-one. a Mr.. Mills. employed on the works
being stricken in April of 1906 and MI Minis
green. of Cross River, in September of last year,
Mills. was sent TO Roosevelt Hospital where the
case was fully developed. and the other to the
bospital at White Plains where the diagnosis Of
typhoid was fully sustained
Three other cases attended by DR. John Y.
Hibbard, who looked after the health OF the
laborers and others In the camp occurred ac-
cording TO an affidavit, made by Dr. Hibbard.
The first was on November 5. 1906 in the camp,
The patient was Frank Janelli. He was sent to
Flower Hospital. where the diagnosis of typhoid
was fully sustained. on November &c Gaetona
Arrigo was sent To Flower Hospital. where the
case was established as typhoid. This patient
was discharged on January of this year.
Then on March Is of this year Giuseppe
Sbricoli in the camp was put down as a sus-
picious case. He had grip in the beginning, and
then pneumonia developed. As this would not
succumb to treatment, the patient was sent to
Flower Hospital He was discharged on March
IS and no report was made TO DIR. Hubbard of
"A diagnosis although a reporter for The Trib-
une was told by Of the hospital authorities
that Sbricoli had had typhoid. There were thus
five cases Of typhoid in the Cross River camp
one of the patients living at Cross River. but
working in the camp.
It was acknowledged by an engineer familiar
with the conditions at the camp that last fall
before the freeze up Italians frequently contain
mated the meadow near Beaver Dam Brook,
which flows by the well which supplies Katonah
with water. The Katonah Water Department in
emergencies pumps water from the brook, or
did so before the typhoid outbreak
When the Katonah reservoir, on the hill back
OF the village. was cleaned out eighteen inches
of deposit was found IN the bottom OF the big
tank. This was cleaned after the typhoid out
break in the village. AS The Tribune has
stated, the Katonah water supply is now abso-
lutely pure But while there was typhoid in
the Cross River camps, the vicinity of Beaver
Dam Brook was being polluted by the Italian
laborers and the freeze up prevented the poliu-
ton from being washed away. There was
heavy rain which washed the pollution into the
brook from the frozen surface.
DR. Darlington said 10 a Tribune reporter that
the condition of the water supply at katonah
AT this time was no criterion of what il might
have been six weeks or two months ago He
said that the typhoid in the village came from
the camp cases. The milk supply had been eX-
amined Immediately after the cases In katonah
were discovered. 1t was found TO be pure.
The Board of Health had not been informed
Of the cases Of typhoid in the Cross River camps.
The Water Department expressed ignorance
when questioned. When Water Commissioner
O'Brien was asked about the epidemic ne said
that typhoid at Katonah could not possibly af-
feet the water supply Of this city. AT the same
time he had ordered his men in the watershed
TO redouble their vigilance and they are sttll
making daily examinations in cooperation with
the Health Department officials.
One of the city officials told a reporter for The
Tribune two weeks ago that If this citys supply
of water were affected by the katonah and
Cross River cases It would be within ten days
of that time. II within ten days when
typhoid began TO increase I'm this city. The in
crease began where he said il would first be
manifested, and it is creeping 10 the lower
districts Of this city. II is believed In official
circles that the increase Of typhoid In this city
IS due to the Katonah and Cross River camp
cases and that the utmost vigilance will be nee
essary 10 stamp II ont. Furthermore, the boil
ing of all water used for drinking purposes in
this city IS urgently advised.