Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-03
WATER SUPPLY PURE
CAPTAIN, cosRY's OPINION OF
------ THE POTOMAC FLUID.
Analyses, He States, Disapproves
Theory That It IL the Cause of
Typhoid Fever.

The drinking water of Washington Is
pure. ami not, as 1t is alleged. the source
of infection or pollution that causes typhoid
fever, according to a statement made by
Capt. Spencer Cosby. who is in charge or
the Washington aqueduct The exhaustive
analyses and examinations being made by
the local health department and by the ex-
perts of the United States public health and
marine hospital service will have to look
elsewhere than the Potomac water to place
the blame. he says, to discover the cause
of the typhoid fever epidemic that ragged In
the city last summer
Capt. Cosby states that he has three
chemists employed at the Washington aque-
duct who devote their time to making
chemical and meteorological analyses of the
water supply, and that the samples taken
and examined by them are from the score
or rnore-of filter beds at the plant, from the
reservoirs and at the inlet and various
points along the line of the main supply.
He states that more than forty samples of
this water are analyZed every day in the
year, and the findings are carefully record
ed and indexed SO that they can be easily
referred to. So cleverly are these results
recorded that the condition Of the water at
any particular hour or day of the year can
be Instantly determined.
Capt COSBY stated that his records show
the water supplied to the District OF CO.
lumbia during the last year to be Of the
highest standard of purity. and that 1t VIII
compare favorabiy with the best water In
any other municipality in the world. The
Iauding of the local water regarding its
purity Is not new, as he has on several
occasions in the past year. especially during
the time when the typhoid cases were most
numerous and when the health officials were
wont to point with suspicion to the water
supply, Insisted that the water was not the
cause Of the typhoid spread.
Despite the many assurances TO the con-
trary, the health officials seriously ques-
toned and doubted them. Surgeon General
Wyman of the United States public health
and marine hospital service, an expert In
such matters, was among those who doubt
ed the purity of the local water, and In
report to the Commissioners last summer he
said the facts developed at that time point
ed directly to the Potomac river water as
the principal source of typhoid infection
DR.. Wyman's Report.
In that report he stated:
1--WE have had the opportunity of study
ing the present outbreak only in its initial
phases, and hence we have not yet arrived
at final conclusions. We feel, however that
II is only just to the citizens of the District
to state that, while certain number of the
cases doubtless result from either direct or
indirect contact with previously infected
persons. the evidence so far obtained by us
strongly indicates that the principal source
of infection is the water supply of the Dis
trict."
Upon the strength OF this the Commits
sioners requested General Wyman to aid
the local authorities In the investigation by
making meteorological analyses. Although
the surgeon general began to make these
analyses more than six months ago. he has
not yet forwarded a report to the Commits
sioners upon his findings. Word has, how
ever. been received by the District ayhori-
ties that the report will be made before the
end Of thA VoAk.