The evening star and Newark advertiser., 1907-07-18
PUTS BLAME ON
H O S P 1T AL
OFFICIALS
fcontinued from First pase.3


was inquired into by George W. Nc
Guire, chief inspector of foods.
2. The water supply Of the institu-
ton was inquired into by r. B. F'itz-
Randolph, director of the State Lab
oratory of Hygiene.
8. Inquiry as to the existence of the
cases and inspection of the grounds.
buildings, etc, was made by DR..
Mitchell.
The first case that appeared among
the inhabitants of the hospital grounds
was in the person of Edward Larson,
and up to the date of writing fifty
seven cases have been reported to the
State board. DR.. Mitchell then enum-
crates the names, ages and occupations
of all persons in and about the State
Hospital who have been attacked by
typhoid fever since the appearance of
the disease. The list includes those
reported up to July TO- The report
then continues:
The investigation of the water supply
has shown that the original source Of the
water used in the hospital was large
spring located near the water power and
upon land considerably lower than that
upon which the hospital buildings stand
Since the hospital site was purchased by
the State various buildings have been
slaughter house, a cow stable, laundry and
dwelling house. All OF these buildings ana
also three open privies are situated within
from ihe laundry has been laid within
forty feet of the spring;
The sewer In the adjoining street passes
about 300 feet from the spring. 1t was
learned that a Fceansing' process has
long been employed for the removal OF
algae from the side walls and stones on
the bottom of the spring. This process
consists in the frequent scrubbing Of the
walls and bottom of the spring with
house broom in the hands of the chief
the handling of The flthiest Of the cloth
ing of the inmates of the hospital; The
dumping place for garbage and night SOIL
Two steam pumps in the laundry and one
large water pump In the grist mill have
been used to force the spring water into
the general piping system which Is con-
nected with the stand pipe
Several years ago, when more water was
needed than G the spring g1 supplied piled a,,TeS tnreS
on the elevated ground neal. the standpipe.
and the water from two Of these wells Is
at present being pumped into the general
system. Repeated analysis of the water
from each of these. sources has given
uniform results and the figures show that
the waters from the well and spring are
n6si6 Snt COLON IN bae n one cSbc
centimeter of the water OF the spring was
observed.
Typhoid feVer mas appeared among Ine
inmates of all of the buildings except the
annex, and it appears that the piping syE-
tenn for the water supply delivers little. IL
any, Of the spring water to this building,
is 1t is located at the extreme eastern
end of the pipe line and beyond the pumps
which are attached to the wells. The hos
pital authorities discontinued pumping the
water from the spring June II, but cases
of typhoid fever continue to appear, al
though the usual incubation period of the
disease dating from the .discontlnuance of
the spring water expired July 7.
The hospital authorities have ordered
that all waters for drinking purposes shall
be drawn from the hot water pipes and
be cooled by placing vessels containing
hot water in cold water receptacles The
temperature of the hot water In the heat
ing. tanks was found to be S3 degrees F.,
bathing and kitchen uses causes 1t TO
pass through the heating tanks with con-
siderable rapidity.
A report Of an examination of water
from a hot water faucet showed that
colon bacilli was present.
Continuing the report shows the various
dairies both in and outside the hospital
from which the milk consumed at the
hospital is supplied. Referring 10 the
dairy on the hospital grounds DR.. Mitch
ellis report says:
! The dairy on the hospital grounds was
found to be conducted In an unsanitary
manner and notice drawing attention 10
certain uncleany methods In the manage
ment of this dairy was sent to the medical
superintendent June 49, The principal de-
fects In the management of this dairy to
which attention was called are as follows:
The milk cans are returned from the hos
pital kitchens in an uncean condition; the
cans are. stored In the COW stables; the
milk pals, utensils and strainers are
washed in the barnyards with no hot
water except that which is carried by hand
from the farmers dwelling. about 500 feet
distant the milk pals were found to be
infested with flies; an open privy is main
tained near the COW stables, and one of
the inmates Of the hospital is employed in
the milking Of the cows and in washing
The report Of the inspection Of the hos
pital kitchens shows that several of the
inmates are employed in handling the food.
and that no precautions are employed to
prevent access of infected files.
INQUIRIES were made concerning all arti-
cles Of food used In the institution with
negative results. The ice in use for cool
ing drinking water Is made artificially on
the premises.
The inspection of the hospital grounds
shows that ten open privies are To-
Gated in various points on the
premises and that flies have free ac-
cess to the excreta which is daily de-
tcntion OF the hospital authorities was
called to the risk of continuous infection
from these receptacles. and advice was
given that until water carriage for ex-
creta can be provided earth closets be sub
stituted. but that all human excreta which
now lies exposed should be Immediately
It has been found that the discharges
from the two children OF Joseph Dennish,
the miller, who resided in one of the
buildings in the hospital grounds, and who
are now affected with typhoid fever, are
all deposited upon the surface of the
ground in the chicken yard adjoining the
dwelling. 1t has also been learned that
Mrs. McCallion. whose husband is now in
ST. Franciss Hospital, affected with ty-
phpid fever visits the hospital frequently
and brings home his underclothing to be
washed, and that four employees who work
in the dairy barn and assist In the milk
ing, sleep In the McCallon house. Ac-
companying this report are copies. OF two
letters which have been forwarded to the
AUTHORITIES. of the hospital, dated June IS
and July Q.
Under invitation, from the chairman of
the Board of Managers Of the, hospital
Mr.. Fitz- Randolph and the Undersigned
CDR. MitchelD attended a meeting of the
board, held in the hospital July II, and
in the course of a discussion relative to
the prevention of the further. spread OF
typhoid fever on the hospital premises,
a statement was made concerning the
lines of inquiry which have been pursued
by the State Board of Health in the
effort to learn the source of the infection.
Untn the outbreak shall have entirely
ceased 1t will be entirely too early to as