Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-10-08
State MAKES
FAVORABLE REPORT

atories of the State department of
health at Philadelphia. and nutwith-
standing the presence of sewage in the
river, is found to possess reasonable
degree of purity. Physicians who have
examined the report OF the laboratory
agree that the filtered water is quite
up to the average city supply in pur-
ity. This is especially reassuring as
the test WAS made at time when the
river was at the lowest point known
and sewage from the hospital was con-
sequently factor to be dreaded.
In his communication to the trustees
of the hospital for the insane dated
August "a, DR.. Dixon stated that it
was the intention of the department
of health to collect samples of the raw
water and the filtered water of mum
icipalities and to watch the operation
of the system; that. if in the opinion
of the commissioner OF health. the
plant or any part # the water works
system, is pref judiclAl to public health,
then such remedial measures would be
taken as the commissioner of health
might suggest or approve.
In view of the above Mr.. Grier as
one of the trustees of the State hospit-
al for the insane, addressed DR.. Dixon
in behalf of the citizens of the bor-
ough of Danville. explaining that we
receive our water supply direct from
the river, at a point 4500 feet below
where the sewage of the hospital is
emptied into it. In addition, it was
explained, at that time the river was
low beyond precedent, which seemed
to add to the danger and made great
many people afraid to use the water.
Mr.. Grier asked the department of
health TO authorize our water commits
soners to. forward to it samples of our
borough water taken in the raw state.
before entering the filter bed, and aft
er passing through the same. If such
examination should show an absence
of any substances in the filtered water
deleterious to the public health. it was
urged, our citizens would be reassur.
ed.
Mr.. Grier received favorable reply
from DR.. Dixon, who had referred Mr.
Grier's letter to +. Herbert Snow,
chief engineer.
Chief Engineer Snow on September
% sent six 4-ounoe bottles to Mr.. Grier
to be used in making the collection of
water for hacteriologi tests, togeth-
er with minute instructions how to
proceed TO prevent the water from be-
coming contaminated and rendered
unfit for examination. The fingers of
the persons handling the samples, un-
der no circumstances. were to be per-
mitted TO touch the inside of the neck
Of the bottle or the cone of the stop.
per- In sampling surface water it was
recommended that the bottle be plung
fore removing the stopper and allow
ing the bottle to fill
In filling the bottles every precau-
tion recommended was carried out
Bottles Nos. and 2, as marked on
tags were samples of water taken from
the exits from the two [ilter tanks or
beds.
No 3 was taken from water in the
filter room just before it passes into
the filtering tank.
No 4 was taken from the river i'm
mediately over the intake wells and
supply pipes.
Nos. . and & were taken from faucets
in Mr. Grier's residence, one of them
being on a dead end" pipe in the
carriage house.
Pursuant to instructions the samples
of water were sent to the laboratories
of the department of health at Phila-
delphia, where the archaeological tests
were made. The bottles used were of
the four ounce size with glass stop
pers. Before being used each was boil
ed fifteen minutes to destroy all spores
or germs that they might contain
After being filled the shoppers were
securely tied in and they were packed
in ice and shipped to the laboratory
] by express.
On Friday afternoon the report was
received from the laboratories 1t was
as follows:
Mr.. l. X. Grier, Danville, Pa.
My Dear Sir:-The samples of wat
er received for the laboratories on
the Gath inst. have been examined, the
result being as follows;
| No. l. Exit from filter bed, total
number OF bacteria in l cubic cent?
meter, 95. No bacilli coli found in /
cubic centimeter.
No. 2. Exit from filter bed, baceria
in cubic centimeter, 40. No bacilli
coli found in l cubic centimeter
No. 3. Bacteria in l cubic cent?
meter, 100. Bscilli coli found in l
cubic centimeter, 8.
No. A. Bacteria in one cubic cent?
meter, 100. No bacilli found in one
cubic ceptimeter.
/ No. 5. Bacteria in l cubic cent?
meter 10. No bacilli coli found in /
cubic centimeter.
No. 6. Bacteria in 1 cubic cent?