The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-02-05
Latest Samples Sent in Show a
Clean Bill of Health.
CLOSE WATCH ON THE LIQUID
What State Board Has to Say OF Man
ksto and the Epidemic OF Last
Summer, Praise Work.
From Saturdays Daily


Health Officer Bjelland has received
word from the state board OF health
that the last samples of the city wa
ter, which were sent III ten days OF
two weeks ago for analysis, were an
right. absolutely pure, and lar ahead
of the usual deep arteslan well water
which is considered the purest posi-
bile water supply. Dr. BJeliand VIII
take more samples and forward them
Feb |, as he is having the water
tested each month, and has been
since last fall. No typhoid fever case
has occurred rs result of drinking
the city water since last August, OF
six months ago.
CITY Engineer Wilson examines the
water every day and visits the pump
inc station daily, Pumping Station
Engineer LEM watches the water all
of the time. and DR.. Bjelland examines
it three times day, besides the
monthly tests. Besides this close
watch OH the water. the source OF
supply has been made so that contain
nation will be impossible. The wells
have been connected up directly with
the pumps. and the cisterns around
them are used now "a manholes, by
means of which the outside of the
pipes can be examined. and there is
no possible chance for infection. Peo-
pie who are interested in the water
supply are invited to call at the
pumping station and see what has been
done the past few months to safeguard
the purity of the supply.
Dir. Bjeland states that since Nov.
] very few contagious eases of any
kind have occurred in the city.
Report of State Board.
The biennial report of the state
board of health to the legislature,
made few days ago, contains a
good deal about the typhoid fever sit
uation in Minnesota, and among
other things says, under this heading:
The typhoid fever situation has
been given special prominence by the
epidemic at Mankato during the sum-
mer of 1908, which resulted in a
total of 432 cases between July I
and Oct. ), with thirty deaths. There
were also seventy cases with four
deaths in twenty five other districts
of the state due to Mankato infection.
The history of this Mankato epidemic
is especially interesting A sudden
epidemic of diarrhoea to the prediction
of probable typhoid fever epidemic
later. Unfortunately the prediction
came true. However, the typhoid fever
epidemic was fortunately under the
careful supervision of the city health
commissioner assisted by the state
board of health from beginning to
end. OF the 432 cases, 39l were pri-
mary and Al secondary. This is suffi.
cient evidence as to the thoroughness
observed in dealing with this cpl
demic
Epidemic at Breckenridge.
"In strong contrast with the Man
kato experience was the typhoid
fever epidemic at breckenridge and
Wahpeton. tThese two cases must
be considered together because The
hospital at Breckenridge took care Of
many of the Wahpeton cases.) The
typhoid fever infection at Brecken
ridge-W ahpeton was undoubtedly from
Fergus Falls sewage. This epidemic
began November, 1906. and continued
until April. 1907. No special SAM
tary attention was given to it. Tn
state board of health learned of it
existence by accident in March, 1907
During this epidemic there were abou
700 cases; 800 of these were primary
400 secondary cases. This large mum
Der of secondary cases contrasted witt
the small number of secondary case
at Mankato is a fair illustration
of the difference between careful sani
tary supervision and no sanitary su
pervision. Still further, the primar.
cases in Mankato received their infec
ton within practically one week, Will
the primary infection at Breckenridge
Wahpeton extended over period o
made when the disease first appeare
to shut off further infection throug
the water supply.
while these two epidemics G
typhoid fever have been taken fo
illustrative purposes, it is fact tina
the disease is very general through
out the entire state. 1t has existe
i'll other cities and villages, in minin:
railroad and lumber camps, in thresl
ing crews and on farms. The genera
infection emphasized the need of great
Ell sanitary control of the disease.
The Loss to Mankato
"A loss of $685. 40 has been con
puted for MankatO's experience.
she had not had the cooperation
the state board of health and ha
not carried out systematic campaig
of education, using the daily paper
public meetings, trained nurses, etc
and if a protective mechanism ha
not been most promptly and efficientl
developed as soon as the danger wa
seen, it is fair to suppose that he
experience would have been simils
to that of Breckenridge and Wahp'
ton. Allowing for her greater populs
ton. she would have had $50 primal
I