The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1909-05-20
uNsANITARY CONDITIONS.
Water Supply in Many Gases Found
Unnecessarily Polluted.

Water Supply in Many Gases Found
Unnecessarily Polluted.
EFF. Pernot. Oregon Agricultural College.
Corvallis.
The condition in which / find water
received from various parts of the state
warrants my calling the attention of
the public to the unsanitary conditions
which must exist surrounding their
water supply. Some samples of water
taken in sterile bottles under asceptic
precautions, contain as hieh as So, $50
germs per cubic centimeter "a teaspoon
holds about five cubic centimeters of
water and an ordinary drinking glass
about 225 cubic centimeters). A glass
full of such water would therefore con-
tain IA, 305, 500 living germs. While
it is true that many varieties of these
germs are not directly disease produc-
ing, the continued introduction of such
large quantities Of them into the sys-
tenn lowers vitality and increases sus-
ceptibility to the disease producing
types when they gain access to the
body. Water containing so many or
| ganisms carries also, in solution, the
ptomaines from the putrefaction of the
organic matter in which they grew.
I These large number of organisms gen
orally find their way into open wells by
surface drainage and where they can
pass, so may the disease producing
| types pass also.
The waters from driven wells are
comparatively free from organisms.
| An open well is an abomination and is
not in keeping with our present under
standing of the laws of sanitation.
The question arises, how can we bet
ter our condition. Where a we'll is the
only means of obtaining water, let il
be dug to the water bearing stratum,
wall it up with brick laid in cement
for ten feet, arch it over with the
pump pipe and arch well cemented in,
fill the remainder of the hole, which
may be Is TO 20 feet, with clay well
tramped down and the result will be a
bottomless brick jug, deep under
ground, into which no surface water,
worms nor animals can penetrate. The
water from such a well is as pure as
can be obtained from the locality in
which it is situated.
There are many families living il
the country who should enjoy the best
of health, but who are always ailing
The cause of i'll health may, as a rule,
be traced to their use of polluted watei
produced by the unsanitary condition
of their surroundings. But few homes
have proper drainage from sinks anC
baths, dish water is thrown out of thu
back door on the ground near the well
garbage is similarly disposed of to de
compose and drain into the well. Wasl
water containing filth that would no
be tolerated on the clothing is ais
emptied on the ground to drain int
the well. Most of the open wells stu
ated near the house OF barn are bu
cesspools. 1t is the lowest point il
its vicinity into which liquids drain
Frequently privy is located within I
; stones throw of an open well. Wher
; the water table rises to the surface o
the ground. as it always does during
the winter in Western Oregon, all sur
face water is contaminated, and, as tn
water level lowers, the open wells be
come reservoirs for the drainage.
!, The ordinary stone or brick wall o
an open well only serves the purpos'
of preventing the caving in of tn
earth and in no sense acts as a filter
We have received samples of waite
from open wells, situated near barn
yards or dwellings, which were loade'