The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-08-19
Hints on Sanitary Methods.

Prof. u. l.. Pernot, q. A. q.
The condition In which | find
water received from various parts Of
the state, warrants my calling the at
tention of the public to the uns8ni.
tary conditions which must exist
surrounding their water supply,
Some samples Of water taken in ster.
lie bottles under aseptlc precautions,
contain as nigh as 63,5S0 germs per
cubic oentimeter "a drinking glass
about 225 cubic oentimeters). A
glassfu of such water would there.
fore contain IA, 305, 800 living germs.
While true that many varieties Of
these germs are not directly disease
producing, the continued introduc
tion of such large quantities of them
into the system lowers vitality and
increases susceptibility to The disease
producing types when they gain ao-
cess to the body. Water containing
80 many organisms carries also, in
solution, the ptomaines from the
putrefaction of the organic matter IN
which they grew. These large nun
ber of organisms generally find their
way into open wells Ey surface drain
age and where they can pass, 30 may
the disease producing types pass
also.
The waters from driven wells are
comparatively free from organisms.
An open we'll is an abominatiOn and
Is not in keeping with our present
understanding of the laws of saui
tation.
The question arises how can we
better our condition. Where the
we'll Is the only means of obtaining
water, let it be dug to the water bear.
ing stratum, wall 1t up with brick
laid In cement, for ten feet, arch it
over, with the pump, pipe and arch
we'll oemented in, fill the remainder
OF the hole which may be fifteen to
twenty feet with clay we'll tramped
down and the result Will be bottom
less brick jug, deep under ground,
into which no surface water. worms
nor animals can penetrate The |
water from such we'll Is as pure IN
can be obtaiued from the locality in
which 1t Is situated.
There are many families living IN
the country who should enjoy the
best of health, but who are always |
ailing. The cause of i'll health may,
as a rule, TO traced to their use of
polluted water produced by the un
sanitary condition of their surround.
ings. But few homes have proper
drainage from sinks aud baths; dish
water ia thrown out OF the back door
on the ground near the well, garbage
is similarlysdisposed of to deoompoae
and drain In to the we'll. Wash
water containing tilth that would
not be tolerated on the clothing IL
also emptied on the ground to drain
into the we'll. Most of the open wells
situated near the house or barn are
but oesspools. 1t is the lowest point
In this vicinity into which liquids
drain.
Frequently privy is located with,
In a stones throw of an open we'll.
When the water table rises to the sur
face of the ground, as it always does
during the winter in Western Oregon,
all surface water is contaminated,
and, as the water level lowers, the
open wells become reservoirs for the
drainage.
The ordinary stone or brick wall OF
an open we'll only serves the purpose
of preventing the caving in of the
earth, and in no sense acts as a filter
We have received sample of water
from open wells, situated near barn.
yards or dwellings, which were load
ed with organisms that are instru
mental in deoomposing manure. The
samples gave strong reactions OF am.
monia by chemical analyses and we're
even tinted with the color OF liquid |
manure. One particular sample was
thus polluted from q flower bed near
the house, the flower bed having been
heavily manured,
In localities where the water is
piped into the house and there is no
sewer, the toilets should be connected
with properly constructed septic