The Washington herald., 1910-10-03
MEDICINE AND WATER.
Interest In Restoration of Wells
Continues 10 Grow.

| the stress Of specially hot weather ana
the desire for a drink OF cool water, such
as the wells only could furnish
The kind regards OF the people In the
northeast for the oldest Inhabitants
Association" IN its generous appeal to the
Commissioners OF the District Of Column
bla for opening the wells to public use is
appreciated beyond the sower of language
to fully explain
The people who congregate In the parks
on hot. scorching days are forced 20 drink
the warm. sickenipg tasted water from
the public fountains. while they think OF
the wells. The suffering for want OF cool
water is intensified by the fact that the
public has no place 10 secure it since the
wells were closed.
Natures call for water never has been
and never can be satisfied by any substi-
tute made by man.
Even the man at the bar who takes his
whisky straight" rushes 10 the water
supply 10 quench the IRE within.
The pedestrian on the street has suf-
fered for want OF water which he could
formerly secure at the city pumps In
many places on the streets.
The fact comes home TO every travelling
man. at home or abroad, he must have
water. WBere can he md il in the
streets OF Washington?
The first settlers and enigrants in any
| locality proceed at once TO secure a water
| supply for man and beast. either by dig
ging wells or rom springs.
II was so in crossing the plains to Cali
fornia. II will always remain the same
after the plains are settled. for nature
cannot be perverted, however much the
! attempt may be made, even in Washing
ton.
The wells of Egypt and the wells Of
Washington were synonymous with mans
necessities; but the wells of Egypt still
remain in use, while the wells of Wash
ington remain only in memory.
Oh. Commissioners Of me District OF
Columbia, how long shall the memory
continue 10 haunt Us, your suffering sup
plants?
Conditions and facts have shown that
the closing OF the wells in this city was
an experiment not justified in the at
tempted suppression OF typhoid fever
There are more cases OF typhoid fever
new, according to the published reports
from the health Office. than ever before.
Typhoid fever has been steadily on the
increase since the wells were closed.
This is conclusive proof that the pure.
medicinal property OF the water was the
responsible agent in holding in check the
advances Of that terrible disease.
A. al
the counteracting agency in the water
withheld the typhoid fever. which had no
opposition but the drug remedy land who
shall say that did not feed III had full
swing against all opposition.
The medicinal properties of water from
the days OF Prlesnitz 10 the present have
been deliberately sustained in treatment
Of disease In numerous water cure in
stltutes in this country, 10 the admiration
Of the medical world.
The water supply OF nature IS the free
gift from the Almighty wherever the sun
shines. except in Washington.
The District OF Columbia, by It's act OF
closing its wells 10 the use Of its people.
some OF which were dug perhaps before
they the Commissioners were born, and
had done good service for the people re-
pudiates the kindness of God 10 the crea-
lures he has made on the tndefensible
plea OF dictatorship-we know best, We
rule in Washington; we'll water is no
good for Washington people This. in ef-
feet, was the enforced verdict OF the
board of health. which closed the wells
TO the people and cut of the cool water
supply
This verdict is still ranking without a
palliating condition in It's vicious and IN
called-for injustice as the days go by for
an innocent people.
II is no infrequent occurrence 10 read
OF water starvation. oecasioned by ship
wreck or some dire disaster.
But water starvation on dry land,
with its famous water supply suppressed
by the official destruction Of the wells in
the Capital City of the nation, is a condi-
ton as unnatural as it is uncalled for
This decision by the board Of health
pleased the brewers, as the want OF cool
water necessitated a cool substitute tenn
porarily at times, which the hod carrier
felt compelled to relieve by visits to the
saloon. 10 the deuiment Of himself and
family.
1t sometimes happens that even official
verdicts are misleading. and serious mis-
takes occur TO the people unable to pro-
tect themselves.
For instance. experience has demon
strated in the closing of the Washington
wells, and thereby shutting off the me-
ldicinal properties the water Of these wells
contained for holding typhoid fever in
check, has been a disastrous experiment
for the people of the city of Washington,
10 the benefit of the brewers in the boun-
tiful harvests they have reaped from the
necessities of those who felt themselves
forced to use their goods
If there were no drinking fountains on
the streets for horses Washington would
yell itself hoarse for cruelty to animals
But 1t was not considered cruelty to the
people by the Commissioners when they
closed the wells that had furnished such
excellent water for the previous genera
tons. and were in quite as excellent con-
ditiOn to continue the service for other
generations. Not only TO continue the
water supply. but also 10 hold typhoid
fever in check, as in the olden days.
A. NJ. BROWN.
The British Board OF Trade has ap-
pointed a departmental committee 10
make inquiry into the question of color
blindness among people employed in re-
sponsible positions in the merchant serv-
ice or on fishing vessels. tor ascertain
ing what alterations are desirable in