The Elbert County tribune., 1911-08-04

That three-quarters of the typhoid deaths are
due to water Mr.. Hazen himself declares. That
threequarters is referred to in the first para
graph of this article the fifteen thousand
needlessly slaughtered each year by polluted
water" Because, to quote Mr.. Hazen, three
quarters of the typhoid deaths could be pre-
vented, and thereby could be stopped this need
less loss of vital capital that is going on year
after year"
The way to that threequarters, then Is
by being careful. which in this means by
providing pure water AS Mr.. Hazen puts it.
by filtering all the water supplies of the i'm
portant cities OF the country, and by institut-
Ing other necessary sanitary reforms"
As proof of this let wnat has happened
to the death rate In those localities that havo
purified their water supplies The typhoid rate
OF Rensselaer, for ten years averaged 619 per
100000 population. In 1908, after the water was
filtered it fell to 30. Hudson changed from
Hudson river water to purer supply. and the
rate fell from 59.2-the ten-year average--to
III. Poughkeepsie's rate used to average 112
In 1907 the filtration plant improved and
the rate fell to 34.5. In Albany the ten-year
average before filtration ss.s. Since fltra-
tion the tenyear average has been 22.2
In Pennsylvania, Pittsburg had a typhoid
rate. according to Health Director f. r. Wal
ters that from 1901 to 1907 averaged 1877 In
1907 the city spent $6,500.OOO for a filter sys-
TEN. During the three years since the typhoid
rate has been 31.9-a decrease of more than
rs per cent.
Chicago affords an even more striking exam
pie OF the benefit OF purifying the water supply
In 1891 Chcagos typhoid rate was 1913 per
100000. the highest average typhoid rate in the
civilized world Chicago purified its water by
building its wonderful drainage canal to keep
its sewage out of Lake Michigan. In 1908 Chi
cagos typhoid rate was 15.6-a reduction of 81
per cent.
Excellent as these achievements are. there is
a oil n for
typhoid rate.
The methods Of water publication are various
Undoubtedly filtration comes first; but Ultra,
tion is not infallible.
Another method of publication is the use OF
huge storage reservoirs. Water is poor me-
dium for disease germs, and in 1t they die
quickly. To quote Mr.. Whipple again: THE
typhoid bacillus does not multiply in ordinary
drinking water On the contrary the cells die
Ultimately all the cells die. The rate
varies greatly In some experiments all died In
to days. In others germs lived month
In very cold water mortality Is more rapId"
Hence If water can be impounded In large
reservoirs and held for a time, It tends to purify
iteslf.
Sewage disposal is fully as important as wa
ter purifcation-that is. for any purpose except
the saving of human life II property is at
stake 1t is Indispensable
The problem OF clean water is evidently not
a difficult one to solve No nation has finer
supply of water than have
At the least you guard the water that
comes into your house See that you get fresh
water from the mains. and not water that has
stood for hours in the lead brass pipes with.
In the house. House filters are plentiful but
few of them are efficient. They are merely
strainers. Don't put Ice in your water. It may
contamnate It, Your great safeguard is is boil.
ing your water. Particularly is this necessary
in the late winter. when typhoid epidemics y
often break out.