The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-09-05

Cash on hand Jan 1, 1911. .$137 ,477.71
Collected during six months
prior to June 30 ........ lis 5,361.5
$252 2,s39.22
Distributed during six
prior to June 80, 1911 -. 115,361.51
County's Indebtedness
Outstanding bonds ...... .$102 10000
$242 ,3S4.50
supply is little short of ideal. The only
weak point is the possibility Of future
contamination at the power plant,
thing easily gaurded aaginst. If it
be possible this source Of supply should
be developed until it is adequate for
the needs of the town. The auxiliary
or well supply is reasonably satisfac-
tory but the other is to be preferred.
There is nothing to indicate serious
at the present time, no
evidence whatever that the water sup
piled to the town is responsible for the
cases of typhoid fever there, thing
which some of your citizens have
feared
The surroundings of the well are
far from sanitary. You should see that
the corral south of the well is kept
clean, that the manure is removed fire.
auently. that a toilet, connected with
the sewer, is provided at the livery
stable. if such is not already the case,
and used, and that neither the stable
or the corral are used by human be-
ings for toilet purposes. The hog
wallow across the street should be con-
demned as nuisance. All manure,
filthy water and Objectionable material
there should be removed and replaced
with clean, dry dirt. Do not allow it
to be covered with earth but have it
and the place kept clean and
dry in future. This is the duty of the
sanitary authorities of the town and
not of the Water company. | know
nothing of conditions in Winnemucca,
but frequently such matters are be-
yond the control of persons or cor
porations supplying water, but they
are within the control of the health
officials. Every town should assist its
Water company, in case the water
works are privately owned, in main
tanning decent, cleanly, sanitary con-
ditions in the vicinity of its reser-
voirs and wells. If the water works
are the property of the town of course
there is no question as to the re-
sponsibility of the town for the main
tenance of proper conditions. Winnie
mucca appears to be somewhat dere-
lict in its duty in this instance.
think that you will find the law gives
you ample authority in dealing with
these matters Even in the absence of
special legislation along these lines /
believe the common law gives you the
authority needed. Health officials are
given a great deal of arbitrary author
are menacing to the health of the
community.
The Prevention of Typhoid Fever.
The prevention of typhoid fever,
when reduced to its lowest terms, con-
sists of proper, efficient disposal of
human excrement, both liquid and
solid Depositing it in open vaults or
privies, practically on the surface of
th eground, is neither proper nor eff
cient disposal. Excrement from per-
fectly healthy individual will not
cause typhoid fever, even when small.
quantities are ingested with food or
drink. Neither will typhoid result
from the consumption of that from ami
mails. However, all individuals are not
healthy. We have found in recent
years that persons convalescent from
typhoid exerete the germs for some
time, a efw of them for long periods.
There are many so-called "missed
cases." mild cases of typhoid never
recognized as such as the mild form
sometimes referred to as walking
typhoids. The excreta from such in
dividuals is as dangerous as that from
persons seriously i'll with the disease,
and becomes more so from the fact
that they are not recognized as posi-
BILE foci or infection. Typhoid is alb
solutely specific in character, every
case must result from infection from
a preceding case. 1t will not spon-
originate in sewage or in
filth, contrary to the popular belief,
but filth does afford a place in which
the germs are harbored and multiplied.
every place where sew
age material is deposited from which
it NAV reach food or drink, either by
drainage or by flies or any other car
rier, becomes possible focus of in
fection. In giving an opinion as to
the fitness of water supply we do
not undertake to determine whether
typhoid germs are present in the wa
ter or not but if it gives evidence OF
fecal contamination we condemn it as
unsafe and unfit because if fecal mat
ter can reach it typhoid excreta can
also reach it, if the occasion offers. All
water and food supplies should be
carefully guarded in this respect.
Typhoid is frequently water-born as
I think is clearly shown above. How
ever we are too much inclined to look
to our water supplies to the exclusion
of other dangerous sources. Usually
in case of water-born epidemic Of
typhoid, the outbreak is explosive in
haracter-.that is considerable num-
ber of eases occur at or about the same
time. Several scattered cases in
town, occurring in an interval of sew