Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1911-08-04

That three-quarters of the typhoid deaths are
due to water Mr.. Hazen himself declares. That
three-uuarters is referred to in the first para
graph of this article as 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 year
after year."
The way to save that three-quarters, then, is
by being careful which in this case means by
providing pure water. AS Mr.. Hazen puts it,
"By fltering all the water supplies of the inn
portant cities of the country, and by institut-
ing other necessary sanitary reforms"
As proof of this let us see wnat has happened
to the death rate in those localities that have
purified their water supplies. The typhoid rate
of Rensselaer, for ten years averaged 61.9 per
100000 population In 1908 after the water was
filtered it fell to 80. Hudson changed from
Hudson river water to a purer supply, and the
rate fell from 59.2-the ten-year ayerage-to
Ill. Poughkeepsies rate used to average liz.
In 1907 the filtration plant was improved. and
the rate fell to 345. In Albany the ten-year
average before filtration was S8.8 Since fltra-
ton the tenyear average has been 222.
In Pennsylvania, Pittsburg had typhoid
rate according to Health Director E. r. Wal
ters that from 1901 to 1907 averaged 1877. In
1907 the city spent $6500000 for a filter sys-
tenn. During the three years since, the typhoid
rate has been 31.9-a decrease of more than
Is per cent
Chicago affords an even more striking exam
pie of the benefit of purifying the water supply
In 1891 Chicago's typhoid rate 1913 per
100000, the highest average typhoid rate in the
civilized world Chicago purified it's water by
building it's wonderful drainage canal to keep
its sewage out of Lake Michigan. In 1903 Chi
cagos typhoid rate was 156-a reduction Of 81
per cent.
Excellent as these achievements are, there is
a possibility of even greater reduction in the
typhoid rate.
The methods of water publication various
Undoubtedly filtration first; but fltra-
ton is not infallible.
Another method Of purificatlon Is the use Of
huge storage reservoirs. Water is poor me-
dunn 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
8 to days. In others germs lived a month.
In very cold water mortality is rapid"
Hence if water can be impounded in large
reservoirs and held for time, 1t tends to purify
iteslf.
Sewage disposal is fully as important as wa
ter purification-that is, for any purpose except
the saving of human life. III property is at
stake it is indispensable.
The problem of clean water is evidently not
a. difficult one to solve. No nation has finer
supply of water than we have.
At the least you can 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 or brass pipes with
in the house. House filters are plentiful but
few of them efficient They are merely
strainers. Don't put ice in your water 1t may
contaminate it. Your great safeguard is is boil
ing your water. Particularly is this necessary
in the late winter when typhoid epidemics so
often break out