The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-07-26
WATER CAUSE
OF TYPHOID
Continued from page two.)

Continued from page two.)
Der Company to effect an absolute
separation of the system of pipes for
the water from the Cascade mill pond
from the system Of pipes used for the
distribution Of city water in the mill
yards SO that there would be no pos
sibility. through human fallibility or
inefficiency of valves for the water
from the mill pond to be pun ped
into the city mains: and
"(2) TO require the Pacific Power
& Light company to subject the city's
water supply to some process of puri-
fication which would remove from
the water such dangerous contamin-
alton as. might enter it from time to
time from the constant sources OF
pollution such as privy contents
stable manure heaps, etc, along the
watershed and which drain into the
Naches river and the Wapatox canal
upstream from the intakes for the
city's water supply. On account of its
recognized efficiency, it's cheapness
its freedom from danger and the ease
and quickness with which it may be
installed, treatment of the water sup
ply with hypochlorite, of lime was
suggested as the process of purifica-
ton.
Acting on the first of these recon-
mendations the City Board of Health
on July Z, instructed the Cascade
r hny. mn NJ n
thirty days from that date. a com
plete separation of the two water sys-
TENS at tht Cascade mill yards. At d
m Getting with the City Board OF
Health on or about June 81 the man.
ager of the water company agreed
to take steps at once to install the
necessary apparatus for treating the
citys water supply with hypochlorite
of lime. I am informed that the pro-
cess has been applied to the water
which passes through the reservoir
since July g. and that treatment OF
the water which enters the conduit al
the power house on the WapatoS
canal, was begun on or about July 10
Amccable to Publication
There is no question in my mind
that this water supply is thoroughly
amenahle to publication. so far al
any contamination with typhoid
germs is concerned, by properly ap-
piled process of treatment with by
pochlorite of lime. and / regret thai
sufficient promptness in installing the
process was not exercised to enable
me to report on its efficiency at thi:
time. However, when the whole
water supply has been treated the eff
ficiency of the process can be deter
mined by the results of bacteriologi
cal examination of the waters, ant
! the county and city laboratory is nov
thoroughly equipped to make sucl
examinations.
another recommendation which
have made repeatedly, and which, il
my opinion, cannot be made too in
sistently, is the taking. of every pos
sible step to abolish as rapidly rs pos
sible the many insanitary privies
privy vaults cess pools and septi
tanks in the city and to replace then
in the several sections Of the cit.
! with sanitary water closets properl.
connected with the city sewerage sys
tenn. and to replace them in the non
severed sections with sanitary priv
! les Progress in this direction is be
| ing made, but with nothing like tn
rapidity which the urgency of the sit
uation appears to demand
| "The records for previous year
show that the season of high typhoit
fever prevalence in North Yakima i
coincident with the period of warn
summer notwithstanding usual,
| in the latter part of July. Since tn
usual period of high typhoid prevail
ence has just begun whatever is to b.
done to lessen the disease in Nortl
/ yakima for this season should be be
gun with the greatest promptnes
possible. In my opinion, the most i'm
portant single measure to be carrie,
! out 10 lessen markedly the usual higl
summer rate of typhoid fever in Nortl
Yakima is the correction of the in
sanitary privies, privy vaults, ces
| pools and septic tanks in the city s.
| that their contents will not be acces
| SIT 1t " llltS anu plIitl iiiocNIoi anu
that soil pollution with their content
will be prevented.
Rate Higher In County
The seasonal (summer) prevail
ence of typhoid fever in North Yak
ina. taken as a single fact, suggest
strongly that the greater part of tn
disease in the city year after year /
caused by infection distributed b
various agents, such as fingers, flies
foods and well-water from improper
ly disposed of human excreta in tn
city and in the immediate environ
of the city. All of the available dat
go to show that the seasonal prevail