The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-08-03

That thrce-quarters Of the typhoid deaths are
due to water Mr.. Hazon himself declares That
threequarters is referred to In the first para
graph Of this article as the fifteen thousand
needessly 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 save that threeuuarters. 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 I'M
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 havo
purified their water supplies The typhoid rate
OF Rensselaer, for ten years averaged 6i9 per
100000 population. In 1905 after the water was
filtered, 1t fell TO 80. Hudson changed from
Hudson river water to purer supply, and the
rate fell from 59.2--the ten.year average--to
Ill Poughkeepse's rate used to average 112
In 1907 the filtration plant was improved and
the rate fell TO $40 In Albany the ten.year
average before filtration was SIS Since Ultra.
ton the ten.year average has been 22.2
In Pennsylvania Pittsburg had n typhoid
rate, according to Health Director f. r. Wal.
tiers. that from 1901 10 1907 averaged 1877 In
1907 the city spent sG,50O0O0 for filter sys.
TEN. During the three years since. the typhoid
rate has been 3l9-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 Chicagos typhoid rate was 1898 per
100000, the highest average typhoid rate in the
civilized world. Chicago purified It's water by
building its wonderful drainage canal to keen
Its sewage out Of Lake Michigan In 1908 Chi.
Cages typhoid rate was liza reduction OF Of
per cent
Excellent as these achievements are. there ia
n possibility OF an even greater reduction In tho
typhoid rate.
The methods of water publication are various.
Undoubtedly filtration comes first; but atra,
ton is not infallible
Another method of publication is the use of
huge storage reservoirs. Water is a poor me. /
dunn for disease germs, and In II they die |
quickly. To quote Mr. Whipple again: THE
typhoid bacillus does not multiply I'm ordinary
drinking water. On the contrary the cells die
Ultimately all the cells die. The rate
varies greatly. In come experiments all died In |
3 to days, In others germs lived n month
In very cold water mortality is more rapld."
Hence II water can be impounded in large
and held for q time II tends TO purify
ltesf
Sewage disposal is fully as important rs wa,
ter purncation-that is, for any purpose except
the saving of human life. II property Is AT
stake It is Indispensable
The problem Of clean water is evidently no,
n difficult one to solve. No nation has finer
supply OF water than we have
AT the least you can guard tho 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
lew OF them are efficient They are merely
'trainers Don't put ice in your water. It may
'ontaminate It, Your ct eat safeguard is is boil
ng your water. Particularly is this necessary
IN the late winter. when typhoid epidemics SO
,ften break out.