Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-11
PHILLIPS FINDS FAULT
WITH RECENT INQUIRY
Conclusions Held to Be at Variance
With Credited Opinion.
FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SURVEY
If Department of Agriculture Is
Sustained District Will Take Up
Distinction of Disease
Bearing Sewage.

thorough Investigate to determine
whether the oyster beds of the Potomac
river are infected with sewage pollution
ma be undertaken by the public health
and marine hospital service.
Alarmed py the recent report of the
Department of Agriculture to the effect
that examinations conducted by the de-
partment indicated that oyster beds this
side of Blackstone Island polluted.
District of Columbia officials have be-
come interested in the matter and Asa +.
Phillips superintendent of sewers of the
District. has recommended To the public
health and marine hospital service that
il conduct q Meteorological survey of
The river
If the survey is made and the state
ments contained in the Department of
Agriculture report are cOrrOborated, the
local sewer office. it is announced. imme-
diately Will take up the question of dis
injecting the Districts disease-bearing
sewage that empties into the river.
Has Been Studying Subject.
For some lime Mr.. Phillips has been
studying the subject of sewage disposal
n the Potomac with reference to it's eff
feet upon the healthfulness of oysters
taken from the lower beds Of the river.
In his annual report. submitted to the
District Commissioners today, he dis
cusses the subject at length.
Reference is made in the report to the
examinations of the Department of Agri-
culture. which were made in March and
May of this year. and upon which, he
states. surprising conclusions were
based" The conclusions drawn by the
experts conducting the examination are,
he points out. lat variance with all cred
tied opinion as to the resanitation of river
waters.
1t is known that Mr.. Phillips considers
Washington much better off than other
cities with respect to the effect of its
sewage upon the healthfulness of oysters
shipped TO il from the nearest supply
nations made by the Department of Agri-
culture are insufficient upon which to
base the conclusions drawn.
Matter Should Be Sifted.
"A meteorological survey of the river
may result in substahtiating the claims
advanced" said Mr.. Phillips. but the
matter should be sifted TO the bottom and
no stone left unturned to get at all the
facts in the case.
The public health and marine hospital
service is giving serious consideration to
the recommendation. it is understood
and. il survey is conducted, II will be
an exhaustive one.
In his report the sewer department. Off
cial says:
Attention has been given to the sub
ject of sewage disposal in the Potomac
river with reference to its effect on the
healthfulneSs of oysters taken from the
beds Of the lower Potomac, from 60 to 1Oo
miles below Washington.
While il is recognized that the river
carries an appreciable load of organic
POLLUTION from communities above Wash
ington, and receives considerable addl-
tier thereto from numerous communities
below Washington and nearer the oyster
beds. yet. as the largest user OF the river
for sewage disposal. it appears advisable
to thoroughly investigate the subject
''To this end all available data as to
sewage discharge and the location of
oyster beds have been mapped and early
in the year the subject of thorough
meteorological survey of the river was
taken up with the public health and
marine hospital service, with the sugges-
ton that this survey should be system
aticalIy carried on through at least one
year with weekly examinations or often
or. and that the District would undoubt-
eddy afford all assistance possible in this
work.