The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-08-13
Typhoid Fever at Moorestown.

weeks there have been reported over thirty
cases, and the end does not seem to be Ii
sight.
Rigid investigation was made as 30 tn
cause and it is thought the milk suppl,
from one dairy was mainly responsible TO
the terrible affection. A man nance
Kensler, working on one of the larges
diaries near Moorestown, was In boo
health but was able to go about. II
attributed his feelings to the heat Whel
the typhoid fever broke out the blood o
this man was examined and 1t was dis
covered that he was a carrier" of tn,
disease, that he had typhoid fever and diC
not know it. The fact that nearly ever,
person attacked with the fever was con
sumner of milk from the farm wher,
Kensler was employed lends to the i'm
preston that the milk was the cause o.
the outbreak
But the water that is furnished Moores
town people is not above suspicion. Al
analysis has shown 1t to be impure to 6
great degree and that filter that Is In use
is not very valuable. The water has beer
condemned. 1t is possible that the milk
cans from the dairy have been washed
with this impure water.
Aroused by the condition of affairs the
Village Improvement Society called a
meeting for last evening and at O'Clock
the town hall was packed, with many out
side unable to gain entrance. The meet
Ing was presided over by George DeCou,
who said 1t was not meeting of that or
ganization but town meeting, at which
the people were to be free to give express
sion to their views. 1t was but fair to say
that none of the cases of typhoid fever
had been traced to the water supply, and
1t was an instance of no one person to be
blamed. While there was no doubt about
the milk supply being the cause of the
outbreak, yet 1t had been shown conclu-
sively that the source of the water supply
Of the town is not pure. This meeting
was for the purpose of discovering what
could be done to remedy that defect.
DR.. F. G.. Stroud, health inspector, was
called to the platform and gave a brief
history of the outbreak of typhoid Since
the 25th of July there have been thirty
cases with several others under suspicion.
Edward Il. Cutler, president of the
township committee and the local board
of health, told of the inspection that had
been made and of the analyses of the
town water. Pollution In great quantity
had been discovered. The condition along
the banks of the stream from which the
water is taken were filthy and there was
nothing to prevent sewage from reaching
the stream. While there was no doubt
the water company was doing its best
with the supply at It's command that
did not relieve the situation. The water
had been pronounced by the state board Of
health as unfit for use. The local board
had adopted a resolution requesting the
water company to give an answer by the
Goth of this month what would be done to
give the people better water.
At this point former Senator Robbins,
representing the water company, was
given the privilege of asking Mr.. Cutler
some questions. There was rapid cross
fire between the Senator and Mr.. Cutler. thu
former endeaYoring to show that the watel
Is In no worse shape than 1t was years
ago and that no complaint was then mad,
and the water company was not notified
that there was anything wrong. Senator
Robbins started out wrong. He evidently
thought the meeting was called for tn,
purpose of condemning the water com
pany and his attitude and the manner II
which he put his questions was strongly
resented, applause and Kisses being giver
at different points.
Chairman Decou raped for order NOR
than once and:requested the audience tt
refrain from manifestations of approva
or disapproval. and finally suggested tina
he could not see what good was to result
from all this questioning. He though
If Mr.. Robbins would get down to bust
ness and tell what the water compan
proposed to do 1t would facilitate matters
The Senator then stopped his question
ing and gave forcible address. He sal
this agitation on the water question was
reflection upon the honor and integrity o
the men In charge of the management @
the water company. They had tried an
are still endeavoring to do everything t.
give the town the best water that can b
obtained. The reports from the state al
thorities had been good and the attentio
sf the company had never been called I
the conditions which have recently bee
made public until the outbreak of til
fever, which was not due to the water
a recent meeting of the organization
resolution had been adopted to install art
sian wells, provided the iron and other d
posts could be taken care of so as to mai
the water fit to use. There was no a
tempt to deny the fact that water eoul
be obtained through these wells, but the
was a question whether it would be fit fl
use after it was obtained. Mr.. RobbiI
made the assertion that in all the years
the life of the water company not cal
of typhoid fever had been traced to tn,
source.
Morris Linton took exception to this r
mark. In 1907 1t was known that tails
berry pickers living along the banks
the stream were sick with the fever an
there were two cases In town that We,
which undoubtedly we're communicate
| through the water.
Elwood G. Worrell, another represent
tive of the water company, took the pls
form and told of some of the experiment
that are to be tried with the idea of il
proving the water. He was questioned |
George NJ. Wells on several points al
was considerably tangled before he s
down.
Herman Conrow spoke of the filtratiC
plants and water systems in many place
He cited the Torresdsle plant which
furnishing Delaware river water to Il
people of Philadelphia. Mr.. Conrow d
not place much faith In mechanical hlte