The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-24

Ne"' months have noticed that tho
""'er "nich has come to my own home
'"s ip. oeen as clear as formerly, and
i an, told that this has probably heen
que TO an effort to economics !, ~
use OF aium | most earnestly rccom
ihend that at all times there bo ,dLad
10 our water whatever amount Of aim,
may be necessary to secure water , 9
e.ear AS can possibly be obtained and
an! circumstances it is found
'h"t inc amount of alum which l..
necessary TO produce this rcsul, is
Ereater than can be taken care Of h,.
me aikalinity of the water, that nro-
VISION be made for the addition -,
SODIUM carbonate along with the al,m
:. AS final precaution. recon-
,' .nat provision be made for add
ing chloride of lime to our watar
either as a regular procedure or ne an
emergency measure
believes Water Caused II
Since taking these matters nm Will,
you last week. there has arisen an al
u''ional reason for all the above we
nave at the present time forty-eirbt
cases of typhoid fever in tho citv
nile II is certain that not All ~
.hese are due to our water SUNNY I
nave stronE reason for believing tina
+" coHsiuerabie number OF these cases
are IN all proba bility so caused will
not In this communication enter into
ali my reasons for believing this !
VIII only say that we have more ~
phoio FEVER In the city at the present
tine than we have had at the same
season for number of years. II is
especiaiiy TO be noted that large pro-
r.; .oI oi 'hese eases are in that sec
tion OF the city west of Ninth Street
anu lying between Broad and Main
StFeets. This section has been almost
completely spared from typhoid fever
ever since this department began i,s
active campaign against this disease
MOST OF this section is supplied from
our nigh pressure service and believe
mat our water supply has been largely.
II not solely. responsible for our nres'
ehl cases in this territory
ms mas nothing whatsoever to do
win the recent bad taste and odor in
our water which. as above mentioned
were caused by an entirely harmless
'nicroscopic vegetable growth. The
recommendation above made will com
pletely safeguard us from any further
trouble
several of the foregoing recommen
datiohs have been at one time or an
other recommended by the Superinten-
dent of the Water Works In this con
nection desire to state that the Super
lntendent of the Water Works has al
ways shown every desire to follow all
recommendations made by the Heoith
department. and has actually followed
them In every instance where il was
in his power TO do so.
Stntc Bonrd Approves.
III seems To me highly desirable that
the Health Department should always
ne consulted before any important
change is mace in connection with ON.
water supply-such. for example as
the change above discussed in connec
tlon with pumping into the high pres
sure service directly from the coapu
lating basins instead of from the New
reservoir. Such matters as his are
mighty important from the STANDPOINT
or public health. and should i'm every.
instance have the approval of the
Health Department before being put
into operation
may mention that | have discussed
all the above with DR.. A. w. Freeman
Assistant State Health Commissioner.
and he most heartily agrees with ali
the above conclusions and recommcn-
Honor take all possible steps for seeing
that the above recommendations are
put into effect. All OF them will cost
the city some money, and the recon-
mendation relating to the electrical
operation of all gates at our puritica-
ton plant will probably cost "A consid-
cradle sum. nevertheless believe that
any amount which is involved will be
money we'll spent.
Very truly yours.
(Sgncd) r.. G. LEVY
Chief Health Officer