The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1913-04-10
Barnard Telephoned City
Health Officer Today That
Water Here Contained Ty-
phoid Fever Germs.
EXPERT SENT HERE
- BY THE DEPARTMENT
Samples Will Be Taken From
Every Source of Water
Supply in the City-Vac-
cine May Be Secured. =

Unless the people of Richmond boil
all drinking water there is danger of
an epidemic of typhoid fever as the
water examined by State Chemist
Barnard this morning proved to con-
tain dangerous colon bacilli or typhoid
fever germs.
Last Monday morning the city
health officer fearing that the water
might have become contaminated
issued warning to the people asking
that they boil the water At the same
time four samples were gathered here.
labeled and sent to Barnard for chem
ical analysis. Because of similar con-
ditions existing in all parts of the state
the officials we're unable to examine
samples until today. AS soon as the
result became known Mr. Barnard i'm
mediately telephoned to DR.. Davis
from Indianapolis He sent the follow
dng message:
Contain Colon BaciIIi.
"The four samples of water sent
to me from Richmond all contain
colon bacilli and gas caused by
decomposition, which makes the
water suspicious and possibly dan
gerous. All water should be boil
ed before using until the health
department gives further notice
to the contrary. An expert will be
sent to Richmond this afternoon
to make further examination AS
to conditions there and take
samples of the water for further
4 examination"
The samples sent to the state de-
pertinent were taken from various
parts of the city. Two were taken
directly from taps as is being used by
the people of the city. One of the
samples was taken from the river at
the pump house and the other from
the Gormon water galleries.
Water Is PercuIated.
DR.. Davis explained that the gal
1eries are protected everywhere except
on top. The water furnished the city
comes from springs at Elliots mills
and Conner springs east of the city.
The water is pumped from the springs
to the pump house, from where it Is
perculated through sand and gravel to
the water galleries. The water runs
from the galleries to the pipes lead
ing to the city. The colon bacilli is
believed to have come from vaults in
New Paris or that vicinity carried to
the galleries by the overflow of high
water.
DIR. Davis said he did not believe
conditions were as alarming as to
state that there was danger of an cpl
demic from the water which people
might have used though since the
warning had been issued he
warns the community not to use any
water unless it has been boiled.
Secure More Analysis.
Additional samples will be taken by
the expert who will be sent here this
afternoon. Samples will be taken from
every source of the water as we'll as all
pipes. The water works company was
notified of conditions here and DR..
Davis urged that all dead ends be op-
ened and the water taken from them
The water in these ends does not di-
rectly supply any consumers in this
city though it might be in a condition
to contaminate the water which is sup
piled.
Typhoid fever is a disease which
does not develop until fourteen days
after the germs have been taken into
the system" said the officer. mo de-
velopments will be known which might
result from the use of the water until
next week. At present there is not
case of the disease in the city. The
last case of typhoid fever was report
ed on January 2S."
To Furnish Vaccine.
Any physician desiring typhoid vac
cine, the best known preventative of
the disease, may obtain it from VIM
Sinner, superintendent of the divis-
ion of Bacteriology and Pathology in
this state. This method of prevention
was used in the army during the mus
tering of troops on the Mexican bor-
der. Twelve thousand men were inoc-
ulated with the vaccine and only one
case of typhoid fever was reported.
During the Spanish American War the
troops were not yaccinated and many
died from the disease.
The city health officer believes there
ds a possibility that the water which is
now being supplied is pure and the i'm
pure water has all been run out of the
pipes. The examination of the sam
pies will be made as soon as they are
taken to Indianapolis and the result
will be known within forty-eight hours