Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1914-08-07
BE CAREFUL Or
DRINKING WATER
Chemist Says Typhoid Lurlxs in the
shallow Surface Wells; RECON-
mends Running Streams
P. e. Laird, Chemist, in the DaIly

P. e. Laird. Chemist. in the Daily
Oklahoman.
Are you drinker OF well water
or are you user Of city water? Is
there cases of typhoid fever in your
town or territory What is the
cause and why not remedy the evil?
In discussing the drinking waters
|of Oklahoma at this time the purpose
is to give the people an insight into
the possibilities OF the water, for the
chances OF pollution, and the means
of the removal for the Objectionable
features. This Is the time Of the
year when we must guard against
that dreaded disease, typhoid, and a
few more of less Objectionable ma
ture. All may be avoided by a little
precaution. There are several towns
at the present time where there is al
most an epidemic OF typhoid. The
cases appear much more severe this
year than In previous years. We
should take every means possible 70
prevent the contamination by typhoid
IIshall divide the waters of the state
into two classes, namely. the waters
of the city and the waters of the
rural districts. Further / shall di-
vide them into well and river water.
Having made special study Of the
waters of oklahoma, having made
very many chemical analyses of the
waters and having had chemistry
classes working on them for the past
four years feel that know the con
ditions of the wster in Oklahoma. l
feel II my duty to warn the people
of the possible contamination at this
time of the year and give them a
preventative.
shall discuss the we'll waters Of
our towns first. Is the we'll water
in our towns fit for drinking purpos-
es? Before we can answer the ques-
tion we must see what conditions ex-
list and what the chances are for poll
luton with deleteious germs. The
well waters of Oklahoma are for the
most part cool, clear, and in some
cases very soft, and you say any
thing so cool, clear, and soft must be
good for drinking purposes. Had 1t
ever occurred to you that the water
might be absolutely clear and con-
tain very many of the most danger
GUS bacteria disease germs? 1t is
true however, that the clearness is
no evidence of purity. The wells
are mostly shallow, carrying surface
water, secured locally. The water
falls from the sky as rain, soaking
into the ground, carrying with 1t the
worst sort of sewage pollution. Many
of the wells are in the low places,
where the sewage is washed from the
higher ground and has a double ad-
vantage at pollution. 1t is true that
not nearly all of the garms that enter
the ground find their way into the
wells but the possibility remains. /
will say then, that the water found
in the wells in the cities where the
population Is greater than one thou
sand is unfit for drinking purposes.
In my chemical analyses of the water
taken from wells in towns, nearly
all samples contain traces of free
and albuminoid ammonia, nitrogen
as nitrates. and nitrogen as nitrates,
those agents that show the presence
of sewage pollution. Is 1t not true
that many of the cases of typhoid
fever originate in the families that
are users of well water? l traced
seven cases in small town less than
month ago. and in each case the
family used we'll water for drinking
purposes. The chances for the well
water to become contaminated with
bacteria germs are too great for a
safe water for drinking purposes, al
though the statement is not true of
the deep wells of Oklahoma. for ev-
cry sample of deep well water anal
Iyzed, with one exception, failed to
reveal any bacterial germs.
Is the case of city waters of ok
lahoma, that are taken from our fast
flowing streams and rivers, fit for
drinking purposes? will answer
yes and give you my reason. will