The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-08-06
REPORTS WATER OF BAYOU
TEXAR VERY BADLY POLLUTED
DR.. HANSEN, BACTERIoLOGIsT
OF NOTE. SAYS THE ONLY
QUESTION rs PENSACOLA
SEWAGE SUFFICIENTLY d.
LUTED TO Battle IN?v

examination of the waters of Bayou
Texar have been received by the
Pensacola Fairgrounds COMMITTEES
from DR.. Henry Hansen, senior bac-
teriologist Of the Florida state board
Of health, who is recognized author
ity on such matters. Dr.. Hansen's
report should set at rest the question
of whether or not the waters of the
bayou are contaminated. for DR.. Han
sen in his comment on conditions
says the only question now remain
ing is: "To put it bluntly, is the
Pensacola sewage sufficiently diluted
to battle in7"
DIR. HANsEN'S FINDINGS.
The letter Of DIR. Hansen, as di-
rected to DIR. Jos. Y. Porter. is as
follows:
Jacksonville, Fla, July 90, 1915.
DR.. Joseph Y. Porter, State Health
Officer, Jacksonville, Fla.
Dear Doctor Porter: III regard to
the Pensacola bathing beach, Bay
view, on the Bayou Texar, and wheth-
er or not it is safe to battle in this
water, we have the following data
Of laboratory Investigations and ref
erences to literature on similar sub
iects.
On June 2sth DR.. Bean made 9
series of examinations which are al
follows:
Laboratory No. 2O16s, seepags
from hole dug midway between cess,
pool under bath house and edge o.
swimming pool; bacterial count pei
c, c. 100000; B. coli present l &C.
Laboratory No. 20164, swimming
hole; bacterial count per c. c. $500,
coo; D. coli preEent in / c. c.
Laboratory No. 201e5, high dive
bacterial count per c. c. 100000.
Laboratory No. 201ee, bayol
bridge; bacterial count per c. c. l,
zoo, 600; q. coli present in c. c.
Laboratory No. 20167, between
bayou bridge and railroad bridge
bacterial count per c. {. 10000,
! Laboratory No. 20160, first rang
light; bacterial count per c. c. 1,
| 100000.
Upon DR.. Drinks return from hi
vacation another series OF exanina
lions were made by him which wer
as follows:
Specimen 1000 feet from sewe
opening in bay, 1000 600 bacterii
/ per c. c. B. coli present in c. c.
] Specimen at L. & N. trsstle cross
ing Bayou Texar just inside it
mouth; 100000 bacteria per .. c. Z
coli present in | c. c.
Specimen at trestle electric ca
line further up bayou; 100000 BAG
lteria per e. {.
f Specimen taken from point direct
lily opposite bathing pavilion; 1000
0C0 bacteria per c. c. B. coli presen
i in I c. c.
! Specimen at Bayview: 100000
bacteria per G.. c.
4 Seepage from hole dug in sand o
beach between cesspool in men
dressing room and shore line: 5000
3 600 bacteria per c. c.
| Specimen at high dive: 100000 BAG
4 terra per c. c. -
i While these findings are unfavol
/ able to Bayview as sanitary bath
ing place we have no proven epi
genealogical data of diseases cor
tracted as result of bathing in thes
waters. Theoretically, it would b
dangerous to battle in Bayview. Bat
THEOLOGICAL examinations show tn
water in the Bayou Texar at tn
. swimming hole, in Pensacola bay an
along the shore near the mouth {
the Bayou Texar to be of about tn
same degree Of purity as the effluer
of the average septic tank.
The question is not to estahlis
whether or not there is sewage col
tamination but whether the prove
contamination has reached the poil
where it is dangerous to the healt
of the bathers, To put it bluntly,
the Pensacola sewage sufficiently d
luted to battle in?
Polluted water may become an il
fected water at any time. An il
fected water is one which contain
specific disease germs.
In consulting the map of the Goa
: and Geodetic Survey we find that Il
opening Of the Romano street sewe
2 known as the accessory sewer, is
water with a mean depth of abol
three feet. There is no deep watt
: between the opening of this sew,
!, and the mouth of the Bayou. It
: further noticed as pointed out by D
Kennedy. that there is bulk hes
on the east bank Of the mouth
:, the bayou which would have a TEL
: dency to defect currents of It'd
water up into the bayou. The dep
: Of the water at the mouth of Il
: bayou is about two feet, as a resu