The Detroit times., 1915-01-15
City's Health Can't be Guarded
Otherwise, Prof. Phelps
Tells Officials
IMPOSSIBLE TO PREVENT
POLLUTION OF RIVER
"HypO" Treatment Declared In
adequate-Gives Supply In
pleasant Taste, Too


Jeint Waterways commission, which
recently made report regarding the
pollution OF the Detroit river by the
dumping OF sewage, Informally discus
sed with the mayor, Health officer
Price. members OF the health board.
the water commissioners and others,
Thursday morning, the pressing need
OF purifying the city's water supply
10 safeguard the general health OF
the city. All present in the meeting,
which was held in the mayors office,
agreed with Prof. Phelps that the con-
struction of an adequate publication
plant Is imperative, and that the mat
ter should not be unnecessarily de-
layed
Mayor Marx, in his annual message,
mentioned the need OF health safe
guards, but he plainly announced that
he was not recommending purifca-
ton plant the cost of which would be
over a million dollars.
"Detroits water supply is getting
worse all the time" Professor Phelps
told the committee. You have got
to resort TO publication, because there
Is no way of absolutely stopping all
pollution OF the river water Without
filtration plant, you can get the wa
ter supply down to a condition where
is viii be safe for long time. but
IL will be similar TO what the insur-
anee men call a fire hazard--there is
likely to be disastrous outbreak at
any time.
You are now using hypochloride of
lime TO purify your water. that's true,
Al. Is a
easily fail Another thing the people
do not like 1.-THE taste is not pleas.
ant | think that the citizens of De-
troit are entitled TO pure. clean water.
Your citizens would not drink the
water that Philadelphia uses il they
saw where il comes from. That river
IS nothing but a rotten sewer. Here
you have good water and you ought TO
make Il absolutely healthful"
Theodore A. Lessen, general super
irtendent OF the water works system
Endorsed Prof Phelps remarks and
stated that the publication of the
cityts water supply must come event
ually He stated that in Louisville
ilfe installation of a publication plant
reduced the number OF typhoid fever
cases I'll per cent the first year
Health Officer Price, while agreeing
that publication OF the city's water
supply is something that the Board
al Health strongly recommends, stated
that il would not be- good policy for
the city to institute campaign for
\ filtration plant By telling the people
that 1t would stamp out typhoid fever
Il think IL would be better 10 tell
The people that publication plant
viii help TO guard against typhoid,
~ IA. q, 10. haN han a a
VIII eliminate the disease" said DR.
price. Two years ago. lag typhoid
cases were reported TO the board. as
against II in 1914 We are constant
ly working to decrease the number of
u typhoid fever cases, not all OF which
can be traced TO the water supply
For instance, from July |, 1914, TO
Dec. 81, we had "a cases, % of which
we're imported from outside the city
limits The milk supply and certain
industrial conditions have also been
the means of spreading typhoid. Let
us tell the people what TO expect,
rather than promise them something
we cannot do"
DR.. c. g. Jennings, former member
OF the health board, declared that
there Is at present too much typhoid
in the city. He stated that evidence
Of water pollution is to be had and
that the records show the number OF
typhoid cases TO be excessive. He
said the city's death rate from typhoid
ought to be between three and four
per 100000 OF population.
II know that the Board OF Health
has been investigating the matter,
but do not think the boards con-
clusions are correct" said Or. Jen-
nings, who was inclined to differ with
Dr. Price
Andrew H. Green added his voice
~ tes the general argument for a purifi
cation plant. Figuring the valuation
OF human life at $4,000 he said thSt
the installation of publication plant
would pay as business proposition,
10 say nothing about the humanitarian
side Of II.
DR.. Fred Clippert and James T
n Wlkie, railway commissioner and
former water commissioner, Water
Commissioners George Lane and Rob
ert Oakman, Charles II. Oakman
member OF the Board OF Health and
others spoke in favor OF a publication
plant.
In answer to questions by ID. p. w.
Commissioner George II. Fenkell, for
! mer engineer IOT the water DOarO,
J Prof. Phelps said that proper purifica
ton OF the water supply not only de-
N creases typhoid, but also reduces the
number OF deaths from other diseases
such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and
infant complaints.
Impure water devitalizes people
ard breaks down the natural resist
ance TO disease" he said. 'In refer.
ence TO softening the water, | can say
that the money saved on soap waste
IS more than the cost OF softening the
water. to say nothing OF the industrial
saving"
Regarding the pollution of the wa.
ter with sewage Prof. Phelps said Il
N was not the intention OF the interna
Il Hional commission TO exercise any au-
tdcratic power 10 enforce its order.
but rather il would seek the co-opera-
4 ton of the city in remedying the evil
Il that now exists.
n While the meeting. Thursday morn
ing, was not official. IL is important
\ M marking the launching Of an active
n campaign for a publication plant
/ IT. NJ ,orc,an uovarnuappt hab for