Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-20
U. s. PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICERS
 INSPECTED RESERVOIRS
Engineer Stromquist Says the Local Watersheds Are in Very Good Con- dition.

R. E. Tarkett and w. G. Stromquist of the United States Public Health Service. which department is making a survey of watersheds, milk supplies, sanitation conditions and the pollution of streams througohut the country, ar rived in this city Tuesday morning and will look over the local situation.
 This work was started three or four years ago on the Ohio river where the stream pollution was studied with laboratories at different points along the river. This summer the depart ment has been making preliminary surveys of streams in the north At lantic and New England states conditions in cities with a population of over 10000 inhabitants.
 In the sanitation phase of the work they get information about the water supply of the city, disposal of sewer- age, the milk supply, and what means typhoid fever and general sanitation such as disposal of garbage and other nuisances. The surveys are somewhat superficial as only few days are spent l in each town and information is sought from the head of various departments. such as the superintendent of the wa ter department, health officer, milk in spector. And in order to survey the pollution of the streams in a general way they secure the needed informa-
 
 charging water along rivers. An esti- nation of the numbers of people dis charging sewerage into the streams is taken, not only in the city where the survey is being taken but in neighbor- ing towns along the river.
 Generally there are three in the par ty looking up the data, two sanitation health officer, but Dr. Thompson. who was with Engineers Tarkett and Stromquist earlier in the summer, has hRon called tO Nay1T York OJyin fn the infantile paralysis situation. MT. Tarkett is doing the medical end of the survey now. The health officers duties is entirely concerned with the medical end, he sees the head of the healt dhepartment and the milk in | spector of the city.
 On Tuesday afternoon the engineers inspected the reservoirs of the city, Fairview and Stony Brook, accompan- jed by Superintendent E. L. Burnap. Although they have seen better water sheds, Engineer Stromquist states that the local watersheds are very good. In speaking of the disagreeable taste in the water during the summer, Engi- neer Stromquist states that it is due to the fact that in the water shed there is considerable growth of vege- tation which has collected oHaniG matter which has been washed and ab- sorbed into the supply. Although 1t has a disagreeable taste and yellowish
 
 public health service is making special study and investigation of typhoid fever, yellow fever and has about 50 men at work on the infantile paralysis disease.
 Another phase of the work is the rural sanitation. Typical counties in the state where work is being carried
 on are picked out and a party of en- l gineers is sent to that community 1 where the sanitation conditions are l looked over, the drinking water and l the possibilities of it being polluted and other possible nuisances. They 1 offer suggestions as to how the condi- ] tions can be improved.
 1 They will interview Dr. Shahan, the l local milk inspector to see what is 1 being done in regard to the local sit uation, and Street Commissioner G. F. l Fellows will be questioned concern l ing sewerage, etc.
 l The men have just completed work in Willimantic, having come there l from Massachusetts. From here the | men will go to New London.
 | All the field work of the department is done in the summer ana the data i collected is studied during the winter 1 at the headquarters which are in Gin 1 cinnatti. The field work starts about l May 20 and concludes the middle of ] October.