The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-05


Levy, chief health 0flicer. and his as
sastants. mono Of the caSss Of typhoid
fever. which have been reported in
the city. has been traceable to the
city water supply. every precaution
Witch they think necessary 10 being
done TO bring the water to the high
- state Of purity. Daily tests are
being made by the bacteriologist at
ms settling basin and also At the
city laboratories 20 that any positive
danger IN the use Of the water may
be immediately detected. Up to this
Time. however. DR.. Lsy states. the
water has bssn found to be very
good.
In the meantime. tho health au-
thorities have taken measures, such
- they have deemed advisable. to
prevent any unhealthful conditions
Of The wxssr. Large quantities Of
chlorine u being used to purify the
supply, and special attention u being
given 70 tia Improvement Of tho wa
ter II other ways.
In the tests that have been made
In the city laboratories It has been
shown that no fmpurity exists in the
water that would likely be the cause
- any OF tho present cases Of fever,
and there b no reason for alarm. DR..
Levy said u was impossible to state
whether any Of the Illness was due
70 the water, since 1t 10 very din
cult 70 positively trace the cases, but
such investigations as had been con-
Quoted into the sources Of typhoid
already reported did not show that
they ware caused by the condition OF
The water.
Tcses Not Absolute.
II u not positively known that tho
visitor DOES not Contain foreign mat
ter chat would be responsible for the
fsver. since exhaustive tests for the
detection OF typhoid germs have not
been made, such tests as have been
conducted by the bacterioiosists be-
Ing made In q more general way for
the discovery OF foreign match. II
Aas been pointed out that tests for
ms fever germs In the water would
~ difficult.
30 that moro frequent analyses OF
the water may be made at the puri-
ncation plant. DIR. Levy has secured
m Assistant for the chief bacteriolo-
gist. and from now on closer watch
VIII De Kept. WnlfG il is not the
idea to alarm the public. II any per-
sons feel they wish 10 take the extra
precajition to insure absolute purity
of drinking water. DIR. Levy says IL
may be boiled. He says that the de-
Iartnsent does not feel that IL Is
necessary to issue instructions to the
public to take extra measures TO
guard against any infection from the
wafer. since II has not been In evi.
dcnce that the water lis the direct
.ausc Of any Of the cases OF typhoid
Cases Comparatively Few.
DR.. Levy emphaticaliy stated last
riwht that It could not be said that
Richmond In having an epidemic Of
the fever. While II Ia true. he said.
that there were more cases now than
there has been for several years. the
number IL comparatively small for 4
city the sixe Of Richmond. There
wore only three cases reported yes
terday. bringing the total to some
thing over nfty.
A number OF tho cases have de-
|seleped among the nurees tn the hos
pitfalls. and while early In the year
Or. Levy advised all the training
schools for nurses In the city 70 take
every possible step to prevent the
disease. apparently his warnings were
mot needed. NuNes. in particular, he
laid. are exposed to the fever, and
before the cases became 20 numerous
they should have been properly safe
RuapdeA.