The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-11-22
DR.. Eeington Issues Warning

Many of us have not learned the arts
of peace; now we. are called upon to
contribute to the art of war. At home
especially to make war upon those
things which oppose the conservation
of good health and strength.
We are sadly lacking in many neces-
sary things we should know in regard
to the preservation OF health and hap
piness which comes from the observ-
ance of many principal things.
The Bible says generation grew up
who knew not Joseph, or Jesus, for
that matter, for it seems generation
has grown up in ten years which knows
not of the campaign for pure water
conducted in our county and city.
A few months ago the State Board
of Health inquired why there were no
cases of typhoid, smallpox. scarlet fe-
yer or diphtheria being sent in from
Hood River county, and if the doctors
were neglecting their duties in report
ing the same.
There has been nothing to report on
that line until recently, but now we
will have to admit nearly dozen cases
of typhoid fever in the last two months.
These cases are located in the Odell
and Pine Grove districts.
Fifteen samples of water have been
sent from those places for examination,
one.half of which contain colon or gas
bacilli, indicating the water is unfit for
domestic use without sterilizing. In
some cases the water is from wells
which are not protected from surface
Washings or from filth drained through
soil saturated with human or animal
excrement, probably. In other cases
people are using ditch or irrigation
water without sterilizing; in some
cases also storing their water in cis-
terms for future use.
1t is impossible to carry water in
open bitches in thickly settled coun-
try very far without its becoming pol
luted in many ways. In some cases
people carelessly. drain horse and COW
lots and even pig pens into small
streams and bitches from which people
short distance away use the water.
It is pity that with 30 much whole
some water gushing from many springs
from places which cannot become con.
taminated, that anyone should have to
drink impure water, but everyone
must look out for himself. In the
country one ought to be able to have
constant supply Of pure water.
Various septic diseases are brought
about by drinking impure water; also
inhaling gases from decaying manure
piles and filthy toilets, open and other
wise. They may cause death, waste
of valuable time, much expense and
suffering, not only to the patient, but
may be communicated to friends and
relatives and innocent persons.
We know now that impure water can
be made pure by many methods; by
boiling, by the use of chlorine in diff
ferent forms, and there is also on the
market small tablet that is used in
purifying water in small quantities
available for travellers and others, who
are becoming numerous now that the
age of the auto oar is at hand, by
which said traveller may avoid the dam
ger of infection from impure drinking
water while travelling through new
and strange country or one In which
the water supply is known not to be
good.
Now, with all the many plans known
to protect people, there will always be
those who will not profit by the knowl.
edge given them without price, and
who will not learn except by expert
ences. DR.. Edgington.