South Bend news-times., 1917-09-20
To TREAT CITY
WATER SUPPLY
WITH CHLORINE
United States Public Health
Surgeon Urges Three Meas
ureS to Stem Advance of
Typhoid Epidemic.

A mum Der of ways To combat the
typhoid epidemic which is still
raging in South Bend were discuss
ed at a meetine OF the board Of
health Thursday morning. The meet
ing was held in the mayors office,
and the two government men con-
nected with the laboratory car which
arrived in South Bend last night
were included i'm the session.
Following the meeting, which was
closed TO the public. and 60 which
newspaper men were refused ad-
mittance, a statement was prepared
for the public. 1t follows:
Preventive Measures.
According 70 DIR. J. O. cobb Of
the L.. s. public health service rem
edial measures for the immediate
control of this typhoid epidemic
must he by treating the city water
supply. boiling dug well water, the
use of pasteurized milk or boiled
milk. and typhoid vaccination. These
measures must be instituted at once,
regardless Of the source of infec
tion. At present time the officers
II the l.. s. public health service
have not completed the sanitary
survey. and they decline 20 offer any
opinion as TO whether the epidemic
is water-borne or milk borne, or due
to other factors.
The city health department and
the L.. S public health service ad-
III aff n ell
ter. be- boiled for three minutes. The
city water department has taken inn
mediate steps To- install chlorlna-
ton apparatus but it viii take
few DAYS 20 have this i'm operation.
When this apparatus is completed the
public will DE notified and il viii not
then be necessary for users 10 boil
city water. Users of well water
must continue 10 boil well water Lh-
tiI further notice.
stand For Vaccination.
The use of pasteurized milk is
urged upon all Raw milk should
not be used. unless boiled three min
yates Especial attention is called to
the dangers of unpasteurized cream.
THE L. : army. the 4. s. navy
and the L.. \ public health service
and as wen as most of the great
etate health departments stand un-
ouaUHedly for anti-typhoid vaccina
tion. There is no danger i'm the
method. The treatment is simple
and the reaction from the vaccine
causes only au occasional sore arm
and headache.
The school children are especially
advised to be vaccinated. South
Rend in this emergency should as
sist the health authorities i'm every
way possible 20 control the epidemic
and there is no better way than vac
,ination."
John w Toyue. superintendent OF
the water works. asked concerning
the chlorination process which the
written statement of the meeting
saws Is 90 be Installed hy the water
works department said This
is the FIRST I've heard OF il. What
kind OF chIoriuatiou do they mean 2'
The statement doesn't say. That's
what we want Some explanation.
We'll. there are a number OF
ways IL would be possible 10 just
dump LIQUID chlorine into the reser-
Voir although that would not be en-
tirely satisfactory You see. the ad
dition OF chlorine 90 the water com
pletely sterilizes it."
Time Depends ON Process.
How long viii il take 20 get the
process started2" was the next Ques-
tion.
That depends If they intend 20
have a machine Installed which will
add the right amount or chlorine
right az the pumps. or have some
apparatus 10 add the chemical az the
water goes into the discharge lines,
"a viii take some time
Mat. Cobb who arrived In the
city last night. is doubtful OF both
the water and milk supplies. Ac-
cording 10 John DISCS. state sanitary
engineer. the water is beyond ques-
tion as far as the posst bility OF the
epidemic is concerned. Just why
there should be a disagreement has
not been made clear Mr. Diggs
spent more than two days on the
matter. and s0 f3r Maj. cobb has
spent less than hours 10 that
much. In inH estigating all the pos
-ibls sources Local authorities seem
TO have the same opinions aS the
latest report from other men as far
a. their statements show
No Step for Inoculation.
Or William simmer Ia.d the blame
Tor the epidemic NOT at the door 90
The water nor ~ the milk nor Of
ths insanitary outhouses Iie said
rha, an were contrihutine causes
md that the ouIt safe way to
CONTINUED On PAGE FOUR