The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-05-17
HEALTH SERVICE IS
STUDYING THE POL.
LUTON OF STREAMS
Federal Health Service Plans to Pre-
scribe for Sick Streams
Throughout the
Nation.

An intensive study Of stream pollu-
ton with special regard to the estab-
lishment of general plan by which
any polluted stream in the United
States might be purified at minimum
expense has recently been begun by
the United States Public Health Serv-
ice.
As is we'll known polluted stream
tends to purify itself, but its power IN
this direction depends on the amount
and character of the original pollu-
ton, on the volume and speed OF the
current, and on the extent to which
new pollution is added along It's
course.
The service has selected for study
the Chicago Main Drainage Chanhei
and the Illinois River (Which empties
into the Mississippi, chiefly because
all the primary pollution Of this
stream originates in Chicago and is
accurately ascertainable, both as TO
amount and character. Analyses taken
along the course of the canal and river
will determine the degree and nature
of the changes that take place IN IT,
Where new pollution is added us
amount and character must be. ascer-
tanned; and its effect on the old poi
luton learned. This last is important,
for it is quite possible that sundry IN
dustrial wastes might neutralize each
other or might destroy certain types
of organic pollution.
Similar work was done on the ohio
River from 1914 to 1917; and the pres
ent study is to check the results OBJ
tanned there.
The final object is to establish iuh-
damental cumulative relationships be-
tween archaeological and chemical
pellution of a stream on the one hanu
and basic principle, such as popuia-
ton, industrial wastes, stream How
and prevailing temperature, on the
other. These relationships, once
established, will guide the sanitary
engineers as "streamdoctors" in pre-
scribing for a sick stream the sort Oh
tonic required to restore it to health
and thereby make it available for hu-
man consumption or industrial pnr-
noses or both, as may be desired.
The work in Illinois is in immediate
charge of J. X. Hoskins, Associate
Sanitary Engineer of the U. S. Public
Health Service, and is under the gen.
eral supervision of Surgeon w. IT,
Frost
Another step toward insuring traV-
oilers OH interstate carriers against
the evils of polluted drinking water
was taken on April Is, when the laws
already in force in regard to railway
trains were extended, with necessary
notifications, to steamships on lakes
and rivers and between United State
ports and ports of adjacent countries
Henceforward water used on such
vessels for drinking or cooking must
he obtained on shore from source
approved by the U. S. Public Health
Service, usually acting in cooperation
with state health authorities, or must
have been treated by method appro =
ed by the service. If not obtained
ashore the water must be treated On
board ship by an approved method.
All water-piping systems on shiP,
board are required to be so arranged
that no connection can be made h9
tween the drinking water pipes arc
mines for any other water system
Every tap or other source yieldh'
water unsatisfactory in safety Or q'''
| ity is required to be marked by prop
erlv placed signs, approved by TIN
Public Health Service, stating that wv
water is unfit to drink.
By these regulations it is hoped tt
nreyent outbreaks of typhoid fere
and dysentery such as have occurre
in the past twice on river steamer Il
1920, when passengers were SUPP Fe
with drinking water taken from badl
polluted streams.