The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-04-26
TYPHOID FEVER AND THE eApm
WELL

~ III. j. u. Greayes, BacterOlorist
Utah Agricultural College
Inc farm well is often the most
dangerous part of the farm. Instead
or giving pure life saving water. it Of
len furnishes infected. dealt, sprea ding
mud. There is no way for the eve
to detect between the pure and the
impure water But it is true that in
the average farm we'll, unprotected
from Infection as it is, there are pres.
eht numerous kinds of disease causing
organisms.
Not only the dreaded typhoid, but
many intestinal diseases on the farm
may be traced to impure we'll water
Yet 1t is not necessary for the farm
to have any infected source OF water
supply. Proper care to guard the well
against contamination will keen the
supply pure. Why is it that in 80
many rural districts various intesti.
nal diseases are more prevalent than
they are In large cities. when the re-.
verse should be true? We find AT
least partial answer to this question
In the difference in water supplies of
the two districts. In the cities the
water supplies are usually carefully
guarded against contamination, while
in the country districts the supply of
water Is usually obtained from wells
and these in many places are shallow
and, what is worse than that, not pro.
tected from the filth which may be
carried in from the top. Eminent au.
thOrities on this subject have found
that where one death from typhoid
could be prevented by improving the
water supply, two or three deaths from
other causes could be prevented by the
Improvement. An improved water
supply not only reduces the number
Of deaths from typhoid fever, but de-
creases infant mortality and the death
rate from gastro-intestinal disturb
ances. This Is due not only to the
removal Of disease-producing organ.
isms from the water. but there are
many other substances and organisms
In impure water which greatly reduce
the bodily vigor of the individual US
ing It. And anything or condition
which in any way reduces the bodily
vitality makes the individual an easy
mark for disease.
Many wells are only loosely covered
with planks between which grasshop-
pers, toads or leaves make their way.
1t is easy to see how the filth from
the boots Of working men. or from
children playing on the planks or from
poultry walking about carrying infec.
ton on their feet may get into the wa.
ter and pollution may easily take
place. One need not go far into tho
country to find places where the out.
houses are freely open at the back.
SO that fowls can walk under and from
there onto the planks covering the
WELL All the filth left by them on
the cover of the we'll is later washed
into the WELL This could do little
harm if the disease germs were not
present. But one never knows when
they may be present. 1t Is not enough
10 know that no case Of typhoid has
been upon the premises, for it is often
the case rhat apparently healthy in
diyiduals are carrying within or
eycreting from their bodies the di.
sease germs.
For these reasons the old planks
which cover so many wells should be
replaced by tight fitting cement
platform, covering not only the sur.
face of. but several feet surrounding
the well and passing into the ground
three or four feet SO that all the wa.
ter which finds it's way into the we'll
must pass through several feet Of Arm
soil. Under these conditions, the we'll
If fairly deep can be depended upon
for water. Where water is known to
be, or strongly suspected Of being. con-
animated, the only remedy is to boil
The water before use. The many, I'll.
,ers which are being offered to the
public cannot be depended upon I'M
ess they are 80 constructed that they
an be taken apart every day and
cleaned by heating to q
ed heat