The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1922-04-28
TYPHOID FEVER AND THE FARM
WELL
By DR.. J. %. Greaves. Bacterologist
Utah Agricultural College

Utan AGRICULTURAL C0llege
The farm well is often the most
dangerous part Of the farm. Instead
of giving pure life saving water, 1t Of
ten furnishes infected, death spreading
fluid. There is no way FOR the eye
to detect between the pure and the
impure water. But 1t Ia true that In
the average farm we'll, unprotected
from infection as 1t Is, there are pres
ent numerous kinds of disease causing
organisms.
Not only the dreaded typhoid, but
many intestinal diseases on the farm
may be traced to Impure well water.
Yet 1t ID not necessary for the FARM
to have any infected source OF water
supply. Proper care to guard the well
against contamination Will keep the
supply pure. Why is it that In so
many rural districts various intest.
nal diseases are more prevalent than
they are in large cities, when the re-
verse should be true? We find az
least a partial answer to this question
In the difference In water supplies Of
the two districts. In the >sties 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 Ia 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.
tsms from the water, but there are
many other substances and organisms
in impure water which greatly reduce
tbs 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, toaiis 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-
tion on their feet may get into the wa
ter and pollution may easily take
place. One need not go far into ths
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 pIanks covering the
Sell. All the filth left by them on
che cover Of the well Is later washed
into the wen. This could do little
harm II the disease germs were not
present. But one never knows when
they may be present. 1t is not enough
DO know that no case Of typhoid has
been upon the premises. for it Is often
the case that apparently healthy in.
dividuals are carrying within or
excreting from their bodies the 6i.
Bease germs.
! For these reasons the old pianks
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 well
must pass through several feet of Arm
soil. Under these conditions, the well
IL fairly deep can be depended upon
/ for water. Where water Is known to
be, or strongly suspected Of being, con,
taminated, the only remedy Is to boil
the water before use. The many IN.
tiers which are being offered to the
public cannot be depended upon un.
less they are so constructed that they
can be taken apart every day and
thoroughly slsaned By heating 10 q
red heat