,,water ,,pollution--,,wells4           
,,water ,,pollution--,,wells4           
,,by                          ,,irving  
,a4 ,,watson1 ,m4 ,d41                  
,,secretary ,,of ,,the ,n4 ,h4 ,,state  
,,board ,,of ,,health4                  
,,reprinted ,,from                      
,,transactions ,,of ,n4 ,h4 ,,medical   
,,society1                              
#ahhc4                                  
,,concord1 ,n4 ,h43                     
,,printed ,,by ,,the ,,republican       
,,press ,,association4                  
#ahhe4          ,,water                 
,,pollution--,,wells4      ,poets have  
sung of the 8babbling brooks0 and the   
8mountain springs0 with  their 8silver  
cascades40 ,painters have sketched      
8the placid stream1      ,reflecting    
back the mirrored beam10    in many a   
sequestered nook1 where the beauty of   
the scene gave to the  soul its grandest
 appreciation of nature's handiwork2 but
 the poet's  song and the painter's     
canvas are too often the false airs and 

the  tinsel drapery of ,momus--fun and  
folly4 ,but poets and painters live  in 
a realm uncongenial to the startling    
facts of modern chemistry4  ,virgil     
would undoubtedly have been as ready to 
have believed that ,h,o  represented a  
glass of milk1 as that it was the       
equivalent of pure water2  while1 if    
,raphael had been told that the pool of 
,bethesda was abundant  with 8albuminoid
 ammonia10 he might innocently have     
believed it to be  8something good to   
eat40    ,tradition and popular         
education have taken wings in a tangent 
direction  from many of the fundamental 
principles of a natural existence1 and1 
while freighting the popular mind with  
its bulky chaff1 sparsely grained1  they
 seldom recognize the revelations of    
science4 ,the plot of some  well drawn  
novel1 or the fascinating performances  
of its hero1 rest  unforgotten in the   
embrace of memory1--are sought after1   
cherished1 and  remembered in all and by
 all ages4 ,science as yet is but little

 courted1  much less wedded to the      
popular taste1 and the stubbornness of  
facts  is in direct ratio to the        
inflexibility of the public mind4       
,science1  however1 is not always of one
 hue4 ,it is full of attractions and    
alluring  fascinations4 ,it needs only  
to be clothed in well cut and           
fashionable  garments1 and properly and 
politely introduced1 to receive         
universal  recognition and popular      
applause4 ,this is especially true of   
the science  of sanitation1 because it  
is more closely allied to the vital     
interests  of every community and every 
family than all others1 and1 through the
  simplicity of its primary principles1 
can be realized and understood by  all4 
,pure water is essential to the health  
and comfort of every community3  there  
is no argument to the contrary4 ,how    
such a desideratum can  be acquired and 
maintained is a problem which requires  
the closest  application of science1 as 
well as mechanical and engineering      

skill4 ,the  question1 whenever and     
wherever applied1 becomes an isolated   
reality1  and the solution1 instead of  
being based upon established formulas   
or analogy1 is almost wholly dependent  
upon the individual facts and           
conditions connected therewith4    ,the 
aspect of the question a century hence  
will be very different from  what it is 
to-day1 even as in its present bearings 
it differs from  the time when the      
woodman's axe was the only sound of     
industry that  echoed through the       
sleeping valleys and over the watchful  
hills of ,new  ,hampshire4 ,in that day 
the hardy pioneer quenched his thirst by
 the  side of any stream or spring with 
water as pure as earth could give4  ,he 
thought not to glance up the stream to  
see if it was spanned by a  family      
vault1 or flanked by a barn-yard4       
,likewise1 if he partook from  the      
bubbling spring or the primitive well1  
he never imagined a crystal  of urea    
came up in the tiny fountains of sand at

 its bottom1 or that the  sparkle of the
 water was the carbonic acid of a sink  
drain2 for around  him were no such     
dangers4 ,but civilization 7in many     
respects a misnomer7  came on1 and      
brought with her more evils than        
one1--seduced the virginity  of nature1 
and begot a host of illegitimate        
products and conditions4  ,into her very
 veins--the streams and rivers--have    
been injected the effete  products of   
waste and decay2 and to-day her very    
gifts1 poisoned by men1  bring pain1    
poverty1 tears1 and death into many     
households4    ,we have all1 no doubt1  
traced some cases of the zymotic order  
to  polluted water1 with evidence that  
left no doubt as to the correctness of  
our conclusions4 ,as to how far such    
influences extend in the causation of   
disease is undetermined1 but ,i believe 
it extends far beyond the category  of  
acute zymotic diseases4    ,what of the 
great invalid corp that register their  
physical afflictions  under the         

comprehensive term 8poor health10 and   
who seem to have no  specific disease1  
either acute or chronic8 ,what demon has
 laid so  oppressive a burden upon the  
nerve centres that half of life's       
function  is smothered1 and the physical
 energies nearly blotted out8 ,i believe
  that contaminated water is one of the 
prime factors in this unfortunate  and  
distressing aggregate4 ,we have often   
traced typhoid fever1 dysentery1  and   
other diseases to a polluted well or    
spring2 but the cause of  insidious     
decay1 progressive pallor1 softening    
muscles1 wasting strength1  and slow    
enervation is not so readily found nor  
so zealously sought  after4 ,that       
contaminated water should produce such  
results1 associated  perhaps with other 
unsanitary surroundings1 there can be no
 argument to  disprove4 ,a close study  
of the subject for the past two years   
has led me  to believe that polluted    
wells are a most prolific source of     
sickness and  death throughout the      

state4 ,i believe the medical profession
 is not yet  so thoroughly aroused upon 
this subject as the facts demand1 and   
that if  the physicians of the state    
should carefully investigate the        
question  of water pollution1 the result
 would be one of wide-spread alarm at   
the  ravages it is producing4    ,by far
 the most dangerous source of water     
supply is the well1 because  of its     
close proximity to dwellings4 ,if the   
surroundings of a well are  not free    
from all impurities and waste1 we have  
no right to expect pure  water1 and an  
attack of typhoid fever1 dysentery1 or  
kindred diseases  should not in the     
least astonish us4 ,conditions which    
endanger our wells  are the rule and not
 the exception1 both in the sparsely    
settled country  and in the city4    ,in
 a speech before the ,central ,n4 ,y4   
,medical ,association in #ahge1 ,dr4    
,harvey ,jewett said1--    8,we are     
often asked1 ,in what way does the water
 of our wells1 in farming  communities  

especially1 and in our larger villages1 
become impure8  ,it comes bubbling up   
from the deep fountains1 fresh1 cold1   
pure1 and  clear as the crystal1 and    
often gives no indication by taste or   
smell  of containing impurities4 ,how   
often do we see the waste water from    
our kitchens thrown out upon the ground 
year after year1 until the  soil is     
saturated thereby8 ,then1 again1 the    
continuity of sink-drains1  cess-pools1 
and privy vaults to our wells is        
sufficient to saturate the  earth with  
their poisonous1 disease-producing      
elements4 ,it is through  the agency of 
this apparently pure water1 constantly1 
insidiously  introducing these subtle   
elements into the human organism1 that  
the  fountains of life are poisoned and 
disease generated4 ,in large towns and  
thickly populated streets1 with slovenly
 domestics1 the whole surface  becomes  
saturated with the waste water1 and in  
wet seasons the well1  being the only   
artificial drainage1 receives the       

drippings1 converting  it into a        
cess-pool of filth4 ,i have known       
instances where the waste  water from   
the sink-drain ran directly into the    
well1 until the horrible  stench        
compelled an investigation and a remedy4
 ,instances of this kind  are by no     
means rare1 where a direct communication
 from the sink to the  well is found to 
exist4 ,with some families in the       
country the whole waste  water of the   
household is thrown out upon the ground1
 until the entire  surface soil is      
saturated like a sponge with the        
elements of disease4 ,the  popular but  
erroneous idea1 that filling in earth   
upon a water-saturated  soil removes the
 necessity of deep drainage1 should be  
exploded from  the minds of the people1 
and the great central fact set forth1   
that  no water-saturated soil is fit for
 human habitation1 and that a large     
proportion of unhealthfulness and human 
ailments can be traced directly  or     
indirectly to this influence40    ,i    

have had forwarded to me during the past
 year many samples of well  water from  
different sections of the state for     
examination1 and over  ninety-five per  
cent4 were contaminated4 ,in many       
instances no particular  suspicion      
existed that the wells were polluted1 so
 8sweet and sparkling0  was the water4  
,with the exception of a few wells in   
this city1 the  samples came from the   
smaller villages and isolated           
farm-houses4 ,i  suspect1 and my        
experience is in accord with the idea1  
that the most  dangerous wells are to be
 found at the latter1 because such a    
well is  subjected not only to the      
unsanitary influences of the household1 
but  of the barns1 cattle-yards1        
hennery1 pig-sty1 etc4 ,no one can      
reasonably  presume that a well situated
 in close proximity to such surroundings
  can long remain pure1 except that its 
altitude is such as to render           
contamination impossible1 which is      
rarely the case4 ,it should be borne  in

 mind that a well is in itself a system 
of drainage for a given area  of the    
earth1 which area is dependent upon the 
depth of the well and the  character of 
the soil4 ,the accepted formula is1 that
 it drains a portion  of soil           
represented by an inverted cone1 the    
base of which equals in  diameter the   
depth of the well4 ,thus1 the well must 
drain a certain  amount of soil or      
earth1 and unless this certain amount is
 kept clean  and uncontaminated1 the    
well must become polluted4 ,it should   
not be  forgotten that this described   
cone of soil is the minimum amount that 
a well can drain1 while with favorable  
conditions the maximum area is  almost  
unlimited4 ,a stratum of clay or other  
impervious substance1 or  fissures in   
the rock formation1 may act as the      
carrier of a little stream  or vein of  
polluted water till it reaches the well1
 and the source of  pollution may be a  
long distance away4    ,the sketch which
 is here reproduced from the last report

 of the ,state  ,board of ,health       
vividly illustrates the way in which a  
well is often  polluted4                
,illustration    ,the double lines #a   
and #b represent the angle which the    
well drains4 ,the  slightly curved lines
 #c and #d represent the water line in  
the ground1  the constant use of the    
well depressing this line below a level 
in the  immediate vicinity of the well4 
,the lines radiating from the cess-pool 
and vault illustrate the cause of said  
pollution1 and consequently             
contamination of the water in the well4 
,this sketch is in no way  overdrawn3 ,i
 have seen many wells apparently        
situated in precisely the  same way4 ,if
 somewhere in a near and convenient     
location to this well1 as  shown above1 
were placed a barn-yard and a pig-sty in
 addition to what we  now see1 it would 
represent the exact condition of many of
 our farmers'  wells4 ,yet the          
proprietor of this 8best well in town0  
wonders why his  doctor's bills are so  

large6 ,he bows 8to the will of ,god0   
when cholera  infantum takes the life of
 his little child1 when his own         
ignorance or  cupidity is the destroyer4
 ,how long shall the ,almighty be       
charged with  crimes that come alone    
from the ignorance1 carelessness1       
neglect1 and  conceit of men8    ,i     
propose to give a few illustrations of  
water pollution that are of a  very     
marked character4 ,the following diagram
 is that of a hotel in one  of the      
thriving towns in this state1 and the   
facts connected therewith ,i  obtained  
from a reliable physician under the     
promise of not giving to  the public the
 locality or his name4 ,i have seen the 
hotel myself1 and  assure you that the  
location was as represented4    ,a case 
of typhoid fever occurred the past      
season 7#ahhb7 in the bed-room  near the
 privy 7see diagram ,no4 #a74 ,all the  
discharges from this patient  were      
thrown into the vault without being     
disinfected4 ,this vault was  located   

about fifteen feet from the well which  
supplied this house4  ,result3 ,fourteen
 cases of typhoid fever1 with one death1
 from the use of  this water for        
drinking purposes4    ,illustration3    
,,diagram ,,no4 #a4    ,the following   
description and history of a well in    
,newport 7although ,i  published the    
same in the last report of the ,state   
,board of ,health7 is of  such a        
remarkable character that it will bear  
republication4    ,the attention of ,dr4
 ,d4 ,m4 ,currier was directed to this  
well in the  investigation of the cause 
of sickness in the family that used this
  water1 and the analysis which is given
 of the water was made by ,prof4        
,edmund ,r4 ,angell of ,derry4          
,,analysis ,,of ,,the ,,newport ,,well4 
,odor1                                  
slight4      ,color1                    
a little yellowish4      ,total solids1 
grains per gallon1                      
#di4b      ,soluble solids1             
#cd4g      ,ignition of residue1        

it blackens4      ,combustible and      
volatile matter1 grains per gal41       
#i4bd      ,hardness1 equivalent to     
grains of ,ca,co per gal41              
#aa4jj      ,alkalinity1       0       0
       0       0                 #ae4jj 
,chlorine1 grains per gallon1           
#ab4jj      ,ammonia1 parts per         
million1--               ,free ammonia1 
#j4jfff               ,albuminoid       
ammonia1                                
#j4cajj      ,nitric acid1 grains per   
gallon1                                 
#b4fi      ,nitrous acid1               
none4      ,iodine1                     
none4      ,bromine1                    
none4      ,iron1                       
very slight trace4      ,copper and     
lead1                                   
none4    ,microscopic examination of    
sediment shows1--        ,bacteria3     
,bacteria ,bacillus4        ,bacteria   
,vibrio4      ,infusoria3               
,flagellata ,monadina4                  
,flagellata ,euglenia4        ,ciliata  

,enchelia4        ,ciliata ,bursarina4  
,ciliata ,parmecia4      ,silicious     
granules4      ,small pieces of decaying
 wood4      ,,additional ,,facts4       
,free carbonic acid1 grains per gallon1 
#aa4iejd      ,combined ,co1         0  
0     0     #f4febh      ,total ,co1    
0     0     0    #ah4fjcb    ,bases3    
,lime1 magnesia1 soda1 potassa1 ammonia4
    ,acids3 ,hydrochloric1 sulphuric1   
nitric1 phosphoric1 carbonic1 silicic4  
,most of the lime is in the form of     
carbonate held in solution by carbonic  
acid2 most of the magnesia exists as a  
salt soluble in water1 probably  the    
sulphate2 some of the alkalies are      
present as carbonates4 ,the iron is     
kept in solution by carbonic acid4      
,,explanation ,,and ,,opinion4    ,the  
color and odor indicate contamination4  
,the large amount of soluble  solids is 
suspicious4 ,the blackening of the      
residue during ignition  shows the      
presence of organic matter in solution4 
,the large amount of  combustible and   

volatile matter is a grave indication4  
,because the  alkalinity exceeds the    
hardness1 it shows the presence of an   
alkaline  carbonate1 which is a         
suspicious circumstance1 since it may   
result from  the decomposition of animal
 matter4 ,the amount of chlorine is     
unusually  large4 ,i think the average  
for well water is about one grain4 ,the 
large  quantity of chlorine and the     
presence of alkaline carbonates point   
very  strongly to the stable1 privy1    
sewer1 or cess-pool4 ,the amount of     
nitric  acid is large1 though this alone
 may not mean much1 yet joined with the 
other results it has much significance4 
,the amount of ammonia is more  than    
twice the quantity that ought to condemn
 a water absolutely4 ,the  small amount 
of free ammonia and the large quantity  
of albuminoid ammonia  show that a large
 amount of organic matter is present and
 decaying  slowly4 ,as the weather      
becomes warm1 the proportion of free    
ammonia will  increase4 ,bacteria are   

always associated with putrefaction and 
conditions  of hygienic importance4     
,infusoria are never generated except in
 organic solutions4 ,they are  abundant 
in all fresh water wherever organic     
matter is held in solution1  also in    
stagnant water4    ,from the large      
amount of chlorine and the presence of  
alkaline  carbonates1 it would appear   
that the water is contaminated with     
animal  rather than with vegetable      
matter4    ,this water is unfit for     
domestic uses4                          
,,edmund ,r4 ,,angell4    ,a word in    
explanation may be necessary to those   
who are not familiar with  water        
analysis4    ,water that contains such a
 large amount of solids is very         
suspicious4 ,it  will be seen that the  
sample contained twelve grains of       
chlorine to the  gallon1 which would    
alone at once condemn it4 ,the only     
source from which  chlorine is derived  
in the waters of this state1 except     
possibly a trace1  must be from the     

sewage or waste from the household1     
where common salt is  used4 ,a well that
 contains over one grain to the gallon  
is to be looked  upon with suspicion4   
,the same is true of a water that       
contains over #j4ja  part of ammonia or 
8albuminoid ammonia40    ,then1 again1  
the bacteria and infusoria1 to the      
extent present1 indicate  its pollution4
    ,of the history of this well and the
 family using its water ,dr4 ,currier   
renders the following report1 which is a
 terrible commentary upon the  dangers  
of filth in drinking-water4 ,since the  
report was made1 ,dr4 ,c4  states that  
there was a case of typhoid upon these  
premises during the  early part of the  
winter1 which he did not know of at the 
time his  report was written4      ,,dr4
 ,,currier',s ,,report4    ,the         
farm-house1 from the well of which was  
taken the specimen of polluted  water1  
is situated on a high bluff of land     
south-east of the village1  and is known
 by the name of ,east ,mountain4 ,upon  

this ridge of land are  situated some of
 the best farms in town4 ,the soil is   
rich and deep1  underlying which is a   
sub-soil of clay1 very hard and compact1
 but  occasionally interrupted by a     
deposit of sand4 ,i have been told there
  were beds of sand in the vicinity of  
this dwelling-house4    ,illustration3  
,,diagram ,,no4 #b4    ,by the diagram  
sent1 you will see that the well is     
under the ,l part  of the house4 ,the   
water is drawn up by means of a windlass
 in one of  the back rooms4 ,the well   
itself is some twenty-five feet deep4   
,in the  summer kitchen1 not more than  
three or four feet from the well1 you   
will  notice the sink marked #b on the  
diagram1 which discharges its water on  
the ground by means of an open spout but
 a few feet from the outside of  the    
building4 ,at #c1 about an equal        
distance from the well1 is a back  door1
 from which foul water1 as on           
washing-days1 and filth of nearly all   
descriptions1 were usually thrown1 which

 is not saying more than can be  said of
 back doors to farm-houses in general4  
,as you step out of this door1 a little 
to your left you will see the  pig-sty1 
the centre of which cannot be more than 
fifteen feet from top  of well4 ,the    
privy marked #d is entered from the walk
 leading from the  well-room to the     
barn-yard1 the excrements of which are  
received upon the  ground4 ,the distance
 from the door1 #g1 that opens into the 
barn-yard1  and the well1 is just       
twenty-four feet by actual measurement4 
,stepping  out of this door you are in  
the barn-yard filled with cattle and    
sheep1  on the further side of which is 
the barn with its usual manure heap  and
 decomposing vegetable matter in        
general4 ,thus we have the barn1        
barn-yard1 privy1 pig-sty1 back door1   
and sink all in dangerous proximity  to 
the well1 either one of which might     
contaminate its water1 and render  it   
unfit for use4    ,it was on the #hth of
 ,march1 #ahhc1 that ,i procured the    

second specimen  of water from this well
 that ,i sent you4 ,for over three      
months prior  to that date the ground   
had been frozen and covered with snow1  
with no  thaws during the whole winter  
severe enough to cause any              
surface-water4  ,the winter was what is 
called a dry one1 all the wells in that 
vicinity  being remarkably low1 so that 
there could be no surface-water finding 
its  way into the well on that date1 and
 probably had not for months previous3  
the influence of the surroundings at    
that time must have been at the         
minimum4 ,if the water is bad under this
 condition1 what must it be soon  after 
the frost is out1 and the well becomes  
filled with its maximum of              
surface-water8    ,now the interesting  
question comes1 ,what has been the      
effect upon the  health and lives of the
 family or families occupying this house
 and using  this water8 ,i am informed  
that they did not use the water at all  
times1  under suspicion that it might   

not be good3 still it was used more or  
less4    ,forty-one years ago the place 
was purchased and occupied by a man then
 in  the prime of life4 ,he had seven   
children1 some of whom were born before 
and some after moving upon the place4   
,the father1 mother1 and all the        
children are now dead1 except one4      
,the date1 age1 and cause of death1 as  
near as ,i can find out1 are as         
follows3        #ahdi1 a son1 age #ah   
years2 cause1 typhoid fever4            
#ahdi1 a daughter1 age #af years2 cause1
 typhoid fever4        #ahfc1 a son1 age
 #bh years2 cause1 consumption4         
#ahga1 mother1 age #fc years2 cause1    
gall stones2 great sufferer      from   
sick headache4        #ahgd1 a daughter1
 age #bg years2 cause1 consumption4     
#ahgh1 a son1 age #cg years2 cause1     
consumption4        #ahgi1 a daughter1  
age #cd years2 cause1 consumption4      
#ahgi1 father1 age #gf years2 cause1 old
 age1 feeble a long time4        #ahhc1 
a son-in-law1 age #dg years2 cause1     

bronchial consumption4    ,this last was
 the only one of whom ,i had charge1 and
 it was during one  of my professional  
visits that ,i discovered the situation 
of the well4  ,one of the first things  
of which he complained was sore throat  
and  hoarseness1 laryngo-pharyngitis4   
,at the same time he was troubled with  
an eruption4 ,i never saw it1 but as he 
described it ,i should say that it  was 
erythematous in its nature4 ,if he      
exercised so as to perspire1 or  took   
hot drinks1 it would make its           
appearance1 causing the surface to  itch
 and feel very uncomfortable4    ,during
 the spring and summer of #ahhb he was  
under the care of various  physicians1  
both regular and irregular1 until the   
first of ,october of  that year1 when he
 came under my care1 at which time he   
was troubled  with cough and hoarseness1
 it being with difficulty that he spoke 
aloud4  ,the stomach was very irritable1
 frequently rejecting food1 and more    
often his medicine4 ,once when he was in

 my office for the purpose of           
consultation1 ,i inquired in regard to  
his drinking-water4 ,he told me that  it
 was 8splendid water10 and all right2   
that he drank a great deal of  it4 ,at  
various times during the fall and early 
winter he would seem to  improve1 when  
some imprudence on his part would put   
him back4 ,finally he  grew worse1 as   
manifested by failing strength1 loss of 
appetite1 and by  coughing and raising  
more1 until his death4    ,the sputa was
 very tenacious1 and at last was quite  
thick1 and composed  almost entirely of 
pus4 ,a few weeks before he died ,i     
examined his chest  thoroughly4 ,there  
was no dulness over either lung1 and he 
could fill both  of them equally well4  
,auscultation revealed very heavy1 moist
 rales4    ,about five weeks before the 
death of the father1--that was some time
 in  ,january1--,i was called to the    
house to attend his son1 a lad six years
  of age1 with dysentery accompanied    
with petechial eruption over the  limbs 

and body4 ,he recovered slowly4 ,in     
about two weeks two other sons1  aged   
respectively eight and ten years1 came  
down in the same way with  dysentery and
 the eruption1 causing them to scratch  
vigorously4 ,the  mother was troubled   
with the eruption1 but no dysentery4    
,d4 ,m4 ,,currier4      ,,the ,,rye     
,,beach ,,well1    which has attracted  
considerable attention the present      
season1 and been  the source of many    
false newspaper reports1 is most        
remarkable in the  history of water     
pollution4 ,briefly1 the history        
connected therewith is  as follows3     
,a wealthy ,philadelphian by the name of
 ,lewis1 who has spent his summers  at  
this noted beach for the last twelve    
years1 bought last spring a lot  of     
land1 and built a very expensive and    
elegant summer residence4 ,the  location
 was upon an elevation some forty or    
fifty feet higher than the  sea1 and but
 a short distance from the water4 ,this 
elevation is made up  mostly of seamy   

ledges1 with but a few feet of soil     
covering the same4  ,from a sanitary    
point of view1 no better site could     
possibly be selected4    ,instead of    
building a sewer to the ocean for       
drainage purposes1 he  constructed a    
cess-pool forty feet distant from the   
house1 into which  all the sewage from  
the house ran4 ,in building this        
cess-pool it  was necessary to excavate 
three feet of the ledge to get a good   
and  sufficient depth4 ,sixty feet from 
this cess-pool1 and apparently upon  the
 same level1 was dug the well which was 
to supply this residence with  water4   
,after reaching the ledge1 it was       
necessary to go ten feet into  the rock 
to get sufficient water1 which was      
obtained in abundance1 and  was         
excellent in quality4 ,the well and     
cess-pool were both constructed  at the 
same time1 and in two weeks after1 the  
well was polluted by  this cess-pool4   
,the family1 not realizing the source of
 pollution or  its danger1 continued to 

use the water for a short time          
afterwards1 or  until it became so      
tainted that it was repulsive to the    
senses of taste  and smell4 ,the result 
was the death of ,mr4 ,lewis1 and a lady
 visitor who  lived in the vicinity and 
frequently drank of this water1 and a   
severe  illness of a daughter of ,mr4   
,lewis1 his servant1 and a guest of the 
family4 ,these seemed to be cases of    
blood poisoning1 the severer ones       
resembling in their last stage typhoid  
fever4    ,this instance of well        
pollution illustrates the fact that a   
rock  formation1 though generally       
believed to be the best safeguard       
against  the contamination of a well1   
may be the most dangerous4 ,the seams   
which  existed in this ledge no doubt   
served as direct channels to convey the 
filth to this well4    ,the following   
instance of well pollution seems to     
illustrate in what  unsuspected ways    
water may become contaminated3    ,a    
short time since1 ,dr4 ,c4 ,a4 ,wood1 of

 ,greenville1 sent me several  specimens
 of water for examination4 ,the         
contamination of some of them was  of   
such a character that ,i asked him for a
 history of the samples4 ,i  will here  
state that the specimens marked 8,no4   
#b0 and 8,no4 #c0 were both  badly      
polluted1 and with different substances1
 so that1 in testing1 the  chemical     
reactions were quite different4 ,in his 
reply to my letter of  inquiry he       
says1--    8,the water ,i sent you last 
week marked ,no4 #b was dipped directly 
from the  well1 as shown in diagram1    
while the water marked ,no4 #c was      
pumped from  the pump4 ,the family have 
been sick more or less ever since they  
occupied  the house4 ,none of them have 
been well1 but it is exceedingly        
difficult  to give a name to their      
complaints1 except a general out of fix1
 with a  dull1 tired feeling1 headaches1
 sore throats1 furred tongues1 c41 but  
no  downright sickness so as to         
prostrate them40    ,it will be readily 

seen by the crude diagram that the      
cess-pool filth  which had accumulated  
around the lead pipe leading to the     
well1 by reason  of a breakage in the   
sink-drain1 had corroded the water-pipe 
till it was  full of small holes1 which 
allowed this filth to be drawn in and   
mixed  with the water every time any was
 drawn from the well4 ,such a condition 
is not likely to be of very frequent    
occurrence1 but it demonstrates  the    
fact that the source of water pollution 
may be sometimes subtle and  unexpected4
    ,illustration3 ,,diagram ,,no4 #c4  
,in the foregoing paper it has been my  
aim only to present some points  that   
will lead to a more careful             
consideration of this all-important     
subject1 rather than to discuss the     
topic from a purely scientific          
standpoint4 ,to awaken a deeper interest
 in the prevention of disease is        
necessary both in the profession and    
among the people1 and ,i sincerely  hope
 the medical men of our state will      

become the instructors and the          
guardians of the public to the extent   
that unnecessary sickness may be        
largely averted1 and nature's gifts     
received in nature's purity4