BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION. 



By GEORGE W. STILES, Jr. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



A pure and wholesome water supply is now generally recognized 

 by the public as a necessity, and the need is further emphasized when 

 the problem is considered from the viewpoint of reducing the death 

 rate from preventable causes. It has been suggested by Hazen, and 

 confirmed by Sedgwick and MacNutt, 1 that "for every death from 

 typhoid fever avoided by the purification of a polluted water supply, 

 two or three deaths are avoided from other causes, * * * con- 

 spicuous among these 'other causes' are pneumonia, pulmonary 

 consumption, bronchitis, and infant mortality." These investiga- 

 tions point out the relationship existing between polluted water as a 

 potent factor in disease dissemination and the mortalities ordinarily 

 ascribed to bacterial diseases. 



The problem of obtaining relatively pure drinking water becomes 

 more complicated as population increases. That the public realizes 

 this fact is attested by the annual increase in the consumption of 

 bottled mineral waters, the cost of which now amounts to millions 

 of dollars yearly. As the consumption of bottled waters is dependent 

 largely upon a belief in the purity and wholesomeness of the product, 

 an investigation of American mineral waters from source would be 

 incomplete without a study of the bacteriological character of the 

 several springs investigated. Deep-seated springs and artesian wells 

 are usually comparatively free from bacterial life, while shallow wells 

 and springs, especially in close proximity to human dwellings, often 

 show evidences of serious pollution of animal origin. 



Bottled waters may show dangerous pollution, originating from 

 polluted springs, dirty bottles, or insanitary handling of the product. 

 Water from uncontaminated springs, put up in properly cleansed 

 bottles, is usually free from objectionable bacteria. Great care 

 should be exercised in protecting all water designed for drinking 

 purposes from every possible source of contamination. Very often 

 it is not realized with what ease water may be infected, and since it 

 comprises such a large proportion of the weight of our daily diet the 

 close relation of pure water to health is apparent. Nor should we forget 

 that water is the one important article of our diet which is consumed 



i State Dept. Health, Lansing, Mich., Public Health Bulletin, 1910, 6(4): 187. 



