CONVICT LABOR FOR ROAD WORK. 75 



persons are absolutely thoughtless in regard to the water which they 

 drink, and an inferior water, if a little more convenient, will be used 

 readily. Though no mstances of this kind were reported at this partic- 

 ular camp, examples were not lacking in other places. At one camp ^ 

 a "trusty" convict working on the road drank water from a raUroad 

 culvert in order to save himself the trouble of going to the regular 

 supply. It is significant that he was the only man at the camp who 

 contracted typhoid fever. At another camp where the men were 

 working under the honor system and were not under constant obser- 

 vation, several drank water from a river close at hand, although the 

 camp supply was not far distant. Four contracted typhoid fever. 

 The prisoners then were cautioned not to drink any water except 

 that furnished for their use, and no more illness occurred. From 

 the foregoing examples it is clear that danger may exist wherever a 

 surface supply is at hand. To sanction the use of such a supply for 

 any purpose whatever serves to increase the danger. 



Whenever the use of such a supply is absolutely necessary, water 

 used for all purposes should be purified^ and the danger of using 

 the impurified water should be thoroughly drilled into the minds of 

 the convicts. Harmful organisms are killed by boiling, but it is 

 not certain that all the water used in the preparation of food will 

 reach the boUing point, and much of the water used in washing dishes 

 and clothing never boils. A method by which the danger may be 

 overcome more certainly consists of the addition to the water of 

 bleaching powder, otherwise known as "chloride of lime," "chlorin- 

 ated lime," and "hypochlorite." In the quantities in which it is 

 generally used for the purification of water for drinking purposes it 

 is harmless in its effect upon the human body, and its taste is almost 

 imperceptible. In cases where it is desirable to discourage the use of 

 the water for drinking, the bleaching powder may be used in sufficient 

 quantities to produce a disagreeable taste 



The United States Public Health Service issues the following direc- 

 tions for the use of bleaching powder in the purification of water for 

 drinking purposes : ^ 



Prepare a solution of bleaching powder (chloride of lime) by dissolving one tea- 

 sjwonful of the frash substance in one quart of water. This should be placed in a 

 tightly stoppered bottle (preferably of dark glass) and kept from the light. To disin- 

 fect water, add one teaspoonful of this solution for each two gallons of water.- Stir 

 the water thoroughly and allow it to stand for fifteen minutes. At the end of that 

 time the disinfectant will have killed the disease germs and the water may be drunk 

 with a fair degree of safety. 



As bleaching powdc^r loses its strength very rapidly when exposed 

 to tlio air, groat care must bo taken to keep it covered tightly in air- 

 tight containers. 



' Public Health Bulletin No. 70, U, S. Public Health Service. 



