TYPHOID FEVER IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
93 
tained low death rates from typhoid fever, all tend to support the 
conclusion at which we have arrived, namely, that natural ice can 
very rarely be a vehicle of typhoid fever,” 
We must admit the power of cold water and^ freezing to destroy 
large amounts of typhoid infection, but low temperatures alone can 
not be depended upon to remove the danger in infected water, especi- 
ally when the infection is recent and concentrated. For example, 
we have the water-borne epidemic in Plymouth, Pa., in 1885, which 
began with the spring thaw. The outbreak in Ithaca, N. Y., started 
in epidemic proportions in January. The epidemic in Sherbourne, 
England, in 1873, likewise started in January. Four acute epidemic 
exacerbations are recorded in Philadelphia in December of the years 
1884, 1890, 1899, and 1903. Several similar epidemics have occurred 
in the winter in Chicago — one in January, 1890, another in January, 
1896, and one in March, 1891. Another striking instance is the epi- 
demic in Newark, N. J., in February, 1899, and the one in Decem- 
ber, 1891. Further, epidemics are recorded in Berlin in February, 
1889, in Paris in February, 1894, and in ATenna in November, 1888. 
All of these are generally believed to have been water borne. 
The occurrence of water-borne epidemics in the earty spring, when 
the water is very cold and the conditions presumably unfavorable, is 
quite common. 
INSPECTION OF THE ICE FACTORIES. 
Passed Assistant Surgeon Baydis H. Earle, United States Public 
Health and Marine-Hospital Service, was detailed to make a sanitary 
inspection of the ice factories in the District, and makes the following 
report : 
Fifteen factories and storerooms were inspected during the period 
between August 22 and September 11, 1906, as follows: 
Ice factories of the District of Columbia. 
HOME ICE COMPANY (INDEPENDENT), TWELFTH AND V STREETS NW. 
Daily output . — Can system, 50 tons; plate system, 40 tons. 
Water used . — Some city water; 3 driven wells, 60 feet deep; 2 dug wells, 36 feet 
deep.® 
Processes, filtration, etc. — ^Can system; (1) Exhaust steam from engine; (2) grease 
separator; (3) condenser; (4) reboiler; (5) skimmer; (6) grease traps; (7) forecooler; 
(8) charcoal filters, containing also ground quartz (York Manufacturing Company, 
York, Pa.); (9) automatic fillers. Plate system: Quartz filters (*?) claimed by owner, 
but think water is, as a rule, used direct from tap. 
Wells, and locations of same. — Driven wells: (1) one under plate ice tank, 60 feet; 
(2) one under engine room, 60 feet; (3) one under fireroom, 60 feet; (4) one under 
office, 60 feet (not in use); (5) one at east end of loading platform, 240 feet (not success- 
ful). Dug wells; (1) One in “outside” stable, 36 feet, and (2) one in engine room, 36 
feet. (Claims water from dug wells for condensing only.) 
®For condensing only (?). 
