TYPHOID FEVER IH DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 127 
Only 3 of the 63 shallow wells in the District show no laboratory 
indication of injurious pollution. They are as follows: 
No. 
Location. 
224 
Northeast. 
Old Philadelphia, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets. 
Northwest. 
127 Twelfth street and Florida avenue. 
130 North Capitol and Randolph streets. 
It will be noticed, however, that only a few examinations were 
made of these 3 wells and it is reasonable to assume that if frequent 
analyses were conducted, indications of pollution would sooner or 
later be found in them. Further, it will be seen that the waters of 
many of these shallow wells show considerable variation in chemical 
composition, and in the number and character of bacteria. This, in 
itself, is an index of danger from a sanitary standpoint, indicating 
intermittent sources of sewage or surface pollution. 
It is also evident from a study of our summaries that there appears 
to be a relationship between the proximiity and number of privies to 
the wells, and the bacteriological and chemical findings; also, that 
most of the wells vfith broken pumps and leaky platforms, permitting 
surface contamination, give evidence of this condition in the labora- 
tory analyses. From the fact that 31 of the 63 wells show indications 
of sewage pollution and 29 of the others are suspicious, we feel jus- 
tified in recommending the closing of all the shallow wells in the 
District of Colurnbia. 
It is evident that a densely inhabited area, vdth miles of sewers — 
some of them doubtless broken or leaky, and vith almost 4,000 
prunes — must produce a more or less sewage-polluted condition of the 
soil favorable for the contamination of shallow wells. Shallow wells 
and privies, on general principles, have been gradually eliminated 
from all large cities having an abundant water supply and sewerage 
system. We unhesitatingly subscribe to this view, and believe 
that, upon general principles alone, the shallow wells in Washington 
should be condemned, a conviction that is amply confirmed by our 
chemical and bacteriological analyses. 
