116 
IOWA ACADEMY OP SCIENCE 
From the results of Mr. Allen Hazen’s work, it appears that the 
unfiltered water from the Hudson River on Sept. 29th had 11,545 
bacteria per cubic centimeter, filtered 608; Sept. 16th, unfiltered 
1,483, filtered 306; Sept. 23d, unfiltered 17,403, filtered 273; Sept. 
30th, unfiltered 22,600, filtered 259. It will thus be seen that the 
storage of water in the reservoir, and the later filtration have done 
away with a large number of organisms, and that it has very mate- 
rially reduced the death rate of typhoid fever in the city of Albany. 
The average death rate per hundred thousand of this disease for 
the city of Albany, was 85 for 9 years ending with 1898. During 
the 4 months in which the filters had been in operation, 7 deaths 
had been reported, and for the corresponding months of 9 years 
ending with 1898, the average number was 24. 
Mr. George C. Whipple, in discussing the value of pure water, 
gives the following interesting table, comparing the death rate 
before and after filtration of the water supply of Albany : 
ALBANY. 
Effect of filtration on Death-Rates at Albany, N. Y., and a Comparison 
with Troy, N. Y., where the Water was not Filtered. 
Condition 
death rates FOR 100,000 
1894-98, before 
Filtration at 
Albany 
1900-04, after 
Filtration at 
Albany 
Difference 
Per cent. Re- 
duction of 
Death-Rates 
Typhoid fever 
104 
26 
78 
75 
Diarrheal diseases 
125 
53 
72 
57 
Children under 5 years 
606 
309 
297 
49 
Total deaths 
2,264 
1,868 
378 
17 
TROY. 
Typhoid fever.. 
57 
57 
0 
0 
Diarrheal diseases 
116 
102 
14 
12 
Children under 5 years 
531 
435 
96 
18 
Total deaths 
2,157 
2,028 
129 
6 
He calls attention to the very interesting fact which has been 
observed before, that the reduction of the typhoid fever death rate 
following the substitution of pure water for a contaminated water 
is often accompanied by a drop in the death-rate from other 
diseases. The above table shows the reduction from general diar- 
rhoeal disease, and the deaths of children under 5 years of age 
were much greater than in the case of typhoid fever. 
