It will be seen that since chlorination was adopted the typhoid death
rates have been reduced by approximately 50 per cent and that the
averages for the period after treatment are almost invariably less than
20 per 100,000, a figure that a few years ago was regarded as
satisfactory. The average death rate for the last available year is 11
per 100,000, a result that is even more satisfactory and exceeds the
anticipations of the most optimistic of sanitarians.
A portion of the reduction in the typhoid rates is no doubt due to
improvements in general sanitary conditions but the reduction is much
greater than can be accounted for in that manner alone and in many
cases there was a sharp decline immediately following the commencement
of chlorination.
In a few instances there is evidence that chlorination has reduced the
typhoid rates of cities previously supplied with filtered water. Diagram
X, drawn from data supplied by Dr. West, of the Torresdale Filtration
Plant, shows the effect of disinfecting the filter effluents at
Philadelphia.
[Illustration: DIAGRAM X
TYPHOID IN PHILADELPHIA]
During the years 1909-10-11, when practically the whole of the city
supply was filtered, the average typhoid death rate was 18, but when the
water was also chlorinated, in 1914-15-16, the rate was only 7, a
reduction of 61 per cent.
The figures in Table XXXII show that the Torresdale filters, during
1915-16 were unable to adequately purify the water and that chlorination
was necessary.
TABLE XXXII.--CHLORINATION OF FILTER EFFLUENTS
(TORRESDALE)
----+---------+---------+----------+----------------------------------
| | | | BACTERIA PER CUBIC CENTIMETER.
| Oxygen | | +-----------------+----------------
|Consumed.| Colour. |Turbidity.| Untreated. | Treated.
| | | +---------+-------+---------+------
| | | |Gelatine.| Agar. |Gelatine.| Agar.
----+---------+---------+----------+---------+-------+---------+------
1915| 1.70 | 12 | 0.6 | 141 | 30 | 28 | 14
1916| 1.90 | 12 | Nil. | 88 | 23 | 38 | 11
====+=========+=========+==========+=========+=======+=========+======
| _B. coli communis_ |
| Per Cent Positive Tests. |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
| Untreated. | Treated. | Added Chlorine
+----------+-----------+------------+------------+ Parts Per
|10 c.cms. | 1 c.cm. | 10 c.cms. | 1 c.cm. | Million.
----+----------+-----------+------------+------------+----------------
1915| 66 | 24 | 5 | 0.3 | 0.18
1916| 49 | 16 | 7.4 | 1.9 | 0.15
----+----------+-----------+------------+------------+----------------
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