OUR WATER SUPPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 144, 20 June 1899, Page 3

OUR WATER SUPPLY.

STATEMENT BY I>R. MAKGILL,

At the meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, held yesterday [afternoon, Dr. Makgill sent the toli lowing letter, in explanation of his ! report on the question of filtration, presented some time since: — Sir— Lest there be an impression that 'my report as to 'the expediency of filtering- the water supply at the hospital is discredited by the recent im alv«es made far the City Council, 1 would beg to remind you that my recommendation was made on tne ground that bacteriological analysis proved the existence of pollution in the water; that this is so has now been conclusively shown by Professor Thoma«, who has carried the inveati--ration further in tracing an Important ! source of contamination in the auxiliary supply at Edg-ecumbe's Creek. This proved so unsatisfactory that he • recommends its disuse. Probably this water was even more impure be tore the energetic measures to remedy its i insanitary surrounding's were taken Ibv the Mayor, when the outbreak of I typhoid took place in its vicinity. ! Professor Thomas farther condemns i the use of the pond water without j efficient filtration, and shows bow, during the dry season, the rntcr- > change between the main spring- anil the pond may deteriorate the quality !of the waiter in the former. His re- | port also makes it clear that the pnr- ; ity even of the main spring- has not been finally assured, for, after pointi mo- ont the various dangers to which I it is exposed, he says:—"Hence I think lit desirable that before deciding- that the main spring- water requires no filtration, we should have further knowledge of its bacterial character I throughout the year." Mr experiments were made only on the water as supplied from the mains, and early in April last a specimen taken at the hospital showed an average of KiOO , microbes to the cubic centimetre. j That the number then should be so ! ! much larger than at present is not | surprising1, when we consider that the quality of a water supply varies ; greatly, according to the rainfall, j temperature, etc., and that my examination was made at the end of the dry season, when the conditions described in Professor Thomas' report as likely to cause impurity arc especially in operation. During- the summer months of this year I made an investigation directed towards discovering what species of bacteria were present, rather than their quantity. The evidence obtained in this j way also revealed serious eontamin- i ation, as there were found varieties usually existing in highly-polluted water. In this connection I wish to j point out that Mr Taylor, owing to a j misunderstanding of technical terms j I had used, was mistaken, as I ex- j plained to him shortly after, in saying j I had found the typhoid bacillus. Al- i though the practical point as re- j gards the impurity of the water is not much affected thereby, I would j wish, for the sake of accuracy, to take | tihiis' opportunity of correcting the j error. If further reasons for the position I took were needed, they are i to be found in a consideration of the ! character of the severe typhoid outbreak in 1898, which was distinctly of a water-borne type. Much useful information bearing on the causes producing an epidemic of typhoid may be gathered by inquiring into the sanitary surroundings of each patient. Your resident physician, l>r. Neil, has done valuable work in this direction as regards the eases admdtted to the hospital. A study of the results thus obtained suggests that this year the infection is more localised to certain centres, and is not so widespread as in 1898.

Mr Taylor said as his remarks referred to by Dr. Makgill had caused much comment, he would like to make an explanation. He had said that Dr. Makgill had discovered the typhoid bacillus in the water, but the doctor had afterwards explained that the germs found were always present when typhoid germs were found, though their presence did not necessarily mean typhoid infection. He (Mr Taylor) had made his statement after a lapse of three or four months, hence had gone a little astray.

Dr. Makgill's letter was received

A report was then rend from Dr. Baldwin, stating- that he and Dr. Makgill recommended that Pasteur niters be introdiiced into the Hospital.

Mr Warren said that the reports from the highest authorities proved the water supply to be as pure as any that could be got. When Dr. Makfiill's examination was made the Edgecumbe's Creek supply- was beingused, but this was now shut off.

Mr Friend moved that the recommendations be given effect to.

Mr Becroft supported, saying that the water supply was not as pure as could be wished.

< The Chairman did not see the necessity for the purchase of four niters. He moved as an amendment, 'That one filter be purchased as a test.' This was granted on the Chairman's casting vote.