1893-1894 - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

APPENDIX. 199
troops in these'sliipf^ and those in the Arr/o was the difference of drinking
water. The latter were exceptionally supplied with water. Avhich
was said to have an unpleasant smell and taste, from a marsh near Bona;
those on the other shii)s were supplied Mith good water. Finally the
ninelsoldiers on the Argo who escaped were said to have i)urrliased wholesome
water from the crew of that vessel."
In an article by Dr. Bartley, on the "Relation of Water to Paludal
Poisoning," in the Brooklyn Medical Journal, and republished in the
North Carolina Medical Journal for February, 1893, these cases are quoted:
"The villages of AVarrington and Woolsey, in Florida, had been considered
healthy places up to 1872. After that they became very malarious.
Previous to that date almost the whole water supply had been from a
spring of pure water. About 1872 driven wells became popular, as water
could be had at a depth of a few feet (italics mine), and mo.st of the residents
had their own wells. From this time malaria became very prevalent,
and it is believed from the change in the water supply." Again:
"In January, 18(i(3, a company of forty healthy marines were sent to the
Navy Yard of Pensacola, Fla. During the first year frequent attacks of
malaria began to show themselves among these men, which increased in
number during the second year, and during the third year the disease
became so prevalent that before August twenty-five of the party were in
the hospital at one time. During this year they were so broken down
that they were all sent to Norfolk, Va., where they all recovered. These
marines drank the water from a driven well at the yard. The officers
and their families drank only from a cistern, and no case of malaria
appeared among them, proving that the wells were probably the cause
of the sickness among the marines." Dr. Bartley also quotes this from
the Sanitarian, 1892: "In 187o the Naval Hospital at Pensacola was
rebuilt.
It proved to be a very unhealthy place, malarial diseases being
very commonly contracted by patients and all othei-s who came there.
This continued until 1890. At this time there was a change in the water
supply. A cistern was constructed, and the use of well water from the
driven wells was abandoned, with the cessation of malarial attacks.
The soil at the location of the hospital is composed of a sandy to]) with
a swampy marl underneath. This peaty soil contains organic matter,
and in some way produced ti)ese diseases." Likewise this: "In the
report of the Marine Hospital Service for 1890, page 12, signed by Surgeon
General Hamilton, he says: 'The experience of the past year confirms
the previous statement that malarial diseases are contracted
through the medium of food and drinking water."
In the April number of the >Si)iiiliei'ii.
Slates there appeared a very interesting
article by I\Ir. James R. Randall on "Malaria Superstition and the
Water Problem." While not jirepared to indorse Mr. Randall in the
opinion that the malarial poison is not introduced into the system at all
through the air, but through the drinking water onli/, I am much pleased