3. The adequacy of present sewerage systems and the extent
of their use.
4. The amount of typhoid fever and probable reasons for its
presence.
The surveys were begun on February 15 and completed on
May 1, 1916. They were carried on simultaneously in each
community. Frequent bacteriological tests on the public
and private supplies were made, the location of existing
sewers was determined, also the number and character of
connections to them, the history of the typhoid-fever cases
occurring during 1914, 1915, and the first four months of
1916 was ascertained. A study of the data collected shows
that the following conditions exist:
The village of Ford obtains its water supply from the
Detroit River through an intake located at the harbor line.
This water is supplied to the consumers without treatment.
A 12-inch and 42-inch sewer empty into the river above
this intake and a 36-inch sewer discharges at a point some
distance below. A private sewer from the industrial plant
of the Michigan Alkali Co. discharges into the river at
a point about 50 feet downstream from the water intake.
Float measurements made at a time when a southeast wind
was blowing showed that the effluent from this sewer was
undoubtedly carried past the water intake. The results of
bacteriological analyses on the village water showed that
it was badly contaminated at all times and at no time fit
for drinking purposes. The histories of typhoid-fever cases
in Ford showed that in practically all cases the infection
was obtained from the village water supply. There was a
remarkable absence of secondary or contact cases. The
general use of outside closets which discharge into the
sewer, but which are not provided with flushing devices, is
to be deplored.
The city of Wyandotte obtains its public water supply
from the Detroit River, the intake pipes extending out
a distance of approximately 150 feet from the shore. In
March, 1914, hypochlorite of lime treatment of the water
was begun. Our bacteriological analyses show that out of
35 tests the treated water was satisfactory in only 15
instances, or 43 per cent of the time. The city sewerage
system has four points of outlet--all into the river, but
at points below the water intake. Many of the connections
to the sewers are of the same nonflushing, outside closet
type that is prevalent in Ford. The typhoid-fever case
histories all point to the city water supply as the
probable source of infection. There are a few private water
supplies which are obtained from wells. An examination of
these supplies shows that most of them are uncontaminated
at present.
The village of Trenton gets its water supply from the
Detroit River, the intake pipes extending out about 200
feet from the shore line. This water is supplied to the
consumers without treatment. Bacteriological examinations
show that this water is polluted at all times and
absolutely unfit for drinking purposes. There are many
private wells in Trenton and nearly all of them show sewage
contamination. This is probably due to the fact that
there is no general sewerage system in the village and
consequently outdoor privies are common. Where plumbing
has been installed the sewage is carried to open drains in
most cases, where direct connection to the river is not
feasible. There are 20 private sewers emptying into the
river above the water intake, and the village authorities
have recently decided to add a public sewer to this
number. General sanitary conditions in the village are
exceedingly poor and the village authorities seem very
unconcerned when these conditions are called to their
attention. The study of the typhoid-fever cases occurring
in Trenton during 1914 and 1915 shows that a majority of
the cases are due to the polluted public water supply,
but that some may be attributed to general insanitary
conditions, such as open drains, outside privies, and
polluted well supplies.