Typhoid Fever Outbreak at Tonawanda, New York

Abstract

On December 30, 1919, the author submitted a report to the State Commissioner of Health of New York, Dr. Hermann M. Biggs, on an epidemic of typhoid fever at Tonawanda which had been long predicted and, when it came, was checked by means which would have prevented it had they been provided when the local authorities were urged to give the matter consideration. The facts in the case, as developed from the official records and examinations made at Tonawanda by Dr. Senftner, epidemiologist of the State Department of Health, and E. S. Chase and Earl Devendorf , assistant engineers, are as follows : The water supply for the city has been drawn from an intake crib in the Niagara River about 1800 feet from the American shore in about 30 feet of water. The crib or pier is at a point in the river where the water is ordinarily less polluted than it is nearer the American shore. The typhoid rate in the city has always been high, although there is no record of any epidemic reaching the proportions of that in the autumn of 1919. For years this supply had been used without any purification whatever despite the urgent recommendations of the State health officials that some form of treatment was greatly needed. To show how slow local officials sometimes are to heed the warnings of specialists that water supplies are in danger of serious pollution, the record of the notices sent to the Tonawanda officials is given here: In 1912 a report was submitted recommending the immediate purification of the existing supply or the introduction of a satisfactory new supply. In 1916, a report was made recommending filtration and sterilization, and the immediate installation of duplicate chlorination apparatus. In 1918, the principal assistant engineer of the State Department of Health appeared before the common council and board of health and urged the installation of a chlorination