Kodiak Mirror

Three
KNS
Weils Cases
Reported
This Week

Navy Tests Local
Water Supply

Three new cases of Weils disease resulted in an official warning to all military personnel residing in Kodiak to chlorinate or boil all water.

The official warning was broadcast this week seven times a day over WVCQ, Navy radio station, on orders of the commanding officer of Kodiak Naval Station.

The three cases were admitted to the Naval Station Hospital early this week.

Within the past 40 days five new cases of the disease has struck military personnel or their dependents.

Samples of the city water were taken Wednesday from several sources by a Navy officer and were taken to the Naval Station Hospital laboratory for an analysis.

Thursday, a Navy official said a test to determine the amount of chlorination in the water revealed that it was less than the required minimum.

Samples were taken from 10 different points in town including the pumping station.

The broadcast over WVCQ read: "Attention: All military personnel residing in Kodiak are urged to chlorinate or boil all water. Three cases of Weils disease have been admitted to the Naval Station infirmary this week. All indications point to contaminated water. Boil your water 15 minutes or use two drops of iodine per quart of water and let stand 30 minutes before using. This is vital to your health."

Cmdr. S. S. Searcy, executive officer of Kodiak Naval Station, said the warning was a precautionary measure to prevent an epidemic of Weils disease. Lt. E. L. Walter, Navy epidemiologist, conducted a rat eradication program and clean up here recently. He warned of contaminated water supplies at that time and pointed out that beaver and other animals can be carriers of the disease as well as rats.

Navy officials did not indicate which supply was suspected of contamination. Unofficially, it is believed the water came from a small private system as the three cases admitted to the Navy hospital lived within the same area.
Dr. Johnson Warns
Of Private Wells

Dr. A. Holmes Johnson called on all residents of the city of Kodiak to continue their efforts toward eliminating Weils disease.

Rat control, personal cleanliness and special precautions regarding all private water supplies was urged by Dr. Johnson.

"At the present time the city water is chlorinated and safe for drinking," Dr. Johnson said. He added that there is a possibility that shallow wells and wells too close to a sewage disposal system may be contaminated with the organism causing Weils disease.

The disease is spread in the urine of rats, cats, dogs, and many wild animals. Dr. Johnson recommended that all water from private systems used for drinking be treated by one of the following methods.

1. Boil the water 20 minutes. Allow it to cool. If the water has a flat taste, pour it back and forth between two containers for two or three times.

2. Add one drop of clorox or purex (containing 3.5% available chlorine) to each quart of water. If it is desired to treat larger amounts of water, add one teaspoon of the solution to 50 gallons of water.

3. Add two to three drops of U. S. P. Tincture of Iodine to one quart of water. Mix thoroughly; then allow it to stand for 30 minutes. Iodine treatment of water should be considered an emergency measure and used only when chlorine compounds are not available.

Be sure that the label of the iodine bottle reads "U. S. P. Tincture of Iodine."