Bacteriology of the Bedside Carafe

PATIENTS' complaints of unpalatable bedside water called attention to the potential hazard of bedside drinking water as an unappreciated vehicle in crossinfection in hospitals. Inspection of patients' water carafes in several hospitals revealed turbid, malodorous water in a majority of cases.This finding stimulated the bacteriologic examination of the water carafes in 24 Boston hospitals, excluding those operated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States Government. Cultures were taken during July and August, 1957. The density of coliforms was found higher than United States Public Health Service standards for drinking water. High density of staphylococci was also demonstrated. . . .