Disinfection of Water Containing Causative Agent of Infectious (Epidemic) Hepatitis

During the past few years the incidence of infectious (epidemic) hepatitis has increased to such an extent that the disease has become one of the most serious medical problems of the present war. The development of effective methods for its prevention and control has been prevented by the lack of definite knowledge concerning the sources of the causative agent and the factors involved in its transmission. However, recent investigations1have shown that the causative agent is excreted in the feces of infected persons. This has suggested that feces may be a common source of the agent and that anything subject to fecal contamination may be a potential means of transmission of the disease. More recently, evidence has been obtained that the agent from feces may be transmitted by drinking water.2It has seemed important, therefore, to determine the effect on the hepatitis agent of methods commonly used for