Subjects Public Health

Includes activities to maintain the healthfulness of the city, and the animals (such as pigs) and diseases (such as cholera, yellow fever, and typhoid fever) that were the objects of public health efforts.

Diagram showing the Philadelphia Water Department's water treatment process

PWD Drinking Water Treatment diagram

PWD water tech at the Philly Home Show, 1960

PWD water tech at the Philly Home Show, 1960 (detail)

Lab tech at Philly Home Show, 1960

Lab tech, water cleaning demo, Philly Home Show, 1960

Gillette Schuylkill mud cartoon

‘Gillette, All By Himself, Gets Fine New Idea On Germ Slaying’

Torresdale Conduit work gang, 1906

Torresdale Conduit work gang, 12/18/1906

Finished Upper Roxborough filters, 1903

Finished Upper Roxborough filters, 1903

Outhouse over Schuylkill near Pottstown

Outhouse over the Schuylkill near Pottstown

Spring Garden water testing lab, 1901

Bureau of Water Spring Garden Testing Station, 1901

Immigrant family, ca. 1900

Immigrant family, ca. 1900, nurse in black

Photo of a woman looking at a jar of raw, untreated sewage

Jar of raw sewage before treatment, 2000

Black and white image of Philadelphia civic and business leaders watching the start of operations at the new Northeast Sewage Treatment Plant, April 6, 1951

Northeast Sewage Plant opening, 1951

City officials tour new interceptor sewer, 1953