Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-01-17
Causes OF TNnhoid ErNtr.

An instructive aud timely article on Ty-
phoid Fever appeared in the New York Ia.
dependent Of last week, from the pen Of
STEPHEN SMITH, NJ. D., one of tho Health
Commissioners Of the city Of New York
The writer says that from 100, 900 to 10000
people annually suffer from this dangerous
disease 10 Eogland alone lie styles it the
great au,umnal scourge Of our country"
He declares it to be one Of the D" iith diseases
Of modern sanitary writer's" Its exciting
cause ordinarily, Is air, or drinking water
befouled with cxcremental matters The air
of the room affected by the cxcrrta Of pa
tient afflicted with the disease may commun.
cate it to others. A single case sometimes
originates a wide spread epidemic Dr. Smith
illustrates his views by the following exam
pies
In a small German settlement in the upper part
Of the city there was severe outbreak of dysen-
terry and typhoid fever. A physician called t.
attend some OF the cases. set 10 work 10 lind out
the cause On inquiry a. 10 tie water supply,
he was directed To n spring on low ground in the
midst of the settlement, 81 situated rs tu receive
the surface drainage The water was pure and
sparkling 10 the sight and taste and was loudly
praised hy the owner OF the spring 4 quantity
put in a bottle and allowed Ia stand lcw hours
threw down a thick sediment Of most offensive
matter which, IN being tested, was found 20 Doc
AS purely oxcremcnt a. if it had been AIKEN from
q priyy The people ceased to use this water,
and the epidemic ceased at once.
In neighborlng village typhoid lever broke
out and prevailed with great violence in a given
locality. Search was made for the cause by the
attending physician, but in vain. They appealed
for aid to the health authorities of New York ,
and an expert officer examined the history of the
outbreak and the locality, aud predicted that a
certain hydrant, which supplied theSictins with
water, communicated at some point with house
drains or the street sewer. The water pipe was
examined, aud short distance iroiQ the hydrunt
/ a nOu~c drain WIS iuuud ieak'u- int1hat poiut
where they trnyersed each other. The repair OF
these pipes was the cure Of the epidemic
While visiting in an interior township of this
State, famous Tor healthlulness and the beauty OF
its scenery, became interested M the history ui
"a family which was suffering from typhoid fever.
| Of eight members five had persisted aud one wa
then fatally sick. On visiting the locality. the
house was found situated an elevation, and all
its surroundings were admirably arranged for
health. One could very readily believe the state.
ment that there had not been a case Of sickness
I IN the house Tor nearly twenty wears, Inc l1l-
| lowing history OF the present sickness was given
\ few weeks bcl,re the fever appeared the pump
in the well broke, and the farmer being driven
with his work, neglected to have it repaired
Meantime, the servant brought the water from q
spring at the foot of the hill, which soon became
low, owing to the drought. lie then resJrted Ia
a small brook and from this source the family
we're supplied for two or three weeks This
stream, higher up ran through several farm yards
and received the surface draining The first
symptoms of poison 10y this water were slight
nausea and mild diarrhwl alter several days
| typhoid fever IN its worst form was ushered in
OF the entire family but two escaped An attack
and they did not use the wnter. An examination
Of this water revealed sediment Of excremental
matters
One Of the most important lessons for house
holds to learn Is. that excremenml matters pol
luting the air they breathe or the water they
drink will cause typhoid fever IL should he
called excrcment fever 50 that when the
name is spoken every one is reminded Of It's cause
Far too little attention is given 10 this most fruit
| ful source Of sickness and death in cities, towns
villages, and by country residents Excrement
matters should be nj once d~plsedot, So that they
nnnot hy any uos-ibilitv faint the air we brcf kt