American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-01-13

Typhoid fever is the great autumnal
scourge of our country. 1t attacks the
| high and the low, the rich and the poor
the resident of the country, village, and
city. The family of the most humble and
| lowly seems no more liable to it than the
| family of the most exalted in wealth and
| rank. 1t has no more respect for the
royal family of England than for the poor
/ est peasants household Prince Albert
! fell victim to it, and to-day the heir APP
parent is prostrated under its remorseless
| grasp.
| We may gain some idea of the vast
/ harvest of sickness and death which this
reaper annually gathers from the follow
| ing facts. 1t is estimated that from 100,-
600 to 156, 900 people annually suffer from
this disease in England alone.
The causation of typhoid fever, though
/ long enveloped in Obscurity, is now well
known. 1t is one of the so-called "filth
diseases Of modern sanitary writers. Its
most ordinary exciting cause is air or
drinking water befouled with eXcremental
matters. 1t is also quite certain that a
person suffering from this fever may him
self infect the air of his room or the wa
| ter which receives his eXcreta with germs
of the disease, so as to transmit it to
olItlo. II SllSlC CttSt may lluS bC luG
fruitful source Of a widespread epidemic.
The facts illustrating the origin of ty-
phOids from eXcremcntal matters in drink
ing water are now very numerous and
very instructive. Every experienced
physician can give striking examples oc-
curing under his own observation. 1t
not unfrequently happens that the actual
source of the disease is very obscure, and
can only be discovered by the most per-
sstent and intelligent inquiry but the
scientific student is generally rewarded
with complete success The following
example will illustrate the methods of
communicating the fever:
In a small German settlement in the
upper part of the city there was a severe
outbreak of dysentery and typhoid fever.
A physician, called to attend some of the
cases, set to word to find out the cause.
On inquiry as to the water supply, he was
directed to a spring on low ground in the
midst of the settlement, so situated as to
receive the surface drainage The water
was pure and sparkling to the sight and
taste, and was loudly praised by the own
er of the spring. A quantity put in bot |
tie and allowed to stand a few hours |
threw down a thick sediment of most |
offensive matter, which, on being tested, |
"tc iOuhNi w W 90 l'bANil NANiNihSht &c /
if it had been taken from a privy. The /
people ceased to use this water, and the |
epidemic ceased at once.
In neighboring village typhoid fever |
broke out, and prevailed with great viO- !
lence in a given locality. Search was .
made for the cause by the attending ply I
sician; 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, and pre-
dicted that a certain hydrant, which sup
piled the victims with drinking water,
communicated at some point with house
drains or the street sewer The water
pipe was examined, and at a distance
from the hydrant house-drain was found
leaking into il at a point where they
traversed each other The repair of these
pipes was the cure of the epidemic.
While visiting in an interior township
of this State, famous for healthfulness
and the beauty Of its scenery, | became
interested in the history of family
which was suffering from typhoid fever.
Of eight members, five had perished, and
one was then fatally sick. On visiting
the locality, the house was found situated
on an elevation, and all the surroundings
were admirably arranged for health One
could readily believe the statement that
there had not been case of sickness in
the house for twelve years. The follow
ing history Of the present sickness was
given: 4 few weeks before the fever ap-
peared TIE pump in the well broke, and the
farmer, being driven with his work, neg
lecied to have it repaired Meantime, the
servant brought the water from a spring
at the foot Of the hill which soon became
low, owing % the drought lie then re
sorted to small brook, and from this