The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-06
The Source Of typhoid Fever and its
Remedy.

The existence Of typhoid fever is very
| common, especially in civilized communi.
ties. lis frequently fatal termination and
its long and distressing developments, even
| in case of recovery, constitute it disease
which is but little less dreaded than It's
| kindred Scourges, cholera and smallpox. In
| view of its character, Investigations as to
| its origin are of universal interest. 1t is not
| disease which is limited to any particular
| class. as is the case with some Others. 1t Is
4 yisitant Of the crowded tenemept-house,
and of the palace. 1t frequentS both country
| town and city; and makes It's appearance ln-
differently in the isolated farmhouse and up
| Oh the avenues Of densely populated centres.
And vet one would scarcely believe that this
dread complaint is simply and solely the
production of unclcanliness; that it has no
higher origin than dirt; that it Is III no way
| II providentlal dispenSation further than be-
| ng an attempt on the part OF ProYldence-li
Providence have hand in the matter at all
| to warn men and women that they must
| breathe pure air, drink pure water, and keep
themselves free from the contamination OF
filth. In the Public Health, IN English pub
| lcaton, it is positively asserted rs The con-
cIlsion of long and exhaustive Investigations
| that typhoid fever is ''directly and positive
| ~ prcyentahle," land this prevention is mat
Ter of the utmost simplicity. Filth says
the same authority, "pollutinS air, or water,
or both is the sole, simple. and removable
cause" of typhoid fever, and the removal of
| fifth in such Il way that neither air nor Wa
ter shall be polluted thereby means the en-
| tinction of typhoid fever
The discovery of the cause and cure OF
| this Scourgc removes the duty OF preventing
| the spread or even the existence OF this dis
| ease from the domain of mysticism and
| places it in the hands Of sanitary authorities
| in general, and in the keeping of every indi-
! yidua in particular. The discovery amounts
| to this: Extermnate filth, and We eXterml-
nate typhoid fever.
For popular guidance there are three or
four points which may be elaborated. They
are:
/. Drnking-water must be absolutely free
from the drainage OF nl5ht-soll ana other
impurities.
>. Tie excrementory discharges of pa
tients suffering from typhoid fever Will com
municate the disease, and hence they must
| be at once diSiniected.
| 3. The air from sewers and water-closcts
must not be permitted to escape so as to be
| breathed, for it is fruitful source of the
origin and for the spread of the disease.
! These three points thoroughly attended to
by every family will reduce the existence Oh
| typhoid fever to the minimum. The action
| of tue individual should be supplemented, in
| the case Of towns, by measures which will
cleanse the cutters, secure perfect sewerage,
and prevent the atmosphere from being pol
luted by the admission into it of noxious va
pors. In the case of farm-houses, the great
cause of typhoid fever is found in the pollu'
| ton of the air and the drinking water by
| carnations and drainage from the barn-yard
In tine, typhoid fever, like cholera and
smallpox, is simply the indignant and forcl
BILE protest of nature against uncleanliness
Let every one breathe perfectly pure air.
drink perfectly pure water-let people com
pIetely disassociate themselves from filth
and typhoid fever will become disease o.
| the past Chicago Times.