The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1880-02-04
Typhoid Fever Germs.


All organisms consume in their growth
nitrogen and water. The poison germs of the
eEuptiye feyers, growing in the human system,
must get their nuLriment there. But nitrogen
aud water are the chief materials required for
the nutrition and repair of the various organs
aud tissues of the body. The propagation in
it of millions of organisms having wants iden-
teal in the main with those of its own tissues,
must cause serious disturbance. This de-
clares itself by that aggregate of phenomena
to which We apply the term fever.
These organisms are parasites, growing in
and at the expense of other organisms, They
flourish not in any part, but in some partieu-
lar organ, or tissue, called the midas, or nest.
The poison of smallpox has its indus in the
deep layer of the skin hence its Characters
tic eruption. That of scarlet fever, in the
superficial layer of the skin, and on the
throat; hence the rash and the sore-throat of
that disease. That Of measles in the skin,
aud in the mucous membrane of the air-pass-
ages hence It's characteristic symptoms. That
of typhoid fever in the glands of the intestine
hence that disease consists of fever, and the
liberation of the bowel. 1t is propagated in
the bowel and is thrown of with the discharges
from it. The seat of the propagation of the
poison has no direct action with the atmos-
phere. Germs cannot pass directly from one
person TO another; hence the disease is not
properly called contagious. II never spreads
in hospitals, and attendants on the sick suffer
no more than other people.
The danger in typhoid fever is not contact
with the person of the sufferer, but contact
with his stools If these are properly dis
posed of, the disease can scarcely spread
The communication of the disease is not direct
by contact; II is indirect by infection of drink
ing water, or breathing in germs from an at
mosphere which may be remote from the per-
son who is the source of the poison.
The matter of which organisms are COM
posed is one Of the most perishable things in
nature By exposure TO the air much of this
poisonous matter Is destroyed. Hence such
exposure is one Of the best of all its infectants
Much may be done by wise sanitary measures
TO check the spread or contagious fevers
But this requires knowledge Of the nature
Of the poison with which we have to deal, and
of the manner IN which It passes into and
away from the system.
The glands which constitute this indus are
not equally prominent and active all through
life. At two or three they begin to grow.
For twenty or twenty-five years they are very
distinguishable. After forty they begin to
diminish, till at seventy they have dwiudled
away so much that they can no longer exer-
else any active function. Increased and d.
minished susceptibility to the action Of the
poison of typhoid fever correspond exactly to
the increase and diminution in the size and
functional activity of the glands which con-
stitute It's INDUS The disease is extremely
rare in infancy. At fifteen or sixteen begins
the period of greatest liability from that age
till forty it is common and often fatal. After
forty-fve the frequency and severity dimin-
izhes.-By Or. T. j. AeLagaa.