Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-05-29
Source Of an Outbr eak ofTyphoid Fever

Editor Sentinel A local newspaper whose
object and mission is the guidance and im-
prOvement OF the body of citizens and in
habitants of that locality or region as yours,
OF course makes il IL point of having its col
umns filled with such matter as will be OF a
most practical and beneficial nature to that
region in particular. Now, my effort is an
attempt TO explain and point out matter
which being source of evil at one point
may also be equally as applicable to many
other localities But will turn direct To
my subject.
During the summer of 1884 we had an
outbreak at Boyds of enteric or typhoid
fever in three houses in a location Just east
of the station. The query was at once
raised "What is the local cause, and was
the canse a local one or general?'
The outbreak was attributed To numerous
causes, all Of them, perhaps, having their i'll
effect, more or less. One complained-of
fault was the efiluvium of decaying bodies
OF swine, victims of very malignant cpl
demic OF hog disease that was raging, and
which greeted the olactory nerves at every
turn almost. But this was not the cause in
any part whatever of the typhoid fever out
break, though evidently that impurty was
not an advantage to the health OF the conf
mnnity The fact that the jewellers more
adjacent 10 the dead bodies OF the hogs were
very healthy, no serious ills of any kind DC
curing during the summer and autumn,
was ample proof that the source of typhoid
was moi in that direction. As one Of the
attending physicians | had the subject so
we'll in hand that il was easy to discover
the fault, and my Investigations developed
the following cause "a the source ol the out
break.
These three residences stand on promi.
nence which will It's northern angie form
ing delta, 50 Ia speak, points into a large
marshy region stretching 10 the north
Much of this level section consists, during
the winter aud spring seasons. 0i marshy
pools of stagnant wafer and decayiDg veg
etabie matter. During the winter Of 1893
"a large scope OF this marsh was cleaned
up Of the undergrowth and trees, giving the
rays Of the sun nance topenetrite. The
summer was Il very hot and dry Onc, excep
tionally 50 characterized.
Most authors agree with the statement
made by MurchisOn, that typhoid fever is
unusually prevalent after summers remark
able for their dryness and high tempera-
ture," and Leibermeister believes "that the
leading places of typhoid fever lie deep in
| the earth" thus with the surface water gone
and this decayed vegetation TO become dry
!
Pettenkoffer, from much investigation of the
subject, evolved the theory shat the cause
OF typhoid fever lies deep in the soil and
has the power of multiplying itself there,
and that this property is very much in
creased when the water level sinks and the
upper layers of the earth are constantly ex-
| posed to the air"
With this knowledge as guide it was an
easy matter ~ trace the source of the out
/ break. With the extraordinary dry and
hot summer with this long stretch of marshy
region, with It's surface water very low and
| the full power OF the suns rays admitted is
necessarily plain case.
/ During the summer and early autumn the
prevailing winds were from the northwest,
which coming down this ravine during the
night when the surchargcd- yapors from this
| flat were rising, drove them directly up two
ravnes which lead to these three houses in
4 question.
Therefore, with the cause of the outbreak
the remedy Is apparent During the past
winter this marsh has been cleaned up in its
entirety and is now being prepared for a
seeding with grass. With this grass growth
on this soil 10 absorb the moisture and TO
keep the surface more or less shielded from
the hot, drying rays of the sun, the chance
of any future outbreak will be averted.
Any persons in any locality exposed TO
such an influence should put themselves
under the care Of their physician during the
summer, and by judicious use OF calOmel
and quinine typhoid fever might be very
often ayerted.
j. J. coFFMAN, NJ. ID.
Boyd's, Md, May %, 1885