Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-06
Pittsburg Physicians on the Likeli-
hood Of Germs of Typhoid
and Other Diseases in
MlSTS OF POISON In TIE AIR.
Excessive Heat Followed by Moisture
Make Deadly Microbes Spring Into ..
Life, and Place the
REALTH OF THE PEOPLE In DANGER.
Impurities in vapOs Rising From City Ground
Soaked With Sewage.

pools in the twin cities, the deadly germ OF
typhoid, cloaked In a misty vapor, hangs in
the atmospheie e, tainting the life-blood OF
the people. While the earth baked in the
terrible heat of the past few weeks, the
deathly microbes, buried in the depths of
refuse, were comparatively powerless to
fssien their fatal clutch on the lives of the
citizens, but yesterday the rainfall filled the
moldering germs with new life. Mists
rolling up from the beds of disease bore
microbes in their midst that breathe CON-
tamination in the air. The poisonous
vspors, stretching over all, carried the pol
luting odor from the filth dripping and fer
menting in the underground channels of
Pittsburg and Allegheny.
Many prominent medical practitioners of
the two cities were seen yesterday in regard
to the threatened danger lurking in the
damp atmosphere, and many are of the
opinion that the soaked ground is giving
forth germs of disease that endanger the
health OF the poulace.
PUBLIC HEALTH MENAcED.
DR.. ]. h McClelland, prominently con-
nected with the medical staff of the Homeo-
pathic Hospital, spoke as follows about the
matter: ''The public health is menaced BY the
refuse which is stepped beneath the surface,
and which throws off impurities that find
an outlet by way of the vapors that rise
from the ground after a rainfall. In some
parts of the citv, where the soil reeks with
sewage and offal thrown there wears ago, the
inhabitants are in peril in this kind of
weather. An overpowering stencil arises
from the bitches that are made where streets
are opened, and there is no help for it. The
only remedy is for residents to go away
while the streets are opened. and hundreds
have already left to escape the dangers of
typhoid"
DR.. R. S. Marshall said: Like plants,
germs of disease demand warmth and moist
ure for their growth, and consequently they
are filled with life after rainfall that fol-
lows heated term. They flourish in the
wet earth as readily as the seed of any plant
that is put into sponge. Take bean and
place it in sponge that lies on top of water,
and plant will sprout as natural as life,
though the fruit lacks tine native flavor. So
1t is with the microbes of typhoid and
malarial fever. They will spring up with
new life when they are moistened. So far
this summer the cases of typhoid among our
patients are about the same as in previous
years.
NOT TREATED PROMPTLY.
1.-THE disease is mostly confined to Italians
and Hungarians. They are not brought to
our notice as soon as they should be. Within
eight days from the beginning of the disease
the dark spots appear on the sufferers skin,
at which time be should be under medical
treatment, but the fact is, many of the
typhoid patients brought to us have already
passed that stage, which makes our work
doubly harder and increases the hospital
mortality"
"of all the menaees to the public health,
there is one following this sweltering heat
that carries death with it." said DR.. W. T.
English. Immediately after q heated
term, the dry, parched ground is soaked
with rainfalls, and the rising vapors are full
of the germs of disease. Where the soil is
polluted and contaminated with vile refuse,
the vapor is loaded with deadly microbes
that poison the atmosphere. All unhealthy
localities are thus a death-trap. Disease
Turks in the rising steam and is spread at an
alarming rate. Typhoid fever can be traced |
directly to these conditions. The germs fill |
the air and the health of the community |
suffers"
HARD ON HOSPITAL PATIENTS.
DR.. McCann, of the Allegheny General |
Hospital, commented as follows: 1.-THE |
fearful heat of the past few days made it |
harder for our patients, through their sick !
ness and suffering, but there was one ad- |
- 81, Ca Al Al
could be taken outdoors in the ward to eujoy |
the pure, healthy air. All that is obviaied |
by the rains which follow hot season. The |
patients must be very closely guarded from |
the dangers arising from the tainted vapors |
that roll up from a damp, wet ground and |
I'LL the atmosphere with deadly germs"
In an interview with DR.. c. c. Wylie, he |
said: "The greatest care should be exercised |
by all who have occasion to be outdoors dur |
ing wet and rainy weather. Those of sedeu- |
tary habits cannot guard themselves too |
closely. The fatal breath of typhoid fingers |
in the air, and spreads over all. Streams of
garbage and other ofal, flowing like peis- |
oned veins through the city, throw off germs |
of disease which rise up when aggravated |
BY rainfalls and pollute the air we breathe"
DR.. j. Rodgers remarked: During the |
hot weather the great heat warns up the |
body so much that full and free perspira- |
tion follows. The sweat works off impuri- |
ties of the body and prepares the constitu-
tion to Withstand the attacks of microbes |
permeating the air. But this is not of much |
avail when one is forced to go through |
dampness and wet weather. Great danger |
turks in the vapors coming up from piles of |
rubbish, and disease is breathed in.''
BELIEVES IN DASHING RAIN.
DR.. Chevalier @. jackson said that q
dashing rain was the best sanitary help the
city could get, just now, as it washed away
deeaying organic and vegetable matter.
He said there was no fear of the moisture
breeding disease germs. Were the tempera-
ture to remain high, and We have a week of
drizzling rain, there would be danger from
fermentation. The weather the doctor
speaks Of is in common parlance called
muggy, but brisk showers like that OF yes
terday should be hailed with delight, as they
wash the streets and cutters, and in q great
measure flush the sewers and purify them.
DR.. jackson also stated that the Davis
island dam was a menace to health, and
during hot weather the water should be let
out frequently. He said that it would not
be necessary to let down the wickets, SIM
plv open the gates, which would cause |
swift current and drain the river OF i'm |
purities collected. This would act in the |
river channel much as flushing does the |
sewers. He also indorses Colonel 7. P. |
Roberts idea Of storing the surplus water of
winter and spring in the mountain tribu- |
taries of both the Allegheny and Monou- |
yaheIa rivers. Leaving out of sight |
the advantages resulting from restrain |
ing disastrous overfows. preventing ice |
gorges from doing harrl, and in a measure |