New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-22

DEPRECATING A PANIC OVER TYPHU

DEPRFCATING A PANIC OVER TYPHU5-
NO DANGER OF coNrAGIoH WITH PURE AIR AND
ROOM TO BREATHE 1T.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir While all available precautions against the
propagation OF typhus fever should be taken by
sanitary authorities, the creation OF panic Dy SELL
saonal Journalism Congressional resolutions Is
to be deprecated; and the public should know now
much how little danger exists Under varying con-
dltions Whatever be the specific virus OF this as
case, innumerable facts prove that its potency IS
virtually destroyed by plentiful diluton with auhos-
pherc air. The invarabe association OF its intensity
rapid spread with conditions OF overcrowdlns ana
lack OF ventilation procured for 1t the pseudohymmS
Of Jail fever and ship fever on the other hahd'
Murchisons close observation led him TO assert that
"if patient be placed in large, well-vcntllated
apartment the attendants incur little risk and the
other residents Of the same house none Whatever
The late DR.. Austin Flint taught the same result
Of his wide experience. despite the FIVE years con-
tinuance OF the malady In the then i[conduoheu
wards OF bellevue. Lebert OF Brcsla' treated many
cases In his hospital wards, securing good vehhhtoh'
and no contagion occurred among the ATTENDANTS
Students or physicians Early In 1855 typhus madc
,ts appcarancc I'm New-YorlE and Brooklyn, causing
twenty deaths and I'm November OF that year II was
imported from the metropolis into the Albany REM
Tertiary, where. before its nature was oiscoVere',
many Of the inmates were infected. The local bon'"
OF Health took prompt action chiefly IN proN'u".
sufficient cubic space and ventilation, and soon had
the disease under control. II would be easy W
multiply quotations and Instances. bur these may
suffice 10 support the statement that yphus commits
,s ravoccs only I'm the midst OF filth, crowdng ana
foul air
As regards the geographical anxiety to learn what
Russian districts arc Infected IT may DC worm
mentioning that the REGULATION period OF Uphus 10
generally stated By epdcmioloHsts as ranging from one
N ,c;vc doys the average being nine days or less
Tho Infection therefore, could hardly be carried In the
nerson OF an Immigrant from so FAR n dl,tance III
though 1t might be transported IN uhVeh'naVcu' 'o'
taminated packages OF clothing (opchen' peroh'"e'
during the voyage hlher) but since typhus Is ho'
confined 10 Russia-belng seldom absent from sundry
ports where emgrants congrcgate-a particular as
elimination In respect Of or religion Is scarcely
tcnabe from a scientific point Of view. lndeen' n"'
such an opinion always prevailed In our quarantine
admin tration We might have been dcprNeu Va '''
bcncGcent rule OF Tammany Hall ana all thaV ''s Nv"
niles for ireland has been much the or'hp"' ",N
chosen home OF typhus as India oil choier' """ ~,
earlier Importatlons Of the fever came iio' ""''
yer-lant and vlcarously patriotic lslc'
rborc l. however fever, nearly resembling Nph"s
{, many rcspecfs which Is not uncommon seq"ei
~ "relapsng- or famine fevcr-a seco"".''S
nhonomenon which may not appear until long ai'cr
IA. ounarcnt cessation Of the primary aiimeh'' anu
which Notwithstanding It's comparative midh'SS all"
inc sica
rcnune f. phus. modified in some mysterious way py
h n-oce,IInr disease II would be presumptuous u
question the diagnosis Of official sanitary inspectors
,i,bout actual examination OF the cases out IL Is io
norted That a question Of this sort has already arso"
IN tbc Long Island College Hospital and that even
o cpordians OF the public health confess snihciem
tocroe ~ uncertainty to induce the detention oi per
cons who coninmaclously persist in feeling well III
order IN ascertain II discomfort and exposure VIII a"e
them Sick.
No. that these doubts and difficulties OF diagnosis
are altogether matters for blame or itdicuie on inc
~ trary considering that the dlher'ncing Oh NPn"'
from typhoid fever was established WITHIN the n'o'S
y, living physicians and that now there are cases
which II Is hard to place definitely on either size OF
| A., ,.r,u,p line variance OF opinion Is often ex-
| cusablc During the Secession War very many c"sss
81 "typhus7 In the Union Army were repo' asar most
uolustnking lnvc-ugltOn found every reason 10
| he accuracy Of the diagnosis; while on tne IN In
frdnrote side Dr. Joseph Jones. after s.ar,ung ~.
nuir sfatGI that the reported AS typhus were
tynhold fever occurring In those whose blood VIE
| scorbntc How far such an explanation may aPPiS
Ia pussion oVos pa Stag rom starvation 10 stecIsc
e. is moi The purpose Of this communication 70 gusS
| iioy, many different pathological conditions may SIM
m Included under the generic title OF typhns. II Is not
| vitlr the province Of such communication 10 us
GUS, My Object has been to show that there i SOM
room for doubt midas have all secn-much room
| Tor oSargcratlon concerning the alleged peril 10 the
\ whole community. and that even nms tahaDle HpInus,
eiuus-l Ia very simple sanitary measures. thah arg
other epidemic or endemic Infections for which
familiarity has bred di-resar o,.,,. oyery n,t,cnt
wifi fever and n flushed face especially II he be
Russian Italanl will be reported as pr"nap't,
case OF typhus just during the recent craze mos.
of rho cnses ~ bronchial caarrh pneumonia or even
ordinary cold In the head were ascnh~ 10 me
lend is potent aid trannze rather than to excite
| popular apprehension. am etc, a. H. u
Ncw-York. Feb H. 1902.