New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-09
HYGIENE IN FRANCE.
AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AT THE
AIIENS CONGRESS-
THE ALARMING sPREAD OF TYPHCs = THE
CAUSES AND PREVENTION OF
CONSUMPTION

Two ouestlons OF great general interest were
treated In the section OF hygiene at the congress
which has just closed at Caen. one was the spread
OF contagious diseases especially typhus and small
pox by tramps and other vagabonds. The discus
sion of this brought clearly the difficulties. as
we'll as the need of intelligent public charity.
The other concerned the social as distinguished
from the hereditary of tubercular consump-
ton which is far and away the greatest physical
evil known TO humanity.
Until little year ago typhus had peeh
practically unknown in Paris for seventy years.
1t was brought into night refuge by TWO 'ra'i'ps
from AmIens. and spread 70 other ike
institutions TO the families OF the guardians ana
the police and to OF the barracks OF soldiers.
Energetic measures OF disnfection and segregation
Of infected persons were taken. and the terrible
disease was confined within limits Ihis year
however II appeared again as virulentiy as BEFORE
The French physicians have now to face the iact
that typhus is tending TO become endemic IN
France.
So far the disease seems TO have fixed itself per-
manently in only two regions outside OF Paris
and as the city had enjoyed three quarters vi
century Of almost absolute immunity, II Is stlh
hoped that the progress OF the contagion NAV Do
stopped. In New-York from the time OF Its intro
ducton under the form OF Ship fever" the disease
has perhaps never been altogether absent. In tho
twenty-five years following 1860 II was certainly
many tlrnos in epidemic state. causing no' lew
wholesale raids on the tramps' lodging houses or
Raxter-st and It's vicinity. In ireland, at least
since the famine years the contasion or Vphus
has remained in n state OF permanence, though
not OF course. always epidemic IL has been the
same in some of the remote parts OF Brittany
II has been thought by some that the Celtic
races are more susceptible TO this special conta-
glon. II would be more reasonable to infer tha'
similar insuliciency Of nutrition everywhere con-
tributes to It's development The other centre IN
France is the Department OF the Somme OF "hich
Amiens is the capital. For the last eighteen
months there have been repeated outbreaks In all
this region The first Paris epidemic. that OF 1893
has also been traced directly TO contas1on brought
by tramps from Amiens. and 80 has the epidemic
OF scissors OF the present year
Tvphus which ia contagious In the strict sense
Ike measles and smallpox Is transmitted from per-
son to person. It Is not like the much less danger
Gus but far more common typhoid fever which is
communicated On Paris in Philadelphia by
polluted water supply which the ineffective foo!ing
Of the CITY Council never succeeds In Purifying Tn
fortunately the contaglon OF typhus does not lnI,
It's liking to the tramps who spread It through police
stations and establishments Of public charity
Dr. Deschahnps who read the first paper on the
subject Is the auditor OF the council Of hygiene Of
the city OF Paris. II HIS duty 70 investigate
each case OF typhus as 1t appeared He was
especially struck with one fact: Unlike most cpl
demlc diseases typhus very easily attacks persons
perfect
defect predisposltion The disease Is even more
dangerous 20 such persons. and ends mortally with
them fer oftener than with persons already weak
eneI Of Inferior constitutions. Dr. Duoief while
confirming this statement. brought out strongly an
other point which shows yet more the need Of ned-
cal supervision over the vag1bonds. who IN every
case In France have Upen the means or transmitting
the contagion Of typhus.
The observed show that the germs or the
disease may not only remain for a great length OF
time before declaring themselves. but also that
during this period Of incubation they are Quite cap
able ~ communicating the disease. In other WORDS
the tramp who has not yet the slightest exterior
and visible symptom OF typhus. may already give IL
10 those with whom he comes In contact. or leave
Il behind him IN night refuge. This Is especially
the case during the ten or twelve days before hs
finally down with the disease II was al
ready kpown that with measles the force OF con-
tagion Is at its strongest during the same period
that is Immediately before the eruption. What adds
TO the errors Of typhus is that 1t Is equally
tagiotis at all periods Of it's evolu,ioneven during
convaeacence The two doctors. whose reports l
have given assert that contaglon is skill TO be feared
when the seems TO b. complete.
DR. Drouneau presented the evidence which shows
the tendency OF typhus TO fix itself permanently in
region 10 which It once gains admittance He
especially recommended the doing away with the
night refugees so commonly opened by the munich
nal,es of France during the last few years In the
single Department OF the Somme there 80 OF
thes stations where tramps or other homeless vaga-
bonds may nni shelter for night. They usually
consist OF a single large room. furnished with four
or i've camp beds and bundles Of straw. This system
has been adopted by the country communes to pre-
Won, the tramps from Sleeping in stables or barns
with the danger Of theft nre other crimes.
In the night refuge the village policeman locks the
door on his guests they are inside. and there
they remain safely imprisoned until morning. But
the. place Is rarely cleaned after their departure,
although II might well need IL: the very straw IL
seldom renewed. and dlsnfection Is nst dreamed Of
NJ Tison who has made a specially OF the study |
NJ the propagation Of conta gous diseases in France
opposed strongly any idea OF suopressing these
night refugees Such n measure. 10 begin WITH |
would not remedy the evil The tramps would go |
back TO their lodgings In barns and sheds. where
they would be quite likely TO leave the microbes
behind them And In such places distinction |
would be impossible Moreover these night refugees !
so long as the tramp evil exists are necessary for
the security OF country places during the night.
The question IS how to hinder their becoming |
centres OF contagon. vagabond already touched |
with typhus smallpox passes the night In them.
and goes his way. The guests Of the next night
inherit his disease. and spread II In their turn.
This is n worse danger than that which results to
the tramps themselves from being locked up out OF
reach OF help. In village near scissors the two
guests of winter night while trying to smoke. set
o
and all as the villagers found In the morning
But even this does not justify tho suppression OF
the only measure which has far succeeded in
public safety and public charity.
DR. Bremond thought simple remedy for the evil
would be the construction OF all such refugees in
brick or stone with frame work and furniture ex-
,lusively OF iron Then. each morning as soon
IS the vagabonds were gone. the straw on the
loor and beds would be set fire to and you would
nave the very best kind OF disinfection This was
he only means by which they had succeeded In
lisinfectng pigses after an epidemic Of swine
measles
Dr. Drouineau thought that. at least, in every
arge town a scientific disnfecting room should be
get I'D where the clothes OF vagabonds could be
steamed at the necessary high temperature while
he vagabonds themselves were subjected to an
equally necessary and complete douche bath. This
already practtsed In some parts OF Germany. |
rhe doctor would have IT applied in France even to
hs 'roulottiers or wandering pedlsrs showmen
- ,lA md ~ |