The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-11-22
THOSE TYPHOID FEVER GERMS.
And How They Came to be in the Oysters
Eaten by the Students.

The full story of the investigation into
the origin Of the typhoid fever cases at
Wesleyan University, Middletown Conn.,,
throws needed light upon how the germs
came to Turk in raw oysters eaten by the
students. The first case developed Octo-
Der 90, the student being the son OF a
physician in Vermont. The patient was
taken home and died. This case was
followed rapidly by others--one fatal
until they now number about 30. Ihey
began to develope about ten days after
the limitations of six societies at Wesley
an, a supper being given by each; and
as all the victims had attended the sup
pers, that fact, together with the 10-days'
period which is usually the time of in
Gu bation of the disease, Immediately
focused investigation on the initiation
suppers. Before. the investigation (which
was conducted by the State Board of
Health and by Prof. Conn Of Wesleyan
had reached that point, however, the
Middletown city water and also the
water from well on the campus were
examined and both found to be innocu-
ous... The milk used at the initiation
suppers was next looked into, and was
found to be perfectly wholesome and OBJ
tanned from farms where the conditions
We're healthful.
1t was next found that while at all six
of the suppers oysters were used, at three
only were raw oysters supplied, and that
all the victims had partaKen of them.
The oysters were bought from a Middle
town dealer, who obtained them from
an oyster grower living on the east shore
of the Qunnipiac river, near New Haven.
He, like the many other growers owning
oyster establishments on the Quinnipiac.
IS accustomed to take the oysters from
the deep waters OF the Sound and lay
them down before opening for some "a
hours in the shadows of the river. This
makes the oysters absorb the fresher
water OF the stream, swells and whitens
them, the technical phrase among the
oystermen being giving the oysters La
drink"
The net discovery was that the oyster
growers wife had died of typhoid fever
about the time of the outbreak at Yves
leyan, and his daughter also had been
i'll of the disease. His house stands not
far back from the river, and its short
drain empties into it near the place
where the oy sters are bedded temporarily
The oysters supplied by him are intend.
ed exclusively for raw" eating. II
cooked the tyI hold germ would probably
have been destroyed. The conclusion OF
the Investigators is that the excreta OF
the two patients ran through the drain
and were communicated to the oysters.
The river had been raised by recent rains
and was uncommonly fresh, which part
ly meets the objection that salt water
kills the typhoid germ. This branch OF
the examination is now in charge OF the
bacter;o!oyist of the Yale medical school,
who is experimenting with typhoid fever
germs in The oyster. 1t is thought possi-
bic that the germs may have been COM
municated tn the oysters by the openers
from the shell infected from the draiu
and river water.
About so persons ate the oysters at
the initiation suppers, and OF these
about one-third have taken the disease.
Among them were visitors from AM
herst and Yale. one of whom at each
college it is stated, has since been
taken down. 1t is reported that there
are several cases of ssty phoid now at the
Yale infirmary. one OF them very grave.
The he'd of the Quinnipiac river is ex
tensively used for oysters by the growers
of Fair Haven and East Haven, which
for many years have been centers Of the
Connecticut oyster trade. Many sewers
empty into it and the discovery Of the
source of the Wesleyan outbreak may IN
lure the local trade seriously and may
lead to the discontinuance of the custom
Of temporary bedding and to taking the
oysters directly from the main beds in
deep water of the Sound off the mouth
of New Haven harbor.