Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-05
The Cause of Typhoid Fever in the
Suburbs.
RESULTS OF DR.. KCBER'S SEARCH
Gross Disregard Of Proper Sanitary
Precautions Alleged.
THE DIFFERENT SECTIONS

In his report to Health officer Woodward
on typhoid fever. of which a synopsis has
been printed in The Star. DIR. kober gave
the results of an elaborate examination of
the cases in the suburbs of the city. He
says:
Il have examined in the suburbs 122 cases,
seven of which were contracted at summer
resorts leaving 10 cases to be accounted
for"
Speaking of Tenleytown WesleyanHeights,
Reno. Chevy Chase, etc. he says: Most of
the thirteen cases investigated by me in this
section were found in the homes of the
poorer classes where wells and privies have
been dangerous neighbors for years, and.
although the law compels the use of proper
ly constructed box privies. l have still
counterad the most primitive forms of out
houses. In one instance there was not even
a pit, but the ordure deposited upon the
surf9ce, about forty yards from their well,
in a spot favorable for percolation. The
family occupied one of the most command
ing heights at Reno, and are evidently only
tenants of what promises to be valuable real
estate. The soil is very porous. and the sur
face drainage is excellent. Upon inquiry as
to what disposition had been made of the
stools of the patient. the mother pointed out
a spot where they had been buried, with the
best intention, of course, to render them
innocuous, but perhaps only to contami-
nate a spring distant about 300 yards, and
we will never know how many people who
partake of this spring will be infected when
sufficient time for percolation shall have
taken place. The pernicious habit of bury
ing the discharges from typhoid fever pa
tients without previous diSinfection. under
the impression that it is the best method of
preventing contagion, Is very widespread.
and by no means confined to the ignorant
classes. If they had been properly disin-
fected no harm could result, but as 1t is the
germs are there. soil pollution has taken
place. and this means, sooner or later, water
pollution.
tnsnnftary Condition.
"In another instance family residing in
a depression near Loughboro road had three
cases between July IL and August Ii. The
milk supply was above suspicion, but all had
consumed water from well, which was
liable to pollution from a surface privy.
This outhcuse is located upon slope, with
drainage in the direction of a small stream
which in turn may contaminate some Gs-
tant spring or well The family having
passed through the sickness, might reside
there for years without perhaps another
case. but, considering the house unhealthy
they have removed, and thus made room for
other tenants to be attacked.
I'm another family with two cases of
typhold fever the water was obtained from
well located within twenty-four feet from
leaky box privy. with most unsanitary
evidence of soil pollution. In another in
stance the We'll was located only eighteen
feet from leaky box privy The patient. Il
young Coicred woman. was brought to the
city for treatment and died at Shows row
in the northwest
"Of these IL cases. 10 We're exclusive con-
sumers of well water, and three used Goth
Potomac and pump water"
Northwestern Suburbs.
Speaking of Washington Heights, Column
!
Park, thu report says:
"Of the eighteen cases examined by ME
in thar section, sixteen were contracted at
of the houses have sewer connections and
are no longer suburban in that respect, but
as they are outside of the boundary limits,
and are undergoing a transition stage from
suburban to city homes they have been in
cluded here" The occurrence of several
cases of typhoid fever on Howard avenue
Is spoken of by the report as of special in
terest. These houses had no sewer conaec-
tions prior to October, 1894, AMI all the
house drainage was carried by pipes to a
cesspool in the rear of the premises. Ty-
phod fever prevailed among the inmates
of one, with fatal case during the year
ending June so. 1891. The dejacta were
presumably thrown in the closet and reach
ed the cesspool, which in the fall of 1894
was covered up with earth. In July of the
present year several cases Of typhoid fever
developed in nearby houses.
There is no evidence says the report,
Ito connect these cases with contaminated
wells or the milk supply, and the occur
renee of typhoid fever in the same block
of houses during last year, and of the
cases in adjoining houses nearest the in
fected cesspool this year, points to the lat
ter as probable source of infection. and
we are obliged to assume that with The re-
cession of the ground water the air pene
trated the deeper layers of the SOIL and
that the germs were carried up by the
yn,li t-HrNts
directly into the air to the surface of
the soil whence they were liberated,
and with pulveriZed dust gained access to
the system. OF course, We have no def
mite procf of such an occurrence, however
probable / might think it to be-
THE case on Messmore avenue occurred
in house with very ursdaitary surround
ingS, since all of the houses in that square
bounded 10y Huron and Erie streets are still
supplied with box prives and surface drain
age, both intoleraDle nuisances iurin;; the
heated term.
the three cases on Sheridan avenue oc-
CURED in houses supplied with box prvies
and wells in the yard; occurring on
G street i'll the extreme northwest was also
traced to one of these wells A fatal case,
consumer of this particular water was
charac terzed by DR.. Forwood, U. S. A.,
very malignant from the onset. still the
meteorological examination of the water
proved negative.
"Of the sixteen cases, seven We're con-
sumers of w2u water, seven Were cen
sumers Of Potomac water, two of cistern
water. Three of the consumers of well
water also drank Potomac water.
Brigh tvvOod Avenue and Takoma
Park.
II have examined twenty-three cases in
these suburbs says the report, eighteen
of winch occurred at Takoma Park. This
suburb is delightfully."- situated on le-
waited ground, with excellent suface drain
age and dry porous soil, affording SPLEEN
did building sites for healthful homes, pro-
vided soil pollution had been prevented,
but elsewhere, so here we find that
privy sinks aud wells have been dangerous
neighhors, and as many of the cesSpools
Were mere excavations holes in the
ground, receiving not only faecal matter,
but also drainage from the house, we need
not he assured that they were preferred TO
the present box privies because they
never needed cleaning l understand that
up to iS!4 these Cesspools We're in common
use. and according to the graphic report
of Mr.. o. 4. Beaumont sanitary inspector,
some are still in existence. This, together
with a custom quite common even now. of
buryng the contents of the box prvies
upon the premises, has doubtless resulted
in gross form of soil jlpIIutiDD ami r1n-