Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-12
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM
Exaggerated Reports Of the Existence of
Typhoid.
City Physicians Deny Statements Sent
From Notwithstanding Health
Officer Away.

who has charge of the typhoid fever re-
ports, informed The Star reporter that all
the facts have been given by DR.. Wood
ward, as published in The Star few days
ago, and he knew of no change in the situa-
ton to warrant different conclusion. This
conclusion was that while there may be
more typhoid fever cases in the city than
usual, there is nothing like an epidemic
ana no reason for great alarm. DIR. Wood
ward was quoted In the dispatches referred
to as speaking of typhoid fever as epidemic
here. but DR.. Woodward's friends and as
scciates believe he did not make use of the
term epidemic, but has been misquoted In
that particular.
A prominent physician said today that
he thought DR.. Woodward's statement in
The Star that there had probably been
GOO cases of typhoid fever here since July
l was correct.
but even that" he said. "does not make
an epidemic. 1t does not even approac CHI
an epidemic"
A Star reporter was told by a gentleman
well versed in such matters today that
he thought DR.. Woodward's estimate was
entirely too large. While he had no more
means of knowing the number than had
DR.. Woodward, he said, he was positive
that house-to-house visit would not re-
veal 200 cases.
What the Doctors Say.
DR.. G. N. Acker said to Star reporter
today: There is not as much typhoid fever
this year as there was this time last sea-
son in my observation. There is, however,
a great deal of malarial and Intermittent
fever, and in q number of cases, no doubt,
this resembles in a measure typhoid fever
and without careful observation might be
classed as such. At Garfield Hospital there
Is not as much typhoid fever as there was
last year. and the same may be said of the
Childrens Hospital. There is. however, at
Garfield malarial and intermittent fever
think there Is no foundation for the ty-
phoid scare, and that 1t will be found that
we are not in any more danger from that
now than in other years."
DIR. w. p. G. Hazen Said: II think the
amount of typhoid fever in the city has
been overestimated. In my own practice
l have had no more cases this year than
ordinarily, and l have not heard of any
more in my section of the town. We al
ways have little typhoid fever at this
season, but the conditions do not warrant
any ALARM.
Ing unusual or alarming in the typhoid
fever situation. There is some fever nat
urally at this period of the year. as there
Is always In Washington in the fall. 1t
may be that in some localities where they
use pump and surface water there has been
an increase over previous years, but 1 do
not think it is general by any MEANS"
Dr. Marvin A. Custis of Capitol Hill said
Il have not observed an unusual amount
OF typhoid fever for this season of the year.
There Is great deal of malarial fever,
however, with typhoid tendencies. There
seems to be more malarfal fever prevalent
than have observed for five or six years.
and 1t assumes conditions similar to ty-
phoid, but as for the regular typhoid,
think the situation does not call for any
alarm whatever"
DR.. Mackall of Georgetown said:
I'm this section of the city there has been
less typhoid than usual this summer and
fall. In fact, the health of the people of
the western portion Of Washington has
been remarkably good all summer"
DR.. s. c. Busey does not think there is
occasion for alarm from the spread of ty-
phoid fever If proper precautions are taken
with the water and milk. There Is no doubt
that polluted pump water and insufficient
sewerage contribute to the existence of iy-
phoid fever In this city to the extent which
1t prevails at present, but he does not think
that an epidemic prevails.
DR.. Stewart thinks that filtration of the
water used by the citizens would prevent
typhoid fever, but he does not think that
even this source has produced condition
of affairs that could be termed unusual.
He does, not think that insufficient sewer
age has affected the situation.
DR.. McArdle says he has not been able to
discover any unusual prevalence of typhoid
fever in the city, and he thinks that with
proper precautions in the handling of milk
and filtration of water there need be no
alarm.
The COmmissiOners' Order.
In number of interviews in The Star
with prominent members of the medical
profession in the last few days the opinion
has been expressed that the amount of
typhoid fever had been greatly exaggerated
The interview with DR.. Johnston, than
whom, as member of the Medical So
ciety's committee to investigate typhoid
fever, there Is no one better qualified to
speak on this subject, was particularly re-
assuring. But DR., Johnston said that con-
siderable reliance must be placed upon the
investigation being made by the health
office, and that the results obtained from
the investigation would be of great assist
ance in properly considering the problem
Here comes In the beauty of the Com
miss1oners' order forblddiHg employees of
the District from giving out informat ton.
which has already provoked so much ur,-
favorable comment. With the information
in its possession the health office is In a
ment on the subject which would go far
toward allaying the alarm. Yet the Off
Gals in that Office are absolutely forbidden
to give out any information. DR.. Wood
ward, the health officer, Is out of town to-
day. and there was none in the Office who
dared to give out the number, OF typhoid
cases reported, the number Of deaths.
whether OF not it Is on the increase, or any
thing of the sort. The result of It all Is
that the statements of Out-of-tOwn news
papers would have 10 go unrelated, were 1t
not for the local physicians who do not
come under the Commissioners order. and
convinced that typhoid is not epidemic, nor
10 ikal IN hapnna endemic