The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-17

well cannot contain the bacilM because
it Is BIO deep or driven through fock
of other geologicai formation, OF, fur-
thief Still, that IN behetrating the
tered and made pure before reaching
the wells. Neither Of these SUPPOSE
lions Is correct. No we'll was ever
sunk, except 1t be an artesiar well.
that surface water Will not reach, and
no matter to What deNth the GERM
laden water from the surface may
filter It IL not purified gof the infec-
tio on, 49,. In. -, {. x
more favorable to the propagation OF
typhoid fever than others. At such
seasons the water supplies are more
thoroughly drained, and the impure
ties carried into streams from which
water is used for drinking or into wells.
If typhoid fever suddenly becomes an
epidemic in a certain district or city 1t
does not follow that the ewater supply
has always been infected. The water
may have been pure and uncontami-
usage, when an Introduction of the pol
sonous bacilli may give rise to an cpl
demic at any time.
Typhoid fever Is a filth disease the
same as cholera Is filth disease. The
poison is contained in the discharges
and Is spread by them. The poison,
when discharged from the bowels, re-
enters the system through the alimen-
tary canal. Moderate heat. and moist
ure are the best condition for the de-
velcpment Of the poison"
A forceful illustration of the means
OF typhoid infection Is furnished by the
epidemic in a Pennsylvania town some
years ago. The town, situated in a
valley, received it's water supply from
reservoirs up in the mountains, though
some Of the inhabitants used river and
well water. An epidemic Of typhoid
fever broke OUT which soon registered
1000 cases. An investigation by the
health authorities lead to the discovery
that the wholesale infection had re-
suited from the contamination of the
drinking water, brought about through
the Illness Of a single person miles
from the town. 1t was learned that up
in the mountains a man had been Ill
with typhoid fever. His excrement was
thrown on the hillside on the snow,
which, melting IN the spring Of the
year, carried the typhoid bacilli down
the mountain into the reservoirs, where
the entire supply was infected.
RED CROSS WORK.
AS heretofore stated, the Red Cross people
have taken right hold OF the work. Mrs. w.
]. Edgerton, of the Red Cross Aid society,
said last night:
II. was simply matter where there was
nothing for the Red Cross to do but step
in. 1t is Red Cross work OF the most ,prac-
teal kind. The. government or the state
were not prepared for any such an emergency
and uni il something can BE- done the Rcd
Cross has assumed the Responsibility. There
was nothing else to do:'
AT ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL. .a.a.
Mrs. J. B. Hoxsie was seen at St. Luke's
hospta, and said:
I'VE are willing to do64A we can. We
have eight patients here now and can ac-
commodate about eight morea We could make
them away on their vacaldaHs just now and
it is a bad time for suss to be taken un-
awares. 1t would have rested you to have
n IN the hed men aften my we're nfga and
mans brother, soldier himself, was here
today and could not express his delight that
his brother was being searsd for. Some OF
the cases seem to be lfght and may be ~out
in a few days. Others have run as high as
1O4 But they are al doing nicely. The
walk from the car was hard on them, but
they had plenty of assistance from fellow
soldiers, and seem to have rested"
AT BETHESDA HOSPITAL.
DR.. N. N. Glim, the house physician ait
Bethesda hospital, was anxious to know If
the Red Cross society intended sending their
own physicians to care for the men, or If
he was expected to care for them himself.
There are TWEEN weight soldiers at Bethesda,
taken there yesterday. They were all rest
ing quietly last evening, though in many of
the cases the fever had run to nearly los.
DR.. G!im said
I'VE are willing to take aM we can care
for, but we can only accommodate a few
more except in case Of emergency. OF course,
we could make room for great many pa
tients here if it were necessary. We will have
to hire extra nurses now. They were a very
happy lot of men after they were bathed and
put in bed. They went rigfi. to sleep, all
of them, SO we have not been able to regis
ter their names. Those we have spoken with
are farmers. We will not know TIL morning
how bad the cases are"
AT ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL.
At st. Josephs there are eighteen patients
from Camp Ramsey and theTs' care for
three or four more. Their nurses are also
away on vacations, and they have a great
many, other patients in the house. They are
perfectly willing to do all. thsy can, and, II
necessary, will care for all those they sre
asked to.
None Of the patients in the hospitals are
what are known as private cases. They have
all been sent in by the Red Cross. society,
and have been accepted without question as
to the financial side of the ma ter.
The twenty-one typhoid fever patti, n S at
the city hospital were all reported as doing
as well as could be expected at O'Clock this
morning.