The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-12
BACILLUS NOT NAMED
THAT WHICH CAUSED THE RECENT
FEVER epidemic AT
CAMP RAMSEY
HE LOOKS LIKE B. TYPHOSUs,

| oeeh unable to Distinguish HIS
Laundry Mark-It Is Possible
He Is b. CerebrO-spinal, ETC.
Meeting of the Board Was Held
Yesterday. "a
That the source and origin of the
typhoid fever epidemic at Camp Ram
sey during the tenancy of the Fiji
teenth Minnesota is still a matter of
doubt in the ranks of the medical pro-
fession was developed at the quarter
| ~ meeting of the state board of health,
which was held yesterday at the rooms
Of the board in the Pioneer Press
| building.
Bacteriologist Wesbrook reported
that there was a difference in judg-
ment between himself and the bac-
teriologist of the st. Paul city health
department. DIR. Miller developed from
the prlVy trenches at the camp a bacil-
| lus resembling in many points, but not
| In all respects, the bacillus typhosus.
| Dr. WeSbrOok made a test from the
serum, of one Of the cases where the
patient died after apparently being
convalescent from the fever, and dis
covered a bacillus OF an entirely diff
| ferent type. 1t was evident that this
| case, as well as a number of others, af-
ter practically recovering from the
| typhoid, had been attacked by cerebro-
spinal meningitis.
Another course of experimentation
has been conducted by the state bac-
teriologist and from flies that were
| found near the infected camp, the eX-
! perts have developed a culture re-
sembling very closely the typhoid
| baCilli, although not absolutely identi-
fable This bacillus, with the one de-
| VelOped by DR.. Miller, of the city health
department, are still under inVestiga-
! ton by the experts of the state with a
view to final and absolute determina-
ton of the origin Of the disastrous ep;-
! demic.
Several matters of Importance came
before the board for action yesterday.
1t was decided that the new rules for
the government of transporting dead
| bodies should take effect Nov. l. The
rules are as follows:
Undertakers must be licensed by the board
| after examination.
Rule 1.-The transportation of bodies dead
! Of smallpox, ASiatic cholera, yellow fever,
/ typhus fever or bubonic plague, is absolutely
| forbidden.
Rule 2-The bodies of those who have died
! of diphtheria (membranous croup), scarlet
| fever (scarletina, scarlet rash), CHAMBERS, an
| thraX or leprOsy, shall not be accepted for
| transportation Unless pepared for shipment by
| being thoroughly disinfected by (a) arterial
| and cavity injection with an approved dsin-
! fectant fluid, (bf disinfecting and stopping of
| all orifces with absorbent cotton, and (cl
| washing the body with the disinfectant, all
| Of which must be done by embalmer hold
| ing certificate as such approved by the state
| board of health or other state health author
! ity. After being disinfected above such
! body shall be enveloped in a layer of cotton
! not less than one inch thick, completely
wrapped in sheet and bandaged' and eased
in an alright zinc tin, copper or lead-lined
coffin iron casket, all joints and seams
| Theoretically soldered and all inclosed in a
| strong, tight wooden box. Or, the body being
| wrapping as above, may be placed in strong
! coffin casket, and said coffin or casket in
| cased in an alright zinc, copper or tin case,
| al joints and seams Theoretically soldered,
| and all inclosed in a strong outside wooden
| box.
| Rule 3-The bodies of those dead Of TYPHOID
| fever, puerperal fever erysipeas. tuberculosis
| and measles, or other dangerous and commu-
| nicable diseases, other than those specified in
! Rules and 2, may be received for transpOrta-
| ton when prepared for shipments by filing
| cavities with an approved disinfectant. wash
| ing the exterior of the body with the same,
| stopping all orifices with absorbent cotton and
| envelopng the entire body with a layer OF
cotton not less than one inch thick, and all
| wrapped in sheet and bandaged and incased
| in alright coffin casket; provided. that
| this shall apply only to bodies which
| reach their destination within forty-eght
| hours from time of death. In all other CASES
! such bodies shall be prepared for transpOrta-
| ton in conformity with Rule 2. But when the
! body has been prepared for shipment by being
| thoroughly disinfected by an embalmer hod-
! sealing maybe dispensed with.
Rule 4-The bodies of those dead of dis
eases that are not contagious, infectious or
! communicable may be received for thanspor
| tatiOn when incased in sound coffin
ket and inclOsed in a strong outside wooden
| box, provided they reach their destination
! within thirty hours from time of death. If
| the body cannot reach its destination within
! thirty hours from time of death, 1t must be
| prepared for shipment by filling cavities with
! an approved disinfectant, washing the
! terror of the body with the same, stopping all
! Orifices with absorbent cotton and envelOp-
| ing the entire body with layer of cotton not
less than one inch thick. and all wrapped in
a sheet and bandaged, and incased in air
tight coffin casket, But when the body has
been prepared for shipment by being thor
! oughly dtsnfected by an embamer, holding a
| certificate, in Rule 2, the alright sealing
may be dispensed with.
Some rules proposed for the govern
| ment of hospitals and similar institu-
! tions where patients suffering from
| cOnsum Dtion or other tUbercular all
| ments are treated, were referred to the
! executive committee for further con-
| sideratiOn
The recommendation Of the executiva
| committee that the BertillOn system of
| classifying causes Of death be adopted,
was indorsed, although no definite ac-
ton was taken as to when the change
should take effect.
DR.. Bush Of Dover, was appointed q
special agent of the department. Sec
| retaTy Bracken, in his report, recon-
nlended that steps be taken to protect
the inmates of state institutions from
contamination by germs through milk,
the means to be taken being the in
spection of the dairy cattle from which
the institutions receive their milk sup
| ply. The board Endorsed the recon-
mendatiOn of the secretary in this re-
spect,
DR.. Bracken referred IN his report
for the quarter to the recent confer
ence of state boards of health as a sort
of useless luxury. 1t was, he said, OF
no avail, a sthe topics treated there
could better be taken care of at the
meetings Of the American Public
Health association. If not, then the
association should be disbanded.
In reference to the killing of cattle
for food purposes when such animals
were known to be afflicted with lumpy
jaw, DR.. Bracken reported that it was,
no doubt, true that such violations Of
the letter and spirit of the law had
been committed near all three of the
largest cities Of the state. He recon-
mended that, the legislature be asked
by the board to pass such laws as
would put in in the power of the board
to prevent a repetition Of this heinous
! offense. - E
He had inspected the cattle pens at
Albert Lea and found them in good
shape, except those of the G. M. and
St. P, which were in an uncertain con-
dftiCn, consequent upon the threatened
| removal Of the Wards He had alsO