Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-01-27
TYPHOID FEVER.

Editor Tribune, Bismarck.-A large
number of requests are made upon the
department Of bacteriology of the agri-
cultural college for meteorological analy-
scs of drinking waters. Few are aware
of the difficulties connected with this
work OF understand the amount. of time
required. We wish, however, to be of
as much aid to the people of the state in
this matter as possible: so that all analy-
ses are undertaken which give promise
that really valuable facts may be attain
ed in the work. In this way we are
learning much about the sources of such
diseases as typhoid fever. We do not
undertake a water analysis unless suffi-
cient facts accompany the sample to al
low of reasonable conclusions being
drawn from the laboratory work. But
when undertaken all facts and observa-
tions are recorded in permanent form.
From these records of investigation and
observations it is very apparent that the
farm population of the state must soon
take more care of the source of the
drinking waters at the different homes.
Typhoid fever is becoming very prevail
ent in the farming districts, and in near
ly every case of a persistent local out
break yet carefully examined the source
Of the disease is traccable to the water
of the cistcrn of of the we'll or spring,
A late analysis serves for illustrations:
In the spring of 1897 a son of Mr.. Carl
Piper of Addison, N. D., returned from
the lumber woods of Minnesota sick of
typhoid, dying after an extended period
of sickness. During the fall and winter
Of 1897 two children became sick of the
disease and later Mr. Piper, the father
has sickcncd and died of the same. At
til: present writing a fifth member Of
the family is i'll Of typhoid. This farm
has no history of typhoid previous to the
case first mentioned. There are two
deep wells upon the place, an examination
of the waters of which, just finished by
laboratory assistant, Mr.. Field, d~iscloses
the presence of bacillus typhi abdomin-
ais and bacillus coli-communis showing
there has been direct infection by way
of those well waters. The disease, in
this case, was in all probability produced
by the first case from the lumber woods.
The wells may have become contamin-
ated either from the private sink, too
close by, or from eXcrcmcntia from the
sick room not properly destroyed. This
case is cited from among a number as a
matter of information to people using
cistern or home well waters. Too great
care cannot be exercised when there is
a patient sick of this disease in the
home. Undisinfected Stops from the
sick room carelessly thrown upon the
ground at the rear of the house or in
the barnyard readily dry up and arc
blown about as dust, flying into wells
upon roofs and thus into cistcrns, OF
into other water and food receptaclcs
The well should be ~scrupulously pro
tected from drainage waters from pri'
vate sinks, swamps and b%arnyards anc
from falling dust. Disinfectants as
used are often worthless or Insufficient,
applied. In case of such sickness Tho
physician should be asked to prescribe
a disinfectant to be used upon all slop
from the sick room and to advise as tt
the means of preventing future out
breaks. AS a cheap and effective disin
f~ectant for such purposes always easil,
kept on hand ready for use, l mus
strongly recommend copper sulphate-
blue vitriol. 1t does not readily lose it
strength and may be relied upon to xii
all germs with which it comes in con
tact. Use one pound of the powdere'
crystals to four or five gallons of water
A sufficient number Of dishes, spoons
j etc. should be set aside to be used in tn
= sick room only and if possible thes
should be cared for and thorough
1 scalded after each using by some pei
son who does not work in the kitchen c
have anything to do with the prepare
g ton of the food for the family or wit
vessels used for drawing or handlin
u water about the well.
PROF. HENRY L. BoLLEY,
Ir Agricultural College, N. d.
j. Hoods Pills are the only pills to TAX