The record-union., 1899-03-21

1t has been scattered all over this coun-
try. and if we are to judge the future
by the past, no effective steps will be
taken for it's determination.
| Millions of dollars are expended an
nually by the United States to maintain
an army and navy to protect the lives
and property Of the people against pos
sible enemies in the form of the armies
and navies of other nations, while at all
times, right in our midst, we have ac-
tual enemies in the form of various
kinds of disease germs, which not only
destroy the health and lives of hun
dHeds of thousands of our people an
nually, but cause untold financial loss.
The Government could wage war on
these enemies with intelligence and ef-
fectiveness almost equal to that dis
played in destroying the ships and SOL
diers of a foreign nation, or in suppress
ing lawless mobs within our midst.
But, it may be asked. what can we
do, as individuals. to protect ourselves
and others against these foes? To an
swer this question fully would lead US
far beyond the limits Of magazine
article. For as the germs of each dis
ease differ in life history, habitat and
method of attacking the human system,
1T would be necessary to study each
one of the communicable diseases sep
arately, if we should desire to learn
how to avoid the poison of all of them.
l will give some specific directions how
to guard against the two most common
and fatal, tuberculosis and typhoid
fever
| The tubercle bacilli multiply only in
the body Of man or some other animal,
consequently the germs that cause a
fresh infection of a previously healthy
person come directly or indirectly from
some individual man or animal already
suffering from the disease. When we
consider that nearly one seventh of the
| human race die of consumption of the
lungs, ard that for weeks, months and
often years, these patients are continu-
ally expectorating quantities of the
bacilli, we see that this source alone
keeps. up a large supply of infection.
| The dangerous sputum dries upon
! handkerchiefs. carpets, bedding, or in
the streets and highways, and floats in
the air as dust particles. ready to be
breathed into the lungs of the passerby
/ In this dry state the bacilli live for a
/ long time. In one instance they were
found to retain their virulence after
one hundred and eighty-six days.
We can all do something to lessen
this enormous supply of infection. A
five per cent. solution of carbolic acid
quickly destroys the life of the tubercle
bacillus. If every consumptive person
in thel United States never expectorated
except into a vessel containing small
amount of this solution, and these YES
sells, with their contents, were burned
from time to time, the death rate from
this source would be enormously de-
creased. A suitable cup or flask can
easily be obtained for use when the
patient is obliged to travel from home.
The habit of kissing consumptives, or
occupying the same bed with them, is
also exceedingly dangerous.
The other principal source of infec-
ton is from drinking the milk and eat
| ing the flesh of tubercular cattle How
| frequently man may be infected from
this source may be imagined when it is
remembered that from twenty to forty
! per cent. of the cattle in the Eastern
and Northern States are affected with
| tuberculosis. Protection from Infection
from this source is simple and easy.
Heat promptly destroys the bacillus. If
no beef is eaten which has not been
thoroughly cooked, and no milk drunk
which has not been thoroughly boiled,
the danger of infection from cattle
would be almost MIL
Civilized man should look upon milk
as unfit to drink until it has been cook
| ed-that is, boiled Boiled milk is gen
orally unpalatable at first, but many
LOT those who have become accustomed
ITO drink it feel an aversion to raw
milk, and would as soon think of eat
ing raw beef as of drinking a glass OF
uncooked milk
| tuberculosis in children usually man
| ifests itself in disease Of the bones
and joints (whlte swelling) and in en-
largement and suppuration of the
glands of the neck. In nearly all such
cases the infection comes from drink
ing milk from tubercular cows 1t is,
therefore, especially important that
children should only take milk that has
been thoroughly boiled A thorough in
spectioh of cattle by the Federal Gov
ernmenf, and the prompt destruction
OF all found to be tubercular-as is al
ready being done in certain States
would be the ideal means of destroying
this source Of infection; but We are not
likely to have the necessary legislation
soon; SO it is almost criminal to ex-
pose children and young persons to
infection by permitting them to use
raw milk
1t must not be supposed that every
one who takes tubercle bacilli into his
system contracts the disease. If this
We're true, all of us would be likely to
die of tuberculosis in some form. For
tunately, most people are immune
that is. the bacillus, when taken into
the system, finds itself in uncongenial
surroundings, loses its virulence, and
dies. But certain individuals. and
sometimes whole families. are born
without this power of resistance We
nave no certain means of knowing be-
forehand who are and who are not
immune; so it behooves every one to
avoid the danger of infection.
The bacillus of typhoid fever is gem
orally taken into the system in the
water We drink. though any article of
food may also be a means of introduc-a
ing the poison when infected water has
come in contact with it before it is
eaten Food may also be infected by
fies crawling over it after they have
been feeding on material containing
the typhoid germs. Local epidemics Of
typhoid fever are sometimes caused by
mix mixed With water from an in
| fected source A notable epidemic of
this kind occurred in a town in Con-
| necticut. a few wears aoo- A 1oroa