The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-30
LEMON JUICE KILLS TYPHOID.
IALtE or THE ENGLISH DIS
COIERY CONFIRMED HERE.
Chicago Health Denart ment Finds That the
Juice Kilis d. "a Of the Disease--Dr.
Asa Ferguson OF London Announced

he UhcoNery on snrIstHbaS nay .
CHICAGO, Dec. 20 That lemon juice will
destroy the typhoid germs in water is
announced authoritatively by the Chicago
Health Depart ment after careful expert
ments extending over three days, One
teaspoonful Of the juice to half glass of
water il known To be "A good combinat ion.
and repeated trials have invariably pro-
duced the same result. Every germ was
killed
Further tests will be- made al once to
ascertain how small an amount of lemon
juice will destroy the bacilli. DR.. Rey-
nolds is also Investigating the properties of
manufactured titric acid. II the acid will
take the place Of the lemon great saving
will be accomplished. for il is inexpensive
a. compared with lemons.
The action of the lemon juice il TO cause
the bacili to shrivel up and die. Their
power 10 produce the poison which causes
typhoid is thur destroyed. and water which
in is original state was highly dangerous
10 drink becomes a. inuocuour as il il had
been distilled
The Investigations and announce
Of the Chicago health authorities are the re-
suit of an announ ce inent made on Christ mas
Day by Dr. Asa Ferguson. a London ply
stefan. Or Ferguson announced that the
lemon Juice was "A deadly foe 10 typhoid.
II had long been known that certain acids
would kill the bacilli. but their effect was
also 10 kill human beings. The harmless
acid in lemons WAS entirely overlooked
until DR. Ferguson CHANGED TO drop little
lemon Juice into culture tube containing
typhoid germs. To his anazement ne dis
covered that they died almost Immediately,
and he al once began further experiments
which resulted in the announcement OF the
discovery
When the news reached here on Christ mas
Day experiments were at once begun by the
laboratory experts. At the close of Office
hours on Saturday they found that DR.
Fcrguson's claims were completely sus-
tanned by their results. The report of DR.
jacques, the medical director of the labora-
tory. tells the story in technical language:
The following experiment was made in
the laboratory TO test the value of lemon
Juice in dest rowing the typhoid fever bacilli:
one hundred and twenty &C. OF bouilIon was
inocuated with bacillus typhoid. The flask
was placed in the incubator at w degrees
for twelve hours Al the end of this period
iJf &C. ol fUlpi Juice Wds uOItu. ~ tI!c
end of four hours plates wer" inoculated
from this flask. The places. at the end Of
wenty-four hours showed no growth"
Commenting on the lemon juice test in
London, Dr. Ferguson said.
-Typnoid germs must be taken into the
stomach in order 10 cause typhoid feve.
If, therefore, people will put drop or two
OF lemon juice in the water they drink they
will Toe safe"
For the present the recommendation OF
Chicago's health officials is to use more OF
the lemon than DR.. Ferguson suggested
Tests will be made during the coming week
which will show just how small an amount
is necessary 10 destroy the germ life in a
glass Of water. Future health Office bulls-
tins may read instead of the familiar phrase
Boil the water" Drink lemonade to-day"
and complete recipes for the drink will
probably be issued In addition TO the use
Of lemon juice In drinking water he depart-
ment recommends that the juice be freely
sprnkled OH oysters when eaten raw
Numerous outbreaks Of typhoid have been
traced to raw oysters, the most recent
following a mayoralty banquet In England.
Among the victims OF this outbreak was
the Dean Of Winchester.