The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-30
Typhoid Fever:
How 10 Halt II
From the New York Sun

form this dreadful malady is q contribu-
| ton either from ignorance or careless
ness to the graveyard. The former Is
inexeusablc: the latter little less than
| criminal.
At one period or another during each
year 1t Is not improbable that the water
supply OF at least three.fourths of the
| population OF the United States contains
the germ of typhoid, ana IN the late
summer and autumn and early winter
months, the drier seasons OF the year,
when springs a+e low, so much more
prevalent prey is this scourEe that It might
| We'll be called "thc low-water fever"
| While 1t is true that the germ of ty-
pfoid may find its way into the system
| from other sources than from drinking
| water, careful scientific Investigations
have demonstrated beyond the possibility
of doubt that this is the chief agent of
! Infection. Streams or lakes along the
| shores OF which dense populations exist
are more polluted, and therefore more
| poisonous, than are the reservoirs from
isolated mountain streams or sparsely
settled watersheds, and yet the germs Of
single case OF typhoid In any locality
may find their way into the sources of
supply and cause widespread disscmina.
| tion of the disease.
In Vienna, when for q period the water
supply from guarded springs was turned
into tho city, typhoid which had persist
ell in epidemic form for years, almost en-
tirely disappeared and when, rs the drier
season advanced, this purcr supply was
insufficient and the water Of the Danube
was again turned OH, the scourge broke
out with renewed violence, but in those
parts of the city supplied by river water.
This experience was repeated in Paris.
and 1t Is practically true of every city
supplied with drinking water from en-
posed streams and lakes.
In sparsely settled communities, where
large reservoirs are not used, cisterns or
wells so situated that the contents from
cesspools or faulty sewers seep through
the intervening earth, are well-known
distributors of typhoid. Even artesian
wells, which, from the depth OF their
supply, would seem to insure the greatest
possible safety, are not infrepuently pol
luted. Within year one of the largest
schools i'll the United States suffered q
disastrous epidemic, which cost a number
OF lives and caused much suffering and
anxiety. The most famous expert in
America had been employed to super
intend the sanitation of this institution.
and the pupils were cautioned not to
drink water from any other supply than
from their own artesian we'll. Invcsti-
CATION revealed the fact that q crack had
occurred in a drain pipe, and the sewage.
bearing typhoid germs had, through IL
crevicc In the underlying lodges of stone,
found its way into the artesinn water.
The literature of medicine records Il
number of epidemics traced to the coli
taminaticn of milk. In most OF these
instances the infection resulted from fail
urc to scald the cans and bottles. which
instead had been washed in cold water
which had been polluted by typhoid dis
charges. In one instance the hands of
those employed in milking and bOtting
had conveyed the germs from u typhoid
patient to whose personal wants they
We're attending.
In very rare instances there can be no
doubt that dust inhaled will carry into
the system the germs of typhoid, in the
same manner as the germs of tubcrcu
losis find their in"ress to the lungs. and.
strange as it may seem. freezing docs
not kill those germs.
Flies which have found access to tive
cXcrcmcnt of typhoid fever patients may
also carry thc infected organism and in
all probability the mosquito. which is
now known to convey tho germs Of ma
larial and yellow frrer, after filling it,
self with the blood of Il typhoid patient.
may he capable of carrying the poison
to II non-inlected subject.
The thermometer used in taking the
temperature in tho mouth oi II patient in
typhoid unless thoroughly dsinfccttd, |
NIGH. convey the germs. and nurses are
specially warned not only thoroughly To
sterliZc the discharges FROM these pa
tients, but TO keep their hands aisin-
iccted. and to disinfect nll articles which
are used in feeding patients.
TO prevent the dissemination OF typhoid
fever is one OF the most important prob |
lens in sanitation. for just ~ long as
human beings are nntaughl III the simple |
ana inexpensive methods rf self-preser-
walton. or, being taught. ar" crimnally
neelcctful Of themselves and others. |
they have no right to expect escape from
che gravcst disasters.
The germs Of typhoid fever, and, in
fact. the germs of al diseases. arc H."
#troyed hy high Temperatures. Drink |
ing watc, which has been boiled does
Hwa" with all danger. and. prciudice TO
the contrary. the functional value Of !
water IS Eot impaired by boiling. White |
it may bo impossible, rs modern COM |
munilies exist. for the authorities to fir |
nish germ'ess supply of water, they |
should diligently cndcavor To prevent the |
pollution OF the watersheds from which |
The supply is derived.
The pusiSblr widespread dissemination |
of typhoid from a single case may bc in |
terr"d from the fact thNL in Il single drop |
nj rrinc there are as many as four mil |
lion germs of this frieltiul disease. and |
yet The myriad organisms in all the eX-
crcmentitiOus products from tho body of |
II patient are readily destroyed by pouring !
scaldinG water into the vessel IN which |
they are contained.
Perhaps the most active agents in the |
dissemination of typhoid fever are the |
and steamers, for II II well |
known that the tanks of trains ana |
steamers are usually iillcd with water |
from the common source Of supply at |
their terminals in the larger cities. These
companies should, under the constant Sill
pervislon OF exports I'm the various health |
boards. he compelled by law to furnish |
pure water to their passengers.
Typhoid fever is not infrequently con-
tractad by the ingestion of unoooked ar
ticles of food and certain raw vegetables.
such as celery. lettuce. etc, which, when
cultivated In the suburbs OF thickly popu-
lated communities, are often subjected to |
fertilization with city sewage laden with
the germs of typhoid and other infectious
diseases. The simple washings to which
they are ordinarily subjected cannot pos
sibly remove the germs Of disease which
they lodge. The same precautions should
apply to uncooked oysters. especially to
those which have been subjected to sew
age contamination.
In recent years the eSertions of the
medical profession have been successful
IN enforcing the laws relating to the milk
supply to such an extent that the danger
from this source Is materially lessened,
and IL this profession would discharge in
the fullest measure its obligations II must
not only protect the individual in the
crisis of malady, but teach all man.
kind how to avoid disease.