The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-28

and the pupils were cautioned not TO
drink water from any other supply than
from their own artesian well. lnvesti-
cation revealed the fact that n crack had
occurred in drain pipe. and the sewage,
bearing typhoid germs, had, through a
crevice in the underlying lodges of stone,
found its way into the artesian water.
The literature of medicine records
number of epidcmics traced to the con-
animation of milk. In most Of these
instances the injection resulted from iail-
ure To sca!I 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 bottling
had conveyed the germs from typhoid
patient to whose personal wants they
were attending.
In very rare instance 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 tubercu-
loSis find their ingrcss to the lungs, and,
strange as it may seem, freezing does
Il'I III tilN'St p'liilN. w III 'i' ~ "a 'i'
the Hudson River they have been sue
'cessfullv cultivated in the meteorological
laboratory of the College of Physicians
and Surgeons, a demonstration which
led thoughtful people To abandon the
use of ice from polluted streams and
Lakes and To substitute therefor ice made
from distilled water.
Flies which have found access to-the
excromcnt of typhoid fever patients may
also carry the infected organism. and in
all probability the mosquito, which is
now known to convey the germs Of
malarial and Of Yellow fever, after filing
itself with the blood of "A typhoid patient,
may lie capable Of carrying the poison
to 4 nOn-infcctcd subject.
The thermometer used in taking the
temperature in the mouth Of "A patient in
typhoid, unless thoroughly disinfected,
might convey the germs, and nurses are
specially warned not only thoroughly to
stcrilizc the discharges from these pa
TENTS. but To keep their hands disin-
fected and to dlsinfcct all articles which
are used in feeding patients.
70 prevent the dissemination Of ty-
phoid fever is one Of the most important
problems in sanitation, for just as long
as human beings are untaught in tho
simple and inexpensive methods of self
preservation, or, being taught, are crimi-
ndlly neglected. of themselves and others.
they have no right To expect escape from
the gravest disasters.
The germs Of typhoid fever. and, in
fact, the germs of all diseases, are de-
stroyed by high temperature. Drink
ing water which has been boiled does
away with ell danger and. prejudice to
the contrary, the functional value of
water Is not impaired by boiling
The removal OF certain organic and
inorganic clements is assured by ftra-
ton but this process is not reliable in the
elimination of infective organisms. While
it may be impossible, as modern COM
munites exist, for the authorities to fur
nish germless supply Of water, they
should diligently endeavor to prevent
the pollution of the watersheds from
which the supply is derived.
4 widc-awake health board with an
active officer in charge in every COM
munity could do great deal toward the
prevention of tie spread of typhoid fever
by the early recognition of suspected
cases and the careful destruction Of the
germs in the discharges from the bodies
of such patients. The possible wide
spread dissemination Of typhoid from a
single case may he inferred from the fact
that in a single drop of urine there are
as many as four million germs of this
| frightful disease, and yet the myriad
organisms in all the excrementi ious
! products from the body Of a patient are
readily destroyed by pouring scalding
water into the vessel in which they arc
| contained.
Perhaps the most active agents in the
dissemination Of typhoid fever are the
railroads and steamers, for it is vel
known that the tanks of trains and
steamers are usually filed with water
from the common source Of supply a
! their terminals in the larger cities. These
companies should, under the constant
1 supervisor ol cApcilS III tne various
, health boards, be compelled by law &c
furnish pure water TO their passengers.
Typhoid fever is not infrequently con.
tracted by the ingestion of uncooked ar.
ticles of food and certain raw vegetables
such as celery, lettuce, &c, which wher
cultivated in the suburbs Of thickly popu.
lated communities, are often subjected
to fertilization with city sewage lader
with the germs of typhoid and other in
fcctious diseases. Tho simple washing,
to which they are ordinarily subjected
cannot possibly remove the germs o
disease which they lodge, The same pre-
cautions should apply to uncooked oys
tiers, especially to those which hive beer
subjected to sewage contamination
! In recent years the cxertions Of tn,
medical profession have been successful
in enforcing the laws relating to the mill
supply 20 such an extent that the DANCE
from this source is materially lessened
and If this profession would discharg,
in the fullest measure its obligations i
must not only protect the individual il
the crisis of q malady, but teach all man