The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-06-13

backs.
"Who was it anyhow gasped Miss
Jemima
"'Twas Sybilla Vernon, ma am, )" said
Hiram, quietly. "Sure you remember
your little cousin, Miss Sybilla p
Miss Jemima, utterly overcome by this
disclosure, sank without another word into
her chair while the little drudge gazed at
her with open eyes and mouth, and hoped
this transformation might be lasting. So
Hiram left them and departed for Sybillas
happy home.
Typhoid And Summer Outing.
The Maryland Medical Journal has a
grusome article on "Typhoid as Summer
Diversion, in which are discussed the ex-
ira risks of the summer boarding house,
| the country cottage and ''the Old Oaken
Bucket That Hangs in the Well" The
careful man who wishes to learn in advance
whether the proposed summer home has
good drainage and pure water is commonly
regarded by his host, says our contem-
porary, as ''overparticular, and is shunn-
ed as disseminator of hurtful suspicious.
1.-THE easy and popular way says the
Journal, ''of determining as to drainage
and water is to expose one s family for a
season, when, if typhoid fever should be
contracted, it is manifest that one should
go elsewhere next summer. That one
might have gone elsewhere this summer is
most Improbable reflection
Inquiries are sometimes made by the in
tending summer boarder as to drainage and
water supply, but the landlord, not being
an expert sanitarian is usually we'll con-
tent with his accommodations. 'What
the landlord says upon the subject, the
Journal observes facetiously, ''is sure to
be more satisfactory that the truth could
possibly be-" The sensible course, there
fore, for the head of family who does
not wish to return to the city in the fall
laden with typhoid germs is to go himself
and inspect the source of the drinking wa
ter, drainage, etc. before engaging board.
There is an alternative, it is suggested by
our medical contemporary, if one cannot
90 himself-to write to the local health
officer ''The brand -newness of the ques-
tion," says the Journal, ''may take his
breath for time, but he will probably not
lie, and may perhaps try to obtain the in
formation which you desire. If he should
be able to answer you at once and to give
you detailed information, put your hand
over his back and demand of him the
word, for he, too, is an overparticular.
IF one can get no reply from the loca
health officer and cannot himself go anC
investigate the proposed health resort i
will be wise, the Journal suggests, to stay
in the city and drink boiled water. L
the city is too hot one may safely betake
himself to almost any summer resort, pro
vided always that he will do there what
he would do if he remained in the city
boil all the water he and his family drink.
Sometimes typhoid is contracted at the
private residences of wealthy people who
have taken every pains to insure good san
itary conditions about their homes The
Journal mentions an instance of typhoid
epidemic in a rural community of 400 per-
sons having excellent sewerage and a water
supply of known purity. Yet in this com
munity three cases of well-defned typhoid
and % cases of grave intestinal disorder
suddenly developed in July, 1898, to the
surprise of a hygienist who had examined
the regular water supply on June 80 and
found it good On inquiry it was found
that on July 4, by reason of the nom
working of the pump at the water station,
the superintendent of the water works got
water into the tank for that one day from
an outside source, namely, well used by
family that had a case of typhoid in
1897. This discarded well was found on
examination to be breeding the colon ba-
cillus. Here the stupidity of the superin
tendent had nullifed all the careful pre-
cautions of the community, with the result
that using contaminated well for one day
caused much dangerous sickness, worry and
expense. Another instance is mentioned
of a summer cottage in Baltimore county
provided with water from two sources
good we'll and a cistern filled with rain wa
fer. The latter was to be used about the
house. but not for drinking. But it was
used for drinking ''as soon, says the
Journal, Gas lazy niger preferred turn
ing the spigot to working the pump han
de- The result was that the illness of
two children on the third floor, over the
roof of the veranda, was communicated to
13 persons, including number OF guests.
These cases of typhoid resulted, it is per-
ceived, from excessive reliance upon the
discretion and good faith of servant. I'm
less all drinking water is boiled, nothing,
it seems, but the absolute exclusion of the
chance of contamination can be trusted to
safeguard the water supply, whether in
| city or country.
Took Needed Rest.
"Yoakum, of Frisco, as he is known