The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1903-11-11
THE YAKIMA HERALD.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER IL, 1908.
A LEARNED Dissertation
REGARDING OUR pet EPIDEMIC

Tor officer. The Herald will not assume
responsibility for the various medical and
surgical terms used. but presumes they
are all right and up-to-date.
Spokane, Wash, Nov. l., 1908.
DR.. f. f. Heg, Secretary State Board of
Health, Seattle, Wash.
Dear Doctor: following report of
the investigation of typhoid fever in
Yakima county will cover all cases as
seen at the bedside. the blood tests hav-
ing been made by D. Ford, who will re-
port his findings.
The twenty-five cases shown by the
physicians of North Yakima who dag
nosed them as typhoid fever presented
all the physical signs of that disease,
most of them being typical.
OF the ten cases presented by Doctors
Frank. Burns and Gum, who claimed
the prevailing fever was malaria, nine
were well marked cases of typhoid and
one Or Gunn's) lacked many of the
essential symptoms and was therefore
considered doubtful. These nine cases,
in various stages of the disease, present
ed all the essential symptoms peculiar
to their respective stages. There were
present the long continued fever, the
rising evening temperature, the furred
tongue. the mental dizziness or apathy,
the dusky redness of the cheeks, and in
large proportion the rose colored spots
on the abdomen, and the diarrohea. Two
of the nine had had intestinal hem
orrhage. There seemed to me no pos
sibe reason for confounding the disease
with any other, the clinical picture be-
ing too convincing.
| In questioning DIR. Gum about the
treatment of the cases under investiga-
ton l found that he had used quinine
and other anti malarial remedies in
those diagnosed as malarial fever, so
that | believe he was sincere, but mis-
taken. 1t was not so with DR.. Frank
and Dr. Burns. The formers cases were
treated with coal tar derivatives and
liquor ammonii acetatis, frequent baths,
and restricted typhoid diet. In only
one case, and at only one time. was
quinine given, according to the clinical
chart, and then in five grain dose
In DIR. Burns cases the intestinal RENE
dies consisted of coal tar derivatives,
intestinal antiseptics, and small doses
of quinine, not near enough to act as a
specific in malarial fever. His cases,
too, were given frequent baths and a re-
stricted typhoid diet.
When asked for diagnosis DR..
Frank refused to give one, and Dr.
Burns called hs "Enteric Toxaemia." a
subterfuge that might apply to typhoid
fever or a dozen other affections of the
alimentary canal.
In spite of DR.. Franks statement that
he has not seen case of typhoid fever
in five years, l cannot but feel that
both he and DR.. Burns know their cases
are of that specific disease. The phys
zeal conditions of their patients. the
clinical history as shown by the charts,
the form of medication, the frequent
baths, and the restricted typhoid fever
diet, point directly to that conclusion.
And 1t is most reprehensible, if not
criminal, that with this knowledge that
no effort is made to warn the attendants
and thoroughly disinfect the excreta so
as to prevent the spread of the disease.
| In going about the town noticed
some portions in very filthy condition.
Privy vaults, situated but a short dis
tance from wells, were filled almost to
the seats, and in other places excreta,
garbage and other refuse were thrown
upon the open ground inviting swarms
or flies. which might become infected and
carry the infection to the food of peo-
pie living in the vicinity. / shall not
go into further details in this line. as
Professor Roberts report will bear d.
rectly on this matter.
As to recommendations In view of
the fact that the present health officers
will not accept the diagnosis of typhoid
fever, little can be expected from them
in the way of ameliorating the present
| deplorable condition of the public
health in North Yakima, therefore we
should recommend that new health of
ficers be appointed.
All shacks and tents which drain into
the irTigating bitches should be remov-