Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-05-15
LEMON JUICE KILLS TYPHOID.
Chicago Health Department Finds That
1t Kills BaciIli of the Disease.

Chicago, May 9.-.That lemon
juice will destroy the typhoid germs IN
water is announced authoritatively by
the Chicago Health Department after
careful experiments extending over
three days. One teaspoonful OF the
juice to half glass of water is known
to be good com bination, and repeat
ed trials have invariably produced the
same result Every germ was killed.
Further tests will be made at once
to ascertain how small an amount of
lemon juice will destroy the baellll
DR.. Reynolds is also Investigating the
properties of manufactured citric acid.
Ii the acid will take the place of the
lemon a great saving will be accomp-
lished, for 1T is inexpensive as compar-
ed with lemons.
The action of the lemon juice is to
cause the bacilli to shrivel up and die.
Their power to produce the poison
which causes typhoid is thus destroy :
ed, and water which in it's original
state was highly dangerous to drink
becomes as innocuous as if 1T had been
distilled.
The investigations and announce
ment of the Chicago health authorities
are the result of all announcement made
some time ago by DR.. Asa Fergu-
son, a London physician. DR.. Fergu-
son announced that the lemon juice
was deadly foe to typhoid. 1t had
long been known that certain acids
would kill the bacilli, but their effect
was also to kill human beings. The
harmless acid in lemons was entirely
overlooked until DR.. Ferguson chance
to drop little lemon juice into cult
ure tube containing typhoid germs.
To his amazement he discovered that
they died almost Immediately, and be
at once began further experiments,
which resulted in the announcement
of the discovery.
When the news reached here
shortly after experiments were at
once begun by the laboratory experts.
At the close of office hours on Satur-
day they found that DIR. Ferguson's 8
claims were completely sustained by
their results. The report of DR.. ia
ques, the medical director of the Ia
boratory, tells the story in technical
language:
1.-The following experiment was
made in the laboratory to test the
value of lemon juice in destroying the
typhoid fever bacilli. One hundred
and twenty &C. of bouillon was inc
culated with bacillus typhoid. The
flesh was placed in the incubator at 80
degrees for twelve hours. At the end
of this period 494cc. of lemon juice was
added. At the end of four hours
plates were inoculated from this
flesh.-The plates, at the end of
twenty four hours showed no grow
tn"
Commenting on The lemon juice test
in London, DR.. Ferguson said:
Typhoid germs must be taken into
the stomach in order to cause typhoid
fever. If, therefore, people will put a
drop OF two of lemon juice in the water
they drink they will be 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 msde during
the coming week which will show just
how small an amount is necessary to
destroy the germ life in glass of wa
ter. Future health office bulletins may
read, instead of the familiar phrase
boil the water.'' 'Drink lemanade
to-day" and complete recipes for the
drink will probably be issued. In ad
dition to the use of lemon juice in
drinking water the department recon-
mends that the juice be freely
spTinkled on oysters when eaten raw.
Numerous outbreaks of typhoid have
been traced to raw oysters, the most
recent following q Mayoralty banquet
In England. Among the victims OF
this outbreak was the Dean Of Winch
ester.