Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1903-01-29
DISTRIBUTE DISEASE
Street Cars as Disseminat.>s of In
fectious Maladies.
Vitiated Air and Expect ctOratiOns Rem
der These ConveyanceS Fruit
full Sources of ContngiOn-
Need of Stringent Rules.

In the larger cities of this country
the street car is as potent a factor in
the dissemination of communicable
diseases as many of those usually cata-
l0gued in the standard works Of hy-
eiene. In these larger centers Of popu-
lation the condition is one Of an ex-
ce~siye number of passengers crowded
il a limiteG.numher Of cars. In some
cities this continues throughout the
entire day, and in all Of them during
the morning and evening hours. Dur
ing the period Of congeste" traffic, the
ears are crowded to the limit, every
seat being occupied. ard the aisles and
rear platforms literally packed with
all classes Of our yariegated popula-
ton, says the Interstate Medical Jour
nal.
The ventilation of these cars is in
ferior, both on account of inattention
to this Important matter on the part
Of the builders Of this class Of rolling
stock. and also because the passengers
7iffer 50 widely as to the proper tenn
perature and circulation necessary
to thelr comfort.
Tuberculosis is undoubtedly prora-
gated through the medium of these
cars, which become infected by the
promiseu0us eXpectOratiOn indulged
in by ccnSumptives. notwithstanding
notices 0f warming. Harnum. Of Cleve-
land. recently examined 25 specimens
of spu5rm found in street cars rs
from the interiors and ten from the
rear platforms): the tuhercle bacillus
was pres ent in three instances. Other
specimens showed The nreumoc0ccus
and the bacillus inhuenzae.
These conditions. the nerson-to-per-
son contract, and the bre9thin" Of
vitiated air Frequently laden with
cOnta gious eyhalati0ns and with DIST
from dried snutum, are most fayora-
bic to the distribution of contagious
diseases. OF course, it is only prob
lematical as to the number Of small
pox cases which were infected
through these conditions during the
recent epidemic, but it is certain that
but few better OPPORTUNITIES Cf in
fection are offered than through the
street-car contact Of all classes.
Other transmissible diseases can
very easily be, and no doubt are, com
municated 4 The sane way.
The solution of this rr Nhlem is not
easy. Str, ct railway companies are
not inclined to rrleye TIE present
situation without compu,.iCn. Health
officers. however. have authority over
the sanitation Of these public CON
veyances. This authority in most
municipalities gives sufficient power
to prevent undue overcr0Wd;ng of
cars when such prevention would be
for the protection of public health.
general epidemic, such authority
should be exercised. Under all cir
cumstances regular diSinfection of
street cars should be practiced in an
manner. In this way the
cars can be made biolOGically clean,
ter protected. There is Just as much
occasion for this procedure as there
is for the dieinfection of Pullman
cars, now theoretically practiced at
different points. Investigation has
developed tie fact that there is but
one CITY II the country. Philadel-
phia. who're any pretense is made of
Of street cars. The
Union T~a"tion company of that city
fisiniccts is cars with carbolic acid
This possibly answers for the killing
of bacterial life on the floors and
walls of the cars, but does no good
for the contaminated places whore
dust has settled. and which nothing
but a gaseous agent would reach.