The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-12-07
REPORT MAY STIR CITY
To AN IMMEDIATE ACTION
Investigation Covers a Period of Six
Months-Recommenda of Bac-
teriologist Adopted.


city attorney was instructed to prepare
an ordinance cmbodying the recommend
ations of DR.. Bcbb in her report. The
report is a copy of the one made to the
state board of health:
Gentlcmen: I beg to submit the fol-
lowing report of archaeological eXami-
nations made in this laboratory during
the past six months. towit
POS Vidal tests for typhoid fever.
examinations for malaria.
l3 for tuberculosis.
Al for diphtheria.
- examinations of water samples.
| The principal work of the laboratory
has been on the problem of typhoid
fever OF the suspected cases of this
fever reported to me, 100 gave a posi-
tive reaction by the Vidal test; GO
were very suspicious and disinfection
was advised; as were negative or very
doubtful. OF the positive cases l2l
cases originated within the city. OF
those originating outside the city no
considerable number came from any one
locality. The districts represented
were Toppenish, Yakima City, Ahtan
INN, Prosser Mckee, Wapato and Mob
| Hill. The cases occurring within the
city were widely distributed, as the
accompanying map will show. There
were few centers where the disease
was most prevalent.
So far as we have been able to pro-
cure information in regard to these
cases we have found that 80 per cent
used we'll water; SO per cent used city
water, 9 per cent used ditch water and
per cent used spring water Also so
per cent had private milk supply, "a
per cent were supplied with milk by
certain dairy, ii per cent were sup
piled by other diaries while a few used
"Carnation Cream" A considerable
number (more than As cases) were in
the section of the city drained by sew
er which is also the most densely popu-
lated area. OF the remaining cases
within the city but outside of this
drained area, the most notable feature
as to distribution is the occurrence, in
close proximity, of a number of cases
| lat least l5), in a neighborhood where
the land is particularly low and the
drainage notably poor. This is the re-
gion lying west of the Northern Pacific
railroad tracks as far as Mckee avenue
and between Yakima avenue and West
B. street. 1t is too be observed. how
ever, that most if not all of the af-
ficted families in this district are also
among those hereafter referred to who
were supplied with milk by this dairy.
There was but one case reported to us
originating in the Mob Hill district
where the drainage is exceptionally
good.
The facts disclosed by the bacteri-
illogical examinations and by collateral
investigations suggest the following
conclusions as to the sources of the
numerous cases of typhoid fever, viz:
Neglect to disinfect or inadequacy of
disinfection, and infection through milk
and water supplies.
First-As to Disinfection.-In about
80 cases the source of the disease is
traceable with reasonable certainty to
the entire neglect or the partial and in
adequate performance of this para
mount duty. Those attending fever pa
tients have themselves in various known
instances contracted the disease. In
more than dozen families a second and
even the third and fourth members have
successfully fallen victims to the
scourge. In one locality the condition
was aggravated by practices particular
ly filthy and unsanitary. The dis
charges from typhoid fever patients
were simply thrown out upon the sur
face of the ground. Nine cases nave
there occurred in close proximity and
the conditions surrounding some of these
homes are such as urgently require the
attention of the health officer.
standardization Through Milk-It
has not been practicable to ascertain
as yet, in all cases, the sources from
which the families of fever patients OBJ
tanned their milk supply. In at least
twenty of the cases, however the milk
used by the patients was supplied by
the one certain dairy. This fact led
to inquiry into conditions as the dairy
and it was ascertained that about the
first week in September boy working
about the dairy and serving milk to
customers was taken i'll. The case was
not reported to the laboratory but the
attending physician, when questioned
regarding it, said that the case was
suspicious of typhoid fever. The boy
himself told parties that he had had
typhoid fever. No disinfectants were
used and in two weeks or less the boy
was attending to his duties as usual,
although complaining of being unwell.
| During the SIX weeks, beginning Sept
ember Sth, twenty cases of typhoid few
er developed in the families using milk
supplied by this dairy, none appearing
prior to that date so far as information
is at hand. Two of the patients had
partaken freely of bread and milk
diet for the evening meal. In addition
to this strongly presumptive evidence
of such infection, it should be remarked
that the premises occupied as headquar
tiers of the dairy were very badly kept
and that at one of the five farms from
which the dairy received its milk sup
ply, the condition of the COW stable and
of the milk house was filthy. At an
other of these farms where the milk
cans were sometimes cleansed with ditch
water, two cases of typhoid fever de-
veloped about the middle of Septem-
Der among hired men encamped on the
ranch. 1t is obvious that this eondi-
ton presents, at least, possible source
of infection. Another such possible
source, was the butter marketed in town
by a woman who was nursing a critic
ally i'll fever patient. She handled the
patient and she moulded the butter.
From roll of this butter obtained at
the grocery the live typhoid bacillus