Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-04-27
TYPHOID FEVER
Causes of Disease and Methods
OF Prevention

Causes of Disease and Methods
of Prevention
The following timely article on
the prevention of typhoid fever
appeared in last weeks issue OF
the Leesburg Washingtonian-Mir-
ror and was contributed by DR..
Branson of Washington, d. C. 1t
will be perused with interest by
, GAZETTE readers:
Typhoid fever is one of the most
common diseases of the present
day, one with which all persons
are familiar, and one which causes
great many more deaths than
smallpox or diphtheria. 1t caused
more deaths during the Spanish
American War than were killed in
battle, in the proportion of at least
two to one. The very fact that it
is such a common disease makes it
worth our while to take steps,
where possible, to prevent its
spread.
1t is not necessary to define ty-
phoid fever, as every one would
recognize it from experience or
observation. The fever of the
disease is caused by an liberated
condition in the lining of the
digestive tract, at various points
in the intestines usually, although
other organs may become affected;
these ulcers are caused by germ
known as the typhoid bacillus. In
order to have the disease one must
receive sufficient mum Der o. these
germs to Overwhelm the Little
army Of white blood cells which
always stand ready to protect the
individual from disease. These
typhoid germs must either b. in
hailed from dry dust or they must
enter the system through fjod or
drink, or through contact with a
cut surface in the skin. The
bacilli cling tenaciously to life, a
moderate amount of heat does not
affect them, and they are not
killed by freezing; they can stand
boiling for 20 minutes, but high
temperature fer longer than 20
minutes is pretty sure to destroy
their action. They may live for
months in the ground under
favorable conditions. 1t is not only
possible, but probable, that every
human being receives few of
these germs into his system many
times during this year, but his
general Eealti being good he can
handle certain number, probably
good many thousands, and re
ceives no injury from them. 1t is
only when the number is so great
or W hen his system rs depleted by |
hard work or excuses In any
direction, that it is overwhelmed
by numbers and succumbs to the
disease. This ability to throw it
off is called immunity, and is
possessed in more or less degree
by all; one attack of typhoid |
fever confers quite good deal of |
immunity for the future, but it is
not absolute protection, as one
may have the disease several times.
Now, the question is in what
way are the larger number of |
germs likely to enter the human
system. Infected water probably |
causes more typhoid than any
other one thing. In the Spring of |
1885 there was an epidemic of ty-
phoid fever in Plymouth, Pa, a
town of 5000 people; there were
1900 cases with 1870 deaths. This
epidemic was thoroughly lnvesti-
gated and they found there had
been u single case of typhoid in
house on a hillside which sloped
toward the water supply of the
town; the patient was i'll during
January, February and March,
wnen the ground was covered with
snow, and the discharges from the
patient were all thrown out on the
top of the snow. On March 25th
there was rainfall and a sudden
thaw, and the water began to run
into the reservoir which supplied
the town. There was no possible
Question but that this one cas-.
was responsible for 1900 Others
similarly affected, with 1870 deaths.
The best protection for the
wafer supply would be t. distill it,
and drink distilled water only, as
many city people are now doing.
1t is not difficult matter, A. a
still can be obtained for small
price, aud can be used on any
stove that is in use for other pur-
poses, so that there is very
slight expense attached to it's use.
Distilled water is the only absolute
ly pure water, Water which has
been boiled for half hour is ,
comparatively safe, although not {
SO good as that distilled. Filter.
ed water is not absolutely safe. .
The statement made by the news
papers that lemon juice in the {
water kills the typhoid bacilli will ,
not do to depend upon. Enough Il
lemon juice in the water might do ,
SO, but it will be all lemon juice
and no water; the ordinary lemon (
ade is not any more than the water ;
without the lemon.
Infected milk is also one of the
most common channels, and the
fruits and vegetable which are b