Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-11
Typhoid Fever Cases Steadily
Accommodating.
OFFICIAL REPORT s
TOTAL OF 1914 PATIENTS UNDER
TREATMENT TODAY.
Police to Aid Inspectors In Securing
Better Sanitary Conditions-Dr.
Woodward's Review,

The typhoid fever epidemic Is slowly but
surely increasing. Each day sees many new
cases. and always the new cases are in
excess of the number discharged as cured
and the fatal cases. Up to noon today
seven new cases were brought to the at
tention Of the health office. Yesterday. all
told, twenty-five persons were entered on
the lists as having fallen victims to the
disease. When The Stars report closed
yesterday seventeen of this number bad
been reported, so that, in tine twenty-four
hours. from IL o. clock Thursday to the same
hour today, there were twelve new eases
The reports at the health Office this
morning included four recoverfes from
typhoid and two deaths, leaving a total
OF 194 patients under treatment at noon
today. Since the worst of this summers
epidemic began, on or about July 1, 223
persons have been stricken with the
fever and 20 have died. year ago today
for the same period. there were reported
Ia cases. and August II. 1904. there were
149 typhoid fever patients under treat
ment Between July l and August IL,
1904. there were % deaths from typhoid.
or the typhoid fever sufferers in the
city 81 are under treatment at the differ
ent hospitals. At Providence Hospital "a
are in the fever wards. and at Freed
Az the disease increases in intensity the
anxiety not only Of the District authori-
ties. but of the populace. becomes more
marked and general housekeeping of
the city has been ordered. To this end
the health department inspectors will
have the aid OF the entire police force OF
the city and of many public spirited citi-
ZenS.
Mr.. Macfar1and's View Of Situation.
Speaking on this subject this morning.
Commissioner Mcfarland said:
While 1 believe that the great majority
Of residents of the city and by far the
greater number of property owners try at
all times to keep their premises in clearly
and wholesome condition, 1t is nevertheless
a fact that there are many cellars and
yards in all neighhorhoods where insani-
tary conditions prevail. Last year we asked
Congress to provide for six additional in
spectors In the health department. but it
provided not one. At the present time we
have nine inspectors. one of whom is by
law assigned to duty under the smoke
law. The others are now away on leave.
50 that there are only seeven In active serv-
ice.
1T Is true that with sanitary plumbing
so general in Washington there is not great
danger of the spread Of typhoid fever by
files or by other means from cases actually
existent in the city, but the unclean back
yards and cellars are bound to lower the
vitality of the people and thus render them
prone to fall victims to typhoid fever or
any other disease the germs of which they
may absorb.
with the abatement of these conditions
in mind | called in the acting SUperintend-
ent of police, Captain Boardman. yester-
day, and he assured me that at least por-
ton of the time of the patrolmen in each
precinct In his department could be given
| over to aiding the health inspectors with
out, at the same time. interfering with the
duties of the police in preventing crime
Accordingly the police will be provided
with printed forms and instructed to visit
wards and cellars of all residents hot
respective beats. Where unwhoesome con-
ditions are found the police will serve no.
tice upon the owner or occupant to abate
the same, and later to make a second in
spection to see that the order has been
obeyed. In case of failure prosecutions are
possible under the regulations"
Il am sure, however" the Commissioner
concluded, that the great majority of the
citizens will gladly cooperate, and drastic
enforcement of the law will be necessary
only in isolated cases.
Regarding Filtration Plant.
Asked concerning his communication with
Acting Secretary of War Chaffee in refer
ence to expediting the opening of individual
beds at the filtration plant as soon as each
can be completed. the Commissioner said
lie had not yet received a reply, other than
a formal acknowledgment and the accom-
panying statement that the matter had been
referred to the supervising engineer
Providing for the greater safety of en-
ployes OF the District government, Commits
soner Mcfarland, cutting red tame as
much possible secured bids a few days
ago from different concerns for furnishing a
inter large enough to purify all the drink
ing water needed in the building The filter
was installed today.
Awakened to Danger.
Going back to first causes Dr. Woodward
the health officer today told of the ad-
vanced methods by which within little
more than decade not only this city. but
cities all over the country. have been awak-
ened to the danger from typhoid fever. It
was only little more than ten years ago
that the declaration was made that Wash
ington was a typhoid ridden city," and
the declaration was ridiculed. The man
who uttered it. however. had the courage
of his convictions and the truth of his say
ing was soon proven. since then, by a
process of elimination. it has been con-
clusively shown that Potomac water par
ticularly. but all polluted drinking water In
general. is responsible for the spread of ty-
phoid fever. Occasionally it is found that
the milk supplied by certain dealer is rife
with typhoid germs. but in very rare cases
Is this true, and then the baby epidemic is
usually confined to limited area
When, as at the present time, the disease
Is prevalent in all sections of the city. 1t
Is regarded as true beyond peradventure
that Potomac water is responsible for pos
sibly 90 per cent of the cases.
Referring to the records of the calendar
year of 1904. the health officer said that in
spectors in his department found that of
the whole number Of persons stricken 61O
used Potomac water exclusively. u used
Potomac and other waters. 40 used well
water, IS used spring water. 1 used melted
Ice and SO cases were secondary" that fs
contracted through carelessness in disin-
fecting, and 146 contracted the disease out
side the District
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