Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-05-18
ON TYPHOID FEVER
Or. G. c. Craig Reads Paper Be-
fore The State Medi-
cal Society.
TELLS OIL HIS EXPERIENCE
Discusses Local Conditions Past and
Present-Treatm Of the
Disease.

DR.. G. G. Craig. who has had great
amount of experience in the treatment
of typhoid fever patients was given
that subject for a discourse at the
state medical convention. and yester
day he read his paper. Following is
a complete report OF his article:
When assigned the duty OF making
a report to this meeting. was request
ed to choose some practical. everyday
subject Although much has been
written upon typhoid fever. the physi-
clan who has gone through an epidemic
without seeing an immense amount of
ignorance. especially regarding its
cause. is indeed very fortunate. \ dis
ease that each year takes OFF a larger
percentage of the flower of our youth
than any other, certainly deserves our
most serious consideration.
P Typhoid fever is caused by a germ.
known as the Eberth bacillus, which is
transmitted from the bowel of one 10
the mouth of another. IL is conducted
from the mouth to the small intestines.
where il finds u favorite breeding place
in Peycr's patches. In a large major
ity of cases this is accomplished either
um of drinking water. and in cpidem-
les OF typhoid fever the public water
supply is Almost invariably the cause.
The disease is absolutely preventable.
and although the time will probably
never come when it viii be completely
eradicated. s:.ll, BY strict attention 10
well known principles OF sanitary
science. particularly in regard TO water
supplies, epidemics can be made very
rare occurrences
OdOr Noticed.
In June. 1900. it was noticed that a
bad odor emanated from the clean wa
ter basin at our reservoir. II was also
noticed that the same odor. but scarce
~ perceptible. except at night. came
from the slough that is the part of the
Mississippi river between Rock Island
and the Illinois shore When the river
is low there is not much current in the
slough. and at that time the river was
very low Also the United States gov
eminent was doing some work in the
upper part of the slough. and il was
coffer-dammed. making the water prac
tically stagnant The clean water basin
was emrtied and thoroughly cleaned.
While this was going on. the com
missioner of health had his suspicious
aroused regarding the intake pipe,
which projects nearly a half mile
through the slough and into the chan
mel of the Mississippi river. lie was
having the water analysed regularly
and at short intervals, with a result
that it was invariably reported bad.
Examination showed that the intake
pipe was full of crevices and the well
into which the intake pipe emptied. and
from which it was pumped through the
city. was full of holes the cement
having nearly all scaled OF. leaving
nothing but a rough stone wall. and
about twenty feet of sawmill refuse
between il and the mouth of one of
the main sewers of the city. This
sewer conducted the sewage from St
Anthony's hospital. The usual warn
ing. Boil the water was freely given,
but people as a rule don't scare at I'M
seen danger. In September the cpl
demic was upon us. 1t continued
about four months during which time
we had about 500 cases. and about
fifty deaths.
''In regard To the treatment. or rath-
or the management Of typhoid fever. Il