Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-11
Cause Of Typhoid Spread.

To the Editor OF The Star:
1 have read your favorable comments on
the published opinions and instructions or
our health officer with respect to prevention
Of typhoid fever. In its last analysis this
advice Is: Boil, boil. especially. the Po-
tomac water and the milk served at our
doors and elsewhere
For the sake Of general information
would like to ask whether II has ever been
definitely established that our dear but
dirty old river breeds or harbors within her
bosom the strenuous germs of typhoid?
have heard some folks deny outright the
accusation, and charge the trouble to our
local pumps and outside water with which
our milk is sometimes mixed.
Probably the cows generally would. II
they could, Indignantly repudiate much OF
the fluid introduced TO our interior depart
ments.
In our court records there is case re-
ported where a man voluntarily declared
that row of houses he owned was not
built with the proceeds OF the sale OF milk,
in which he said there was profit, but
from the water he put into the milk He
was much praised for his frank declaration.
Probably there would be howl II the
price of milk were raised; but. l submit, II
would be better If each purchaser could
doctor his own supply with aqua pura or
otherwise, according to taste and discretion.
1 remember hearing real good man, SO
called. admit that he watered the whisky ne
sold. He justified the act by saying 1t
wouldn't run his customers and friends
crazy as quickly. and was therefore "a
blessing in disguise" We could hardly say
this in the case of milk.
But going back to the boiling point. some
will ask: What is the use of boiling one or
two things? Why not If the wise ones say
this is the only protection, boil everything
we eat and drink? Ridiculous! You can't
boil your Ice cream, soda water, the con-
tents of the 'growler, etc. True. too
true! But We might dispense with these
luxuries until the germs were knocked
out
Our health officer has a strong argument
in support of his contention that our milk
and water, water and milk, supply is
the source of trouble Suppose-and we
may do this-however, that later ale
asylum for the insane should become the
seat of the contagion or infection, would
he not have to admit that in the fight be-
tween the NJ d. and the ID. G.'s the lat
ter had won out and that we were as much
in the dark ever?
You remember. no doubt, the time when
all wooden goods were firmly believed to be
the vehicle old yellow Jack used for
making his rounds, and how many thou
sands of dollars worth of property was
destroyed because Of this now shattered
faith? How is it now? A mean, measly
old mosquito is condemned the guilty
party.
There should be no let up until the
haunts of this disease are known to a GER
tainty. If we may properly by large gov
eminent expenditures locate and expose the
foci of graft isolate and care for its I'M
fortunate victims, why not by the same or
any other means locate and. If possible, de-
stroy the germs of not only typhoid. but all
other horrible diseases which threaten to
make vain the efforts of the Pennsylvania
miners and others in the attemp: to save
the human race from extinction?
In the meantime let US follow the advice
of our authorities anu cook thoroughly
every thing eat or drink.
E J. THOMAS.