New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-19
OYSTERS AND TYPHOID FEVER.

How easily certain popular Shellish may be-
come vehicles of disease germs is freshly illus
trated by an article which DR.. George A. SOper
contributes to '"The Medical News" 1t is his
report upon an outbreak Of typhoid fever last
summer and autumn in Lawrence, Long Island,
and three or four adjacent villages. In the
course of five months thrty-one cases developed.
three terminating fatally. The trouble did not
quite attain the proportions of an epidemic but
might well have had more formidable conse-
quences and the local board of health showed
good sense in employing an expert to investigate
the matter thoroughly.
DR.. Soper began by inquiring into the char
acter of the water supply and soon ascertained
that the latter was faultless. In like manner
the milk consumed in the region under consid-
Grafton studied and exOnerated AS most
OF the persons who were attacked had eaten
oysters a few days before becoming ILL., the
source from which the latter were obtained was
sought. 1t then turned out that the oysters
came from Jamaica Bay and that some of the
beds there and certain storage floats of the deal
ers were exposed to sewage discharged at Ar
verne and Far Rockaway. Following up this
clew little further, DR.. Soper discovered in
many OF the oysters from these places number
Of colon bacilli, which, though practically HARM
less themselves, always create presumption Of
typhoid infection, because both kinds OF organ
detected Ii
almost certain that the other will find Its way
Although there remained a small degree of I'M
certainty i'll regard to the origin of ten out OF the
thirty-one cases. DIR. SOper was convinced that
the remainder were due to the eating of oysters
contaminated in the manner described. Accord
ingy he advised the local authorities to prohibit
the sale Of any more shellfish from Jamaica Bay,
declaring that the law gives as much power to
regulate the purity Of one kind OF food as an
other and was not meant to apply to milk alone.
He is right too, and the policy here recon-
mended should be followed wherever the same
conditions found to exist
The most unfortunate revelation made by DR.
Soper is yet to be mentioned. He says that ia
maica Bay annually produces from 100000 to
100000 bushels of oysters, of which only few
are consumed in the immediate vicinity. The
rest of them are marketed elsewhere 1t ia fair
to assume that hundreds, if not thousands, of
cases Of illness were caused thereby last year
in other places than Lawrence. The question
arises, therefore, whether 1t Is not possible to
devise an effective method of protection for the
benefit of people living at distance from the
scene of such contamination. 1t is to be feared
that Jamaica Bay is not the only place where
oyster beds and sewage are in dangerous prox-
unity to each other. Cooking will always kill
microbes. but, many people prefer oysters
and clans raw, some other safeguard should
be provided. Without doubt the vast majority
of the bivalVes in the market are absolutely
safe; but the experience OF Lawrence has had
many parallels which it would be folly to ignore
The public needs convincing guarantee of i'm
munity, and the effort to devise one should not
be abandoned because the task is hard
The men who raise and sell oysters should rec
ognize the fact that their interests would be
promoted If a satisfactory method of averting
suspicion could be found. 1t might be well for
them to organize for that purpose. Were it
known for instance, that the oystermen would
report TO the State Board OF Health all cases
of possible infection and that the authorities
would act promptly on such hints, confidence
would be inspired in the quality of the oysters
which were put on sale If the State board has
not already the power to destroy dangerous
oyster beds, the wisdom of comforting It By leg.
islation should be considered. Perhaps II might
be well to arrange for the appointment of a spe-
cia inspector of oyster beds. This, however
is matter of detail. The essential thing is to
insure such cooperation between the producers
and the authorities as VIII result In the SUD-
preston OF all shellish which are really men
ace to public health. The STABILITY of that
which is above reproaeh would then be en-
HANGED. Before the full effect of the policy was
felt ii would be necessary to have the reform In
stituted in a number OF States; but the example
| set by would probably be followed very
| quickly by the others. If we are not mistaken,
! the commercial advantages of the plan would be