Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-06

Unless all present indications fail, the
typhoid fever epidemic, which began In
Washington three weeks ago and has gone
forward In Increasing intensity, may be
one Of the worst in the history of recent
years. All the preliminaries of the situa-
ton are regarded as having been most
favorable to the development and spread
of the dread disease: the first and most
dangerous Of these being the continuous
heavy rains of the early spring and sum-
mer. The rains served to keep the Potomac
river full to its banks and further to
cleanse all of the rivers great watersheds,
principally at the expense of Washington.
for all Of the washings from its banks must
inevitably find their way toward the sea.
and in the O,O00.OO0 or more gallons of the
water of the Potomac used by Washing
tOnians for drinking water and other pur-
poses. in just that proportion did this city
absorb the impurities. With every brook
let and tiny tributary of the Potomac run
ming full, the danger Of washing germs
from each typhoid fever case at any up
river point into the river, and subsequent
ly down upon the capital, increased
many fold.
Condition Unfavorable.
With the river furnishing the infection,
conditions were ripe for greater menace
from second danger point, for residents
of the city have unquestionably grown care
less about boiling drinking water and about
observing other necessary precautions
til the epidemic was again in full sway.
1t is the belief of the authorities that the
only permanent relief will come with the
opening of the new filtration plant, which,
1t Is hoped. will be some time next month.
DR.. Woodward, the health officer, made
the cheering announcement a few DAYS ago
that he would be disappointed IT, after the
filtration plant is in operation, the typhoid
fever cases did not show an immediate de-
crease of fully ninety per cent.
Each week, under present conditions. that
the filtration beds delayed in pouring
clear. germ-free water through the city
mains. will show on the debit side the loss
of many human lives because it is the rule,
memorable as fate itself and shown by
keeping of averages in thousands of cases,
that one in every seven persons stricken
with typhoid fever dies.
Health Office Function.
Until they receive the indispensable aid of
filtration the health authorities can do
nothing but keep chronicle of the cases,
run to earth any stray cause of infection,
other than that carried in the river water,
and counsel observance of the simple rules
of prevention
The epidemic record, as it stood at the
close of the week yesterday. showed that
SO new cases developed in the week ended
July %. 30 cases developed in the week
ended July % and about 56 were added last
Neth. VI IL lOldl OF new cases reported
in three weeks. These added to the cases
under treatment previous to that time made
a grand total of III patients suffering from
typhoid at the close of last week.
"Don'ts" Elaborated.
Celebrating upon the "donts'' which
Washingtonians would do we'll to bear in
mind during the prevalence of the present
epidemic of typhoid DR.. Woodward pro-
duced d stock pamphlet of the health Of
flee on the subject prevention of the
Spread of Typhoid Fever and called at
tenton to the last paragraph, which reads:
The individual who would avoid con-
tracing typhoid fever must see that his
food and drink has not been exposed eth
er directly or indirectly to that disease or,
when this cannot be done, must see that 1t
is subjected to a heat sufficient to kill any
germs which may be in it. Raw food should
be avoided, cooked food must have been
kept out of the reach of flies, and water
and milk must be boiled. In moist sub
stances the germs which cause typhoid
fever are killed by exposure for ten min
utes to a temperature considerably below
that of boiling water. Ordinarily, there
fore freshly cooked food is free from dan
ger SO far as relates to the spread of ty-
phoid fever