Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-13
PREVALENCE OF FEVER
HEALTH OFFICERS EXCEPTIONS
TO IMPLICATION.
DR.. Lloyd Magruder's Communication
to Commissioners Discussed
Source of Injection.

In answer to the statement contained in
a letter written to the Commissioners yes
terday by DR.. Lloyd Magruder on the sub
ject of typhoid fever prevalence in the Dis
trict, Health Officer Woodward today pre-
pared a statement in which he took ex-
ception to what he regards as the fmpli-
cation that much of the disease could be
attributed to infection carried in milk. Only
two recent cases, DR.. Woodward declared
carried indication of having found their in
ception from typhoid bacilli carried in the
milk. The statement in full showing the
precautions the authorities take to conserve
the purity of the citys milk supply, fol-
lows:
Every place from which milk is ship
ped into the District is Systematically in
spected by trained inspectors in the serv-
ice of the health department., except a
few remotely outlying farms, some in
New York state and others in Pennsyl-
vania. At the time of each such inspec-
ton the inspector rates the various fea-
lures of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES supply,
stable, stable yard, mixers, and milk.
dairy and cows. He reports these ratings
to the health officer and leaves a copy at
the dairy farm. If the premises or ap-
purtenances thereto are not in good con-
dition the inspector takes action to see
that conditions age improved. If he be-
lieves that there Is any doubt as to the
character of the water supply he sends
a sample of water to the health Office for
analysis.
Synopsis Of Analyses.
ANALYSES of water from dairy farms are
necessarily limited to chemical methods
I'm the absence of a meteorological labo-
ratory no meteorological examinations can
be made of our milk supply. The great
value of such examinations. however, does
not lie in the possible detection of typhoid
| bacili, but in the determination Of the
amount of care with which the cattle have
been MIXED and the milk has been ham
died Some light might be thrown by the
examinations on the presence OF inf1amma-
tory diseases of the udders. but generally
speaking what is determined by such ex-
aminatons Is the number of bacilli, large
numbers indicating either that the cows
have been MIXED in a careless and dirty
manner or that the milk has been stored IN
dirty receptacles. or has not been kept
properly cooled. When carelessness with
respect to these matters exists presumably
carelessness exists also with respect to
on the farm, there is a greater liability of
the spread of such Infection
Contagious Disease Account.
"For some years past it has been the
custom of the health department to keep a
contagious disease account. so to speak,
with every person engaged in the sale of
milk. Every reported case of typhoid fever
scarlet fever and diphtheria has been and
is charged to the milkman from whom the
patient received milk prior to the onset Of
his illness. When the number of cases
| charged to any enc man seems to be out of
proportion to the size Of the dairymans
business an investigation is instituted to
determine whether typhoid fever exists on
the farm or farms from which the milk is
received or on the premises where it is han
died. This has enabled the department, in
certain instances, to check outbreaks Of
the disease named. 1t may be added that
in only two recent instances has the depart
ment come into possession of information
that<would seem to sustain the charging of
typhoid fever infection to contaminated
milk.
DR.. Magruder's Letter.
In his letter to the Commissioners DR..
Magruder says:
The report on this subject submitted to
the Medical Society of the District of
Columbia June 9, 1894, by the committee,
composed of myself, chairman, and the late
Drs. w. w. Johnston and C. NJ. Hammett,
showed that as the result of the investiga-
ton, which extended over five months, sew
eral factors in the production of the disease
in this city were discovered. They were as
| follows: Potomac water supply, pollution of
the soil with leakage from defective sewers.
| and from backing up of sewage from tidal
movements. drinking Of well or pump
water and contaminated milk.
Among the recommendations OF this
committee, which were unanimously adopt
| ed by the society, were the construction OF
works for filtration of the Potomac water
| the only proper method of publication; the
| abandonment as rapidly as possible OF all
! wells within the city limits; the repairing
Of defective sewers, the extension Of water