The Washington times., 1906-07-04
DOCTORS At ODDS
OVER THE TYPHOID
FEVER SITUATION
Considerable Here, Say
Some; Others Wrong
Diagnosis.
WATER NOT SOLE CAUSE
Dr.. johnson Urges That
u. S. Public Health Service
Supervise District.

That 1t is a mistake to regard water |
and milk as the sole and principal /!
causes of spreading typhoid fever is the
verdict of many OF Washingtons physl- /
clans.
The subject has been brought before /
the public mind by the action or Dis
trict Health officer William {. Wood /
ward in requesting the cooperation or
the United States Marine Hospital and
Public Health Service in investigating
the conditions Of the wells and public
pumps in and around Washington with
a view TO seeing whether or not they
are so infected that they aid in IN
creasing the cases of typhoid fever
which are now mounting up in this
city.
Considerable Typhoid Here.
There is undoubtedly much typhoid
in the city of Washington" said DR..
u. i. Z. Johnson today. 1t has been
demonstrated that all these cases OF
sustained fever are typhoid. But II Is
"a great mistake 20 say that water
causes all the typhoid. The great thing
10 be considered IN this connection Is
the contaglOl by contact
For instance, somebody with typhoid
drinks out OF a glass, and IN another
minute somebody else drinks out OF
that same glass. Again, food Wnlcn
has been handled By some person Win
typhoid may be eaten by another per-
son. Such cases as these frequently
offer ready explanation Tor typnold
..S0me years ago there was a great
cry to the effect that the removal or
the Objectionable outhoUses would
greatly lessen typhoid here. The out
a
typhoid remained. The next cry was
that the pumps should be removed.
Many of them were done away Withi
and still the typhoid continued Next
IL was said the nlJerlng or Potomac
river water would do away with the
disease altogether. Such has not been
the result.
Infection Due to Carelessness.
consequently we are forced TO the
conclusion that water is not the sole
cause of typhoid And 1 think you VIII
ma that much of il is due 20 infection
by careless contact Ir this regard,
people can aJt be too careful.
However. / think it a wise step on
the part of The Health OfnCer TO have
tle pumps examined thoroughly Tor II
would ccrtaiulN be great calamity 10
many poor people IL the pumps were
removed from the city unnecessarily.
''lu this connection, II has often Oc-
uOmical step for the taxpayers Of the
District 10 let this thing Of looking
after the health OF the town be man
uscd by the United States Public
Health and Marine Hospital Service
Not that / have anything against the
present Health OfuceT. lie Is q une
man and he knows his business. g,
But 10 is against the system that
protest. Why should the taxpayers or
The District pay Tor this local health
service when this same service or Ihe
saasr ftNf isl he'd Flg
here in the city : Why not nave slGh
legislation passed as VIII enable Ihe
Federal service to serve also Tor the
District IJ would be a great economy
states Public Health Service IS the nm
est i'm the world. with facilities and men
that are unsurpassed.
Should Let Them Help.
As il is, these men sit here in the
National Capital with their hands tied.
II would seem 70 me the part Of wis
dom that they be allowed 10 work for
the District Their experience with
the yellow fever ridden New Orleans
shows that they are 10 the highest
notch OF efficiency. This. / think, is a
point worth the attention Of the local
authorities and the citizens"
The Health Officers opinion that
typhoid fever is on the increase is not
shared by some physicians who com
mented on the situation Today. They
say the type OF fever when has re-
Gently been reported 10 the Health De
partment as being typhoid Is not lnat
disease at all, but on the whole much
milder type OF fever, TesuIJils from rom
summer complaints. Real typhoid. they
say, has appeared In no increased num-
ber OF cases, nor dScs The outlook at
this time warrant the belief that IL will.
In this connection DR.. S ). StearnS,
OF 1929 Rhode Island avenue northwest,
has the following TO say;
Situation Not Alarming.
IN my belief. the typhoid fever sit
uation is anything rather than alarm
ing In fact. it seems 10 have recently
been greatly overrated. The type Of
fever that has come under nay observa-
tion is not generally typhoid and should
not be dignihed on the records as such.
AT the outset OF any fever. however
mild IL may be, many people are dis
posed 10 think IL typhoid, and so re-
port il. but after a few days of properly
prescribed treatment the patients re
cOvery Is usually noted. ] am honestly
of the belief" concluded DIT. Stears,
that the city is cleaner OF typhoid
fever now than in former years ana
that the present scare, If there Is any,
is due in most cases 10 wrong dag
nosis."
Few Cases of Real Typhoid.
Dr. A. Barnes f1oOes OF 1l4U new
York avenue northwest holds substan-
tally the same opinion. He states that
fewer cases Of real typhoid fever have
come under his observation recently than
in former years, and that while he is al
present treating several cases of milder
fever, they are OF type consequent tC
eating improper foods during the heat
ed term
Or q. r. Lee Cole. OF AS Seventh
street southwest, holds wives OF the
situation in common with those eN-
pressed by his fellow physicians. He
talks an entirely optimistic view of the
matter. stating that in his opinion,
many cases of remitteut fever have been
cOnfounded with typhoid. and that the
District Is getting no more than It's
normal share OF the disease.
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