The Frankfort roundabout. [volume] (Frankfort, Ky.) 1882-1908, 1906-08-25
PREVENTION OF TYPHOID
FEVER.
Circular Issued by the State
Board of Health of Kentucky.


duty to call the earnest attention
of our health authorities and peo-
pie to the increasing prevalence
and mortality from typhoid fever
and to the consequent growing
Importance of the constant use of
the method endorsed and con-
firmed by scientific research and
observation for the prevention of
the disease. 1905 cases of this
disease and 1879 deaths were re-
ported in Kentucky last year,
chiefly confined to people in the
prime of life and usefulness. The
cost of caring for those sick of 1T,
to say nothing of the sorrow, suf-
fering and loss of life, for the
year, is reported as being $685.
$50.
Typhoid fever is probably the
most preventable of all diseases,
not even excepting smallpox. 1t
is now definitely known that, like
cholera and dysentery, the germs
in the dischargs from the bowels
and kidneys of those sick OF it,
and that it is necessary for per-
son to swallow some of such dis
charges, or things polluted by
them, in some way, In order to
contract the disease. They usually
gain entrance to the system
through infected water from wells
or streams draining inhabited
areas, and polluted ty infected
fecal matter, or such matter may
be carried by flies and deposited
on the food, utensils and hands
in unscreened kitchens and dining
rooms. The germs may also be
carried on the hands of careless
attendants, or on soiled clothing,
or indirectly, by using milk or
other articles of uncooked food
or drink from cans and vessels
washed in infected water. Ice
from infected water is also dan
gerous, as it has been proven that
freezing does not kill the germs.
A large volume Of water may be
infected from one case, and, if
already polluted with organic
matter. become ready culture
fluid for the multiplication of the
germs. In the now noted cpl
demic at Plymouth, Pennsylvania.
involving the sickness of 1l,044
persons. and the death of | IL, the
outbreak was traced to the use of
water from a stream infected by
the discharges from one imported
case. The recent disastrous cpl
demic at Ithaca, New York, caus-
ing many deaths, and requiring
the suspension of Cornell Uni
versity, was traced to the use of u
public water supply similarly in
fected.
On the other hand. in the dis
tressing and fatal epidemic which
chung to our military camps at
Chickamauga, Camp Mead, Mon
tauk Point, and other places, dur
ing the Spanish-American war,
flies were found to be the prin-
cipal carriers of the disease by
the United States Commission
appointed to investigate the origin
of the outbreaks. BY the use of
white powder, sprinkled over the
discharges in the latrines, thous-
ands of these pests were tracked
direct from these and found COW
ering the food, hands and utensils
in the kitchens and mess rooms
of the common soldiers. Cultures
taken from the feet, legs, bills
and intestines of these flies showed
the germs of typhoid fever in
countless numbers. The kitchens
and mess rooms of the officers
were screened, and they almost
uniformly escaped the disease.
Other acts no less convincing as
to both water and flies being car
riers of this disease might be null
tiplied indefinitely. if space per-
mitted. In a smaller way, they
must be common in the expert
ence of most physicians in active
practice.
Based upon the teachings of the
foregoing facts, the following
rules have been prepared with