The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-11-21
FEVER AT UNIVERSITY.

FEVER At UNIVERSITY.
Situation Not Serious and Under Con-
troE-Wen Water Caused Trouble
Board of Trustees and Board of
Health Physicians Make an Ex-
animation.
Columbia, Nov. 17.-There has for
some little time been considerable
anxiety with regard to typhoid fever
at the University of South Carolina.
The situation, while serious, has been
very much exaggerated and the board
cf trustees yesterday, through its ex-
ecutive committee, decided that it
xou!d be better t. make {: plain and
frank statement Of the conditions.
The board finds that there have
beeu Il cases Of typhoid fever at the
university among the n,re than 500
students. While some IF the cases
were brought to the institution, most
of the number originated from the
use of infected well water while there
were breaks in. the regular city sup
ply. Maj. Sloan, president Of the uni
yersity, has been working day and
night to do everything possible for
the relief Of the situation and to stop
the cause. DR.. Wannamaker, the
physician in charge, and DR.. William
Weston, the assistants, have been con-
slant in their attentions. The city
board Of health, through its efficient
health physician, DR.. c. T. Williams,
has been hard at work on the situa-
ton and all now agree that they have
located the trouble and that there is
no longer ground to fear trouble.
Yesterday there was a conference
between President Sloan, DR.. T.
Grange Simons, chairman Of the State
board Of health; DR.. c. F. Williams
of the city board Of health, DR.. E. j.
wannamaker, DR.. William Weston
and DR.. James W. Babcock of the
state Hospital for the insane, who
was called in on account of his ex-
perience in such matters and they as
sured the committee that there was
no Just reason to feel further appre-
hension.
The executive committee, which
consists of Governor Heyward, Super
intendent O. 3. Martin, Mr.. r. P.
Hamer, Jr., ana August Kohn, after
consultation with President Sloan
and the physicians decided that it
would be best to publish the history
of the trouble, to ask the consent Of
the city board Of health to publish the
detailed report Of DR.. Williams and
to advise the parents Of all young
men and women at the university that
the situation is very satisfactory and
that there is no occasion for further
worry.
The following is the official report
of DR.. C. 2. Williams, which has the
full endorsement of DR.. T. Grange
sinons, DR.. T. W. Babcock and Drs.
wannanaker and Weston, after a
full investigation Of the situation:
To the Chairman and Members C the
Board of Health, Columbia, S. c.
Gentlemen: In compliance with
the resolution passed by the execu-
tive committee Of your body directing
me to make a full report upon the
tvnhoid fever situation at the Uni
versity OF South Carolina, I have the
honor to submit the following:
On Oct. p, was notified by DR..
r. J. Wannamaker, physician at the
university. that he had admitted to
the infrnlary since the 18th of Oct
ober, FIVE cases of fever--two of
which We're unmistakably typhoid,
and that the other three presented
SYMPTOMS so strongly suggestive of
the nalady that he felt warranted in
making such diagnosis. I was asked
to consult with him, which did.
and fully concurred in the diagnosis
made. l was Informed by hila that
in irving to locate the cause it was
learned that the five young men
stricken all OF them had been taking
their meals at the mess hall. This
had aroused his suspicion as to the
local cause existing there, and we, in
company with the president Of the in
stitution, proceeded to the mess hall,
where a most thorough inspection
was made, and even though no un-
sanitary. condition was found, the
nbvsician al the university had the
refrigerators thoroughly cleansed and
aisinfected and the whole hail, which
wcs already in excellent condition,
gone over.
The milk s1lpply was looked into,