The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-11-21
SUMTER. S. c.. WEDNESDAY. NOVEMBER FL. 1906

was eliminated, for the dairy. supply
ing the mess with milk is owned and
operated by the university and every
thing connected herewith is con-
Quoted in most sanitary manner.
The food stuffs consumed at the
mess hall are bought in open market,
and as there is practically no typhoid
fever in the city this possible source
of infection can also be eliminated.
Upon inquiry as to the drinking
water I was Informed that on two
occasions when the city water was cut
off the mess was furnished with water
obtained from well on Divine street.
Pursuing this trail further I found
that the preponderance Of evidence,
of which 1 will speak later, pointed
almost conclusively to the we'll, but
inasmuch as the physician Of the uni
versity had issued orders that no more
we'll water be drunk, I set about to
eliminate every other possible cause.
had Mr.. Edens inspect the sewer
age and plumbing Of the hall, make
the pressure test, and he reports that
everything was found in first class
condition. Cases of fever adjacent to
the mess hall was sought for, so that
the possibility Of contamination Of
food by flies could be eliminated. This
source was negative.
To come back to the we'll water,
and the evidence pointing to it as the
source Of infection, it is necessary for
re to ask your indulgence while ex-
plain how the disease is contracted
and the length of time it takes to de-
velop.
The cause and the sole cause Of the
disease is a specific organism known
as the typhoid bacillus, which in or
der to produce typhoid fever must be
taken into the stomach and intestinal
track in which we eat or drink. Of
course a run down condition is pre-
disposing cause.
The period of incubation (that is
the length of time from the time the
germ is swallowed until the disease
develops) is from eight to twenty
three days-on an average Of about
fourteen to sixteen days. Now you will
see the significance of the above ex-
planation.
On October 2, the city water was cut
off, and on account Of it being mud
dy on the 3rd and 4th, well water
was used at the mess hall. On the
18th, fourteen days from the first
drinking Of the well water, case was
admitted to the hospital, another on
the 18th, another on the 20th and an
other on the 22nd.
On the 18th Of October, the water
main supplying the mess hall was
broken by the workmen digging the
canal for the telephone company and
it requiring some time to repair it,
the we'll was again restored to. On
the 18th the break in the water main
conveying water to the reservoir
caused the whole city to be without
water for two days and the water be-
ing so muddy on the 10Th. we'll water
was drunk on that day. Thus it will
be seen that we'll water was drunk
from the 18th to the 10Th.
On October 26th two cases were ad-
mitted to the hospital. One on the
9th, one on the Goth, one on the
31st, one On November 2, and the last
case which has so far developed, on
November 9Th.
It will be seen from the above figures
that the average time from the time
we'll water was drunk until the de-
velopment Of the disease was IA Ia
days
This, gentlemen, should be conv1nc-
ing, and especially so, since not sin
gle case has developed in about 200
boys outside Of the mess as against
eleven cases in 130 taking meals At
the mess. The first series Of cases
would justify us in laying the blame
to the we'll water, and since the de-
velopment /. Of the second series Of
cases no doubt should exist in the
minds Of the most skeptical.
Psychological examinations Of
water to show the presence Of the
typhoid bacillus are very unsatisfac-
tory and only in a few instances has
the organism been isolated. However,
upon consulting your chairman, was
instructed to leave no stone unturned
and to have an examination Of the
water made, not for the presence OF
the typhoid bacillus, for the reason
stated above, but to its probability in