The Washington times., 1906-08-12
Parallel With Increase In
Midsummer of Pre-
ViOuS Seasons.
PUZZLE TO THE DOCTORS
Some Result from Analyses
of Well Water Expected
in Coming Reports.

TO a record breaking number OF cases
pning up before the fever subsidies late
In September, the health authorities OF
the District are graphing with a prob
lem which promises 10 give them as
much trouble as any outbreak since the /
remarkable one OF 1903 In that year
the city did not have the advantage OF /
filtered water, and the fever scared be- |
vond the records of several years prior /
TO that time.
The fact that a large percentage OF !
the Districts population is now enjoy |
ing altered water. considered by many 4
experts to be as free from bacteria as |
the water supply OF almost any other
city in the country-and this is sustained
By the official records of analyZatiOn
at the filtration plaut-makes il appear
strange 10 the minds OF Health Oh1cer
Woodward and his assistants that
typhoid this year has gone far beyond
the experience Of 1895. The situation in
other years has developed many incon-
sissent features, but rarely If ever have
the health authorities had more puzzling
ones to combat than has been the case
since June ]. of the present year.
Rapid Increase in July.
No truer insight into the core of the
situation can be found than in a study
of the figures which mark the weekly
increase Of the fever. Beginning with
June ], although the upward trend hard
Iy becomes apparent until July, the
weekly record OF fever during the last
ten weeks and for The corresponding
period OF last year. has. with few eXcep-
tiOns. continued 10 add an increasing list
OF victims. Neither this year nor last
did this increase become marked until
the middle of July. Then, with un-
diminished vigor IL began 10 increase
by tens Of cases. until in this ten-week
period it has jumped from 80 cases. re-
ported up 10 June l. 10 5l9 cases to noon
yesterday. an increase Of 369 cases. This
number. however. does not represent the
fever situation except as 10 the total
Of the cases reported. As represented in
the number OF cases now actually being
treated, recOveries and deaths have de-
pleted this total. until at noon yesterday
the Health Office records showed 262
cases under treatment On August II,
1855 this total was l92 cases.
As shown by the chart. the Health
Department records on June 1 of this
year noted a total Of l50 cases reported
since January ]. 1906. which. although an
increase bhE4 NAtt AENbAA "a tAAN AA ENNNA-
ing year. when the total was 122 cases,
did not then cause comment or alarm.
During the week of June 1 10 Z, inclu-
sive. IL new cases were reported, as com
pared with II cases during the corre-
spending week of 1905. The following
week. June 10 Il. inclusive. saw an in
crease of Il cases, while the number for
the corresponding week of 1875 dropped
%
to q, saw the conditions reversed. the
number for that week of this year. drop
ping TO 13 cases, while increasing from
10 l3 cases in 1895. Again. during the
next week. June . 10 2S. OF the present
year. the number decreased to II cases
reported. with 10 cases during the same
week OF last year While the total for
the following week of this year June
% 10 July S. increased to % new cases,
the corresponding week of 1896 saw but
additional cases.
This situation continued through the
week Of July to Z. with q new cases.
during that week OF the current year and
l3 cases during the corresponding week
" period OF 1865. but the following week.
from July Is TO 10, the fever took de-
cIded jump, H cases being reported for
these six days Of 1896 and 81 in the like
period OF last year.
Continue Till Autumn.
with such a marked upward turn 1t
became apparent TO the health autnori-
ties that the fever would not be likely
10 diminish until the coming of the fall
season. This impression has so far been
borne out. with but one exception, dur
ing the week from July p TO August 2.
when the number reported dropped of
cases this year. and 10 during this
week Of 1896. The previous week, July
20 20 %. saw Go new cases recorded this
year. and 81 cases during the Identical
week Of last year.
During the next chapter Of the situa-
ton. which includes the week between
August to 9, inclusive, the fever again
began 10 climb upward. 2 cases being
reported during this weekly period OF
the present year, as compared with 6s
cases during a like period OF 1905.
This comparative record would tend
10 indicate that the fever this season Will
go beyond the record of last. with It's
total Of over 100 cases. Although the
health authorities are not yet willing
10 cOncede il. they admit that this rec
ord may be broken and the record OF
that noteworthy year 1903. equaled
Taking a hopeful view of the situation
both Health Officer Woodward and
Surgeon General Walter Wyman. oil
the Public Health and Marine Hospital
Service, whose aid and agencies have re
Gently been called upon 10 furnish a
check to the onward rush of the fever
contend that they TiH soon FlVe he
situation well within control. The
Health Officer has under his direc
superyislon the daily Inspections of the
sources of the milk and food supplies
which are carried on by a force OF forty
medical and sanitary inspectors Any
and every possible reason for the In
crease of the fever and anything thai
will furnish a possible clue is being
looked into. and in addition Distrie
Chemist Lynch is making analyses OF
samples Of milk brought in from farms
adjacent TO the District and samples o.
food commodities taken from the var
ious public markets.
Another and perhaps more important