Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-09-26

TYPHOID FEVER.

The following issued by Sec. Gras
sick for publication in the newspapers
OF the state, calls attention to another
live sanitary problem, the solution o1
which depends in a great measure or
the intelligent cooperation of the
public with the medical profession.
B This being the time of the year
when typhoid fever is most prevalent
a Few words as to its course. cause
and prevention may be in order. IT
IS cosmopolitan in its nature. It's
germ is the Eberth's Bacillus which
has it's natural habitat in the mites.
tlnal tract, where it multiplies in
great numbers. 1t is excreted mostly
In the urine and stools. 1t is not
communicable by the air in the same
sense as smallpox, scarlet fever or
diphtheria. The germs must get into
the alimentary canal before they find
a suitable soil for propagation and
growth. Therefore it may be set
down as essentially a filth disease:
for it is practically acquired in no 9TH
er way than by the injection of some
food or drink contaminated by human
excrement containing typhoid germs.
This is so well established that it may
De stated that if every germ from
every person effected with typhoid
fever was destroyed for single year
Ghe disease would be banished
from the earth, for it is believed
that this germ does not live
more than a year in nature outside of
the human body. This certainly
would be 'tconsumation devoutly to
be wished. Being preventable dis
sease, with is cause well understood,
and Methods for its control well es-
tablished, 1t would seem at first
thought that We had it we'll in hand;
but, in spite of all this, we find that it
is one of the most common and most
fatal of our general diseases. From
an economic standpoint, it is one of
our most expensive, because it's VIC
tins are from the middle aged classes
those who are in the earning period
of life, the young and the old being in
a measure exempt. That it can be
prevented is amply demonstrated by
the medical history of the Japnese-
Russian war. It's prevalence in arm
les in the field has heretofore been a
greater menace to their fighting effici-
ency than the bullets of the enemy.
The Japs escaped with scarcely a
case and Russians were nearly as for
tunate. II these results are obtain
able under such adverse conditions,
why so great a death roll in civil
life? Some one has b1undered."
Ignorance and lack of application Of
plain sanitary principles are RESPONSE
bic for the results. In the United
States we have an annual death rate
from typhoid fever of "a to every
100000 of the population. In North
Dakota We are a little more fortunate,
but at its present rate of increase
it. will not be long before we have
reached the general average. AS the
population increases in density, the
z water supplies become more contain
mated, and typhoid increases in fire.
quensy. This is the common exper,
fence in all new countries 1t may be
nearly impossible to prevent sporadic
cases imported and transported
through agencies of infection, but the
continued presence Of typhoid fever in
any locality is evidence of ignorance
or negligence on the part of those
whose duty it is TO look into the mat.
ter. In plain terms. filth is at the root
of the evil, and clean up and keeI
clean, the remedy. Practically all san
itarians are agreed that the water
supply is the chief source Of danger
Its pollution by sewers, drains, seepage
from priyy vaults and surface wash
ing BY rains, floods, etc, are matters
Of common occurrence and observa
fion. Milk is very easily infected. Il
lis not only a good culture medium
but germs that develop In 1t seem to
increase in yirulence; for epidemics
from this source are unusually severe
Washing the utensils and diluting
the milk with polluted water or un.
Clearly methods Of those handling 4
may be responsible for an outbreak
Of the disease. Dust from dried ex.
cseta deposited on the surface Of the
ground may carry the germs ana in.