Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17
REPORT MADE ON
TYPHOID FEVER
Board Appointed by Surgeon
General Submits Findings.
TOTAL OF CASES ANALYzED
Slxty.Seven Per Cent of the Numbe.
Not Accounted For.
COMMENT ON LOCALMILK SUPPLY
suggested That. Conditions Should
Be mproved-Public Wells, Ice
and Potomac Water.

A report was received yesterday
by the District Commissioners from
Surgeon General Wyman of the
public health and marine hospital
service giving the results of an ex-
haustlve investigation of the ty-
phoid fever problem in the District,
particularly the high prevalence of
the disease last summer 1t is stated
that 10 per cent of the cases were
attributed to infected milk, Is per
cent were imported into the Dis
trict and about 8 per cent of the
cases were said to be traceable to
contact" leaving o. per cent I'M
accounted for, or of uncertain
source.
The board investigated 800 cases
which were reported between Tune
I and November 1 last. What the
board discovered and which it
reported upon without any hesita-
ton is stated to be that the disease
did not prevail to any unusual ex-
tent among persons living under
poor sanitary conditions. On the
contrary, it was found that it was
mere aPsesaleat aan46ng persurssfsv-
ing IN residences of the better class:
that the disease did not prevail to
any special extent among persons
living in houses where flies and YER
min were abundant; that fruits and
vegetables played little or no part
whatever in the spread of the infec-
ton; that shell fish and fresh water
fish and oysters played no appreci-
able part; that no special relation
between occupation and the disease
could be made out, and that ice was
not IN any way responsible.
1t was not possible in the report II was
said, to present satisfactory proof as 10
the part played by the Potomac river wa.
ter in the spread Of typhoid, and final de-
clsion on this subject will be made by
Gen. Wyman later, when certain invests.
cations which are In progress at the hy.
gienic laboratory have been completed
The report was compiled by special
board Of officers appointed by Surgeon
General Wyman. consisting Of NJ. ]. Rose
nau, director Of the hygienic laboratory.
chairman; l.. L. Lumsden, passed assist
ant surgeon; Joseph H. Kastle chief OF
the division OF chemistry, recorder, and
the following passed assistant surgeons: J.
F. Anderson, w. w. King. Joseph Goldber-
ger, B. H. Earle Arthur M. Stimson, Nor
man Roberts and WardwelI Stiles. Dur
ing the past summer the entire force of the
hygienic laboratory concentrated its ener-
gies on this knotty problem, which grew
too large in proportion for the District
health officials.
The Milk Supply.
In reporting upon its investigation into
the possibility of milk being the chief
cause of the infection the board severely
scored the milk supply Of Washington, de-
claring that, despite the regulations of the
health department, many dairymen deliver
milk In bottles to houses in which there
is typhoid fever.
Upon the question of milk the board re-
ported:
Three separate milk outbreaks occurred
in Washington between June and Novem-
Der, 1906. Eighty five of the 500 cases of
typhoid fever studied during this time were
attributed to the use of infected milk Tho
source of the infection was traced to cases
of the disease at the city dairy and at
the dairy farm.
Quite probably other cases contracted
the infection from milk. but the num-
Der of such cases must remain problemat-
ical. In at least two instances employees
at the dairy lived in houses In which cases
of typhoid were being treated, and in other
infection and the milk was found to be
very close. Returned bottles are not dis
infected as they should be. either with
steam boiling water. The washing of
after washing, they are exposed mouth up
ward to dust, flies and other sources OF
contamination. 1t was found in most in
stances that the cans and bottles were
washed with unboiled tap water.
"A few of the diaries have excellent
machines for washing and scalding bot
ties but sometimes neglect to heat the wa
ter, thus reducing the efficiency and one
Of the objects of the machines.
Not Given Proper Care.
1.-THE paper caps shoppers are not
handled with sufficient care. They are ex-
posed to dust. flies. ETC., and are often
handled with unclean fingers. Remember
ing that milk bottles are frequently used
by householders for other purposes than
to hold milk, that they are often taken
into the sick room. and that they run many
risks from contamination with Infection
not only of typhoid but other diseases-it
would not be unreasonable to require all
dairymen to disinfect bottles as a routine
practice.
'It is easy to understand how a bottle or
a limited number of bottles of milk may
become infected and be the cause of
spreading the disease. 1t should be re-
membered that the typhoid bacillus grows
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