Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-07
"BEWARE OF YOUR COOKS"
WARNING By SPEAKER BEFORE
BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
Views Of DR.. George A. Soper of New
York in Reference to
Typhoid Fever.

| sons has proven to be more prominent as
germ carriers, especially the typhoid fever
| germ, than the men and women who pre-
pare food for table use. Housekeepers
should use considerable care in employing
cooks, and. If possible, should investigate
their past history
| The foregoing declarations and warnings
| were made by DR.. George A. Seper. ty-
phoid expert Of New York. in an address
before the Biological Society at the Cosmos
Club last night His theme was Typhoid
Fever" House flies. he stated. are also
| typhoid fever carriers. He strongly urged
| cleanliness. and the frequent washing OF
| hands. stating that the American custom
| of shaking hands Is looked upon by ex-
perts as an admirable way Of spreading
| disease and distributing germs. The speaker
| advanced the theory that has been men,
toned by local experts, that the water
| supply at dairy farms is worthy of OBJ
| servation.
| DIR. soper is considered one of the best
| authorities in the United States upon ty-
] phoid fever. and his remarks last evening
| were not only of Importance scientifically.
| but were intensely interesting He based
his discussion of the question upon an
| investigation he recently completed of a
| slight epidemic of the disease at the sum-
| mer home OF prominent New. York bank
| er at Oyster Bay, n. Y. The Investigation
was in progress six months and from his
account of it no more thorough investiga-
| ton has ever been conducted in this coun-
| try.
Mention of an Epidemic.
| The epidemic in question broke out last
July. An eighteen-year daughter of
the household was the first to be taken
| i'll. Two days later the gardener fell
victim, and in the next three weeks
cha mbermaid, the wife Of the banker an
other daughter and another servant were
taken sick. Investigation disclosed that
the water supply was free from any blame:
sanitary condition and DIR. Soper and his
assistants were about to give up in despair
when they finally suspected an Irish cook
who had been employed for the summer
and who left few days after the first
case of the disease was finally diagnosed.
Little was known about the woman, but a
careful search developed that she had sue
cessfully recovered from an attack of ty
phoid six years before. and that a score
| of persons who had enjoyed her cooking at
various houses prior to her Oyster Bay
engagement had become victims of the
| dreadful fever.
phOid fever germ distributor" DIR. Soper
said. Now that we have her and are salts
| fled on that point it is problem what we
can do with her. My investigations have
| brought out the fact that this cook was
| not scrupulously Clean particularly in the
handling of the food for the table and
am satisfied that the majority of cooks are
| lacking in Cleanliness fault which is,
| am satisfied, responsible for much disease
| spreading.
II will admit that housewives have much
Elm obtaining cooks and servants. but
| at any rate they should be more particular
| In selecting them. They should inquire more
| into their past histories and habits. Per-
| sonal habits have considerable bearing upon
| typhoid fever infection"
Discussion of Subject.
DIR. Soper was rewarded with applause
| and complimentary remarks by the men,
bers of the society present.
Following DR.. Soper's remarks others ia
| miliar with typhoid fever and who have
| figured in the fight against the disease here
advanced theories and ideas. DIR. William
c. Woodward. health officer OF the District.
was extremely anxious to learn approx
mately what such thorough and long in
vestlgation of comparatively small cpl
| demic cost. in order that ne might deter
mine If such an investigation could be given
trial by his department. DR.. Soper was
| unable to estimate the cost, but he informed
the local health officer that it would be too
much for him to try here, with his limited
means and force Of inspectors
DR.. NJ. J. Rosenau Of the marine hospital
service, who assisted in investigating the
| recent high prevalence of typhoid in the
District, was the next speaker. He stated
that typhoid has proven to be purely sum-
| mer disease in Washington, and he strongly
i
carriers of the typhoid fever germ. and the
theory of the house fly as transmitter Of
the disease.
Blow at House Fly.
The house fly received severe blow at
the hands of DR.. Leland o. Howard of the
Department Of Agriculture. He declared
that the fly is not only IAN Internal null
sance." but is deadly as a distributor OF
diseases such as typhoid and diphtheria. He
believes that if the insect should be exter-
minated both of the diseases mentioned
would decrease. DIR. Howard said he Is of
the opinion that every house should be care
fully screened. and that stables should use
the greatest amount Of care in disposing
Of manure.
DR.. Alexander Graham Bell remarked
| that in his opinion the discussion was one
of the ablest and most valuable he had
ever heard, and jokingly ventured the sug-
gestion that DR.. Soper's illusions to cooks
will necessitate housewives going to the
local health officer for references for ap-
plicants for positions cooks in the
future.
Others who spoke were DR.. G. Lloyd
Magruder, who considers the water supply
on the dairy farms as being principally
responsible for the high prevalence of ty-
phoid in Washington: DR.. c. w. Stiles of
the public health and marine hospital serv-
ice and DR.. Wellerman.