Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-17

bia COMEDIES it seems to me- very closely
with the conclusion reached some time ago
by the health officer. We have known all
along that some cases were imported that
some were due to milk, that some were due
to direct contact, but there has never been
any reason for believing that these causes
accounted for all cases. or that they played
more important part in the causation of
typhoid fever in this city than they did
elsewhere. The cause Of considerably more
than half Of the reported cases even now
remains a mystery, which means simply
that those who are DESTROYS of removing
from Washington the stigma which now
attaches to it as typhoid fever city must
continue the search in which they have sc
long been engaged to find the cause for
the undue prevalence of typhoid fever and
an efficient remedy for it's prevention
Investigation Solicited.
In June last after the health department
had come to the limit of it's resources in
investigating the typhoid fever problem,
the Commissioners, at the suggestion of
Commissioner mcfarland, requested Sur
geon General Wyman of the public health
and marine hospital service to have an
investigation made by the experts of his
service and. with its great resources in
cooperation with the health department,
of the causes and possible remedies of the
typhoid fever. The Commissioners received
from Surgeon General Wyman the first re-
port OF that investigation, which has been
so exhaustive as to consume much time
and yet which. the report states. must be
continued In the effort to discover the I'M
discovered typhoid fever bacillus
The report however, is regarded by Com
missioner Mcfarland as a very valuable
contribution to the knowledge on the SUBJ
ject, upon which the Commissioners will
take appropriate action as soon as 1t has
been thoroughly examined. The health de-
partment has co-operated with the public
health and marine hospital service, furn-
10 L.
pies of water and milk and other informa-
ton, and every phase of the question has
been thoroughly looked into.
Commissioners Mcfarland said today that
the investigation had been one of the most
important ever held and was valuable not
only for its information respecting typhoid
fever, but as to general health conditions
He hoped that the final report would solve
the typhoid mystery. He pointed out that
the recommendations of the report as to
additional regulation of the milk business
had been anticipated in the legislation
recommended by the Commissioners to
Congress at the last session, which, un-
fortunately, did not become a law. but
which will be pressed at the coming session
OF Congress- and also that the Commission
ers had asked for archaeological labor
atory for the health department, which
would enable it to make meteorological ex-
aminations as well as the chemical examin-
atoms which it now makes.
Suggested Closing Of Wells.
He also pointed out that before asking
that this investigation should be made he
had recommended to the Commissioners
the permanent closing Of the shallow wells
In the District and that that action was
suspended panding this investigation, and
stated that he should now renew that
recommendation to the Commissioners
Commissioner Mcfarland called attention
to the fact that the report attributed only
10 per cent of the cases to the milk supply.
Surgeon General Wyman, in his letter Of
transmittal, said that what he sent was
only the summary and conclusions Of the
board of officers appointed to cooperate
with the health department in the investi-
cation and added:
1.-THE full report comprises an exhaustive
treatise on each of the subjects named in
the summary. with numerous charts and
all pertinent details. It Is SO voluminous
that it Is impractical to present 1t until
printed. This will be done as soon as posi-
BILE. In the meantime, a press copy Of the
same is available for any special informa-
ton required by your department. AS will
be observed, the report of the board en-
phasizes the necessity of q continuation of
the Investigation along certain lines. par
ticularly the isolation of the typhoid bacil-
lus itself from water, milk and other foods
This work is now being carried on and will
be continued in the laboratory"