Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-10-29
typhoid Fever Known Of Old.

Typhoid Fever Known Of Old.
That typhoid fever was prevalent in
remote antiquity, and that it was re-
ferred to under other names in the de-
pcription of diseases by the great Hip
pocrates more than 20 centuries ago,
is the opinion of many writer's.
This disease follows in the wake of
human habitation and civilization its
terrible toll is the penalty paid by our
vaunted modern civilization for neg
lect Of simple hygisnic regulations.
From our families this ineatiable mo.
loch plucks the fsirest flowers Of youth
and beauty, capable of filling useful
positions and adorning our social and
civil world.
Malarial fevers are caused by the
bite Of the despised mosquito, whose
habitat is the stagnant pools Of IN.
drained marshes and isolated ponds.
When these marshes and pools have
been drained and cultivated, malarial
fever is replaced by that companion
of modern civilization. typhoid fever,
which is caused by the impurities re-
sulting from the aggregation ofanimal
life, the soil becoming gradually pol
luted and favorable to the develop
ment of the typhoid bacillus and other
germs.
These typhoid bacilli or germs live
in the polluted soil and water and from
it are directly or indirectly communi-
Gated to human beings and cause the
fever.
The typhoid germ is widely distrib-
uted geographically, being found in
the torrid, temperate, and frigid zones,
the fever occurring in Iceland and
Norway, Egypt and other parts of
Africa, az well as in Europe and
America.
1t is not easily destroyed and it has |
been SHOWN:
l. That it lives at least three months |
in ice.
2 That it is not destroyed by freez-
ing and thawing.
8. That it may live in the dry state
many months on furniture, clothes,
floors and other surfaces.
4 That it lives for several weeks in |
sand and other dust.
8. That it lives in soil favorable to
it for FIVE or six weeks.
6. That it lives longer in still water
than in running water.
7. That 1t may live 80 days in soil
favorable to its growth.
8. That it is destroyed by a tenn.
perature of 167 degrees Fair. in Is
minutes.
Typhoid fever is often caused by the
pollution ofthe soil and water by proI-
unity Of stables, barnyards, pigStyes,
chicken houses, duck ponds, etc., the
decaysd animsl'mstter and refuse from
them in6ltrating the soil and contain.
mating the water supply. 1t is also
caused in many instances by neigbbor-
ing closets leaking into wells, springs
and streams whose water is used for
drinking purposes.
Many cases of typhoid fever come
from prsviou, cases of the disease, the
bacilli existing In enormous numbers
in the intestinal discharges and urine,
as we'll az in the vomits and, some
think, in perspiration.
The fever is not communicated like
typhus fever, scarlatina and measles,
since the mere fact OF being in the
presence of these diseases in many In
stances is sufficient to produce them,
PROBABLY by means of the expired air
or from the exhalations given of from |
the skin. Unlike them, typhoid fever
is caused by the typhoid bacilli or
germs finding their way into our di.
gestive organs via the mouth.
These germs may rarely enter the
mouth or nose in the dust We inhale |
and thus find entrance to our digestive
tracts. 1t is undoubtedly true that in
nearly all cases of typhoid fever the
germs enter the body via the mouth,
are swallowed and. passing thence un-
injured through the stomach to the in
testines, multiply in enormous num-
bsrs, clusing the disease in those In
dividusls 50 unfortunate as to be in
fected.
The symptoms of the disease usually
make their appearance in from 10 to
20 days, 9 few cases. however, devel-
oping before 10 days or more than 20.
The period elapsing FROM the frat
entrance Of the germ to the body until
the beginning ofthe fever is known as