The Washington herald., 1908-08-03
TYPHOID
BY DIR. WILLIAM TINDALL.

Z It seems to be a part Of the history
Of typhoid fever in this latitude that its
prevalence Increases as the length OF
daylight decreases. at least until after
the beginning OF frost II this IS so the
/ disease apparently to some extent de-
pends upon climatic influences. and It is
the duty OF those who have useful advice
70 give in that respect 10 make public
their opinions, 50 thet every avoidabIe
+ case may be precluded. In that spirit I
submit the following propositions. with
/ the hope that they may be Of service in
warning some who read them Of the
danger OF exposure without increased
weight OF clothing 10 the night air Of
August and September in this latitude
Typhoid fever is a filth disease.
This pathOgenic filth may either be
brought into The system from without By
means OF food and drink. OF be produced
within the body by the operation of the
vital processes II the eliminating func-
tions are inadequate 10 the duty Of re-
moving this internally produced refuse
II becomes as noxioUs 20 the system as
il It were putresceut matter introduced
from outside the body Whatever nav
be the cause OF its presence. II IS so
offensive 10 the cellular organisms that
they spare no effort to get rid of 1t. even
&c the extent Of mortal exhaustion. This
effort TO eliminate the offensive matter
produces the phenomenon called fever.
As these cells. like every other animal
organization. must have periods OF relax
alton in these efforts, the fever IS less
during these recuperative periods than
when the cells are exerting their maxi
mum energy.
Many epidemics OF typhoid are clearly
traceable 20 the introduction in streams
and reservoirs used as sources Of domestic
water supply OF putrescent animal matter
washed from the watershed Of such water
courses and impoUnds: but there have
been many periods Of prevalence Of ty-
pnoid fever where no such CNndition OBJ
tained. nor any other circumstance fndi-
eating especial Contamination OF the food
or water supply
Il behooves US. then. TO seek a reason
for these visitations, which are apparently
not dependable on any germ OF inssnitary
condition Of food or drink.
Such q reason is at hand. II We con
sider that the skin Is the largest organ Of
the body. and its maintenance in a nor
nal state Of activity, therefore. an es-
sentiai adjunct to the health Of the entire
system.
The amount OF blood the skin contains
corresponds with It's comparatively vast
surface When this surface becomes sud
denly chilled the contraction drives a
great part OF this blood in on the spleen
or liver or lungs. as the case may be. I
with the result that those organs. which
were already working 20 their fulI ca
pacity- md their task enormously in
creased. and finally become fatigued un-
der their added duty. When 50 impaired. Z
they are unable 70 eliminate the effere
matter which Il IS their specific function I
10 remove from the blood and convert Z
into eNcretz or servicezble secret!ous
These waste substances are. therefore. /
retained IN the blood and tissues. and IN 4
that state are obnoxious 70 cell life. and 4
as such stimulate the uaetabolic activity 4
In an undue EFFORT 10 effect their eIimina- I
ton
The cell IS the Iife- II the cells win the
patient lives, II they exhaust themselves 4
In an Intellectual struggle the patient dies I
such being the Importance Of the skin,