The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-07-30
How State Fights Typhoid Fever.
Commissioner Dixon and His Assistants Pre-
pare Plan Of Battle and Follow Up
Lines OF Attack With True
Military Precision.
When the State Department of

When the State Department of
Health is obliged to go to the aid
of city or borough TO help the 10 o.
cal authorities stamp out a typhoid
fever epidemic the plan of battle is
as carefully mapped out and the
various lines of attack as certainly
followed up as the most successful
ly conducted military operation,
Such a fight is now being con-
Quoted in conjunction with the To-
cal health authorities to wipe out
the epidemic of typhoid fever at
Hastings, in Cambria county.
CENSUS FIRST STEP.
When the county medical inspec-
tor of the State Department OF
Health takes hold OF typhoid cpl
demic with the local health author
tiles census is at once taken of the
existing cases to learn what posi-
BILE medium of infection has been
common to all or the majority Of
existing cases of typhoid.
That is, are the victims using the
same milk or ice supply; have they
been getting shell fish or oysters
from the same source and, more
particularly, is there a common
water supply? In the meantime
strict precautionary measures have
been taken to shut off all possible
avenues of infection.
"Boil all water and milk" is in
sisted upon from the first.
If the census of cases points to
an infected milk supply, it is quite
possible that upon the dairy farm
from which the milk is served to
these patients will be found a case
of typhoid fever.
If so, this particular supply is at
once stopped and the health author
tiles do not permit the milk to be
marketed until the recovery of the
case and thorough disinfection, or
unless the milk is handled entirely
by persons not living on the prem
ises. If there is any suspicion of
the dairy farm water supply, prior
to examination the use of such wa
ter is not permitted in conducting
the dairy.
SEARCH WATER SUPPLY.
A study of the cases may con-
vince the health authorities that
the epidemic is the result of a pol
luted water supply and a rigid
search will probably locate a ty-
phoid fever case somewhere on the
watershed. If so, the premises are
thoroughly disinfected and all exist
ing nuisances abated.
Should the municipality have
storage supply the reservoir is treat
ed with copper sulphate for the
purpose of destroying or inhibiting
the course of bacteria without be-
ing harmful to human economy.
Where possible, the discharge pipe
from such reservoir is elevated so
that the discharge of water contain
ing sediment that may be laden
with the specific organism of ty-
phoid fever is avoided.
A system of flushing the mains
is instituted-the precaution being
observed to thoroughly open and
hush household taps and any dead'|
ends that may exist in the system.
Where municipality las no sys-
tenn of sewerage the department
urges a systematic disinfection of
al vaults with lime. This is done
with a double object first to pre-
vent the further spread of the dis
ease through the medium of flies
and also to prevent pollution of
surface wells which occasionally
follows and prolongs an epidemic,
Is was the case at Plymouth in
1855.
MUST SAFEGUARD MILK.
In fighting an epidemic of ty-
phoid fever or in fact all other COM
nunicable diseases it is most impor-
ant to safeguard the purity of the
milk supply, The State Depart
nent of Health during the existence
If such an epidemic requires the
abolition of milk bottles which are
Howl, NH, q