Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-10-11

sccy. T. r. Beatty Of The state board
of health has issued the following cir
cular relative TO typhoid fever
Typhoid fever the most easily pre-
voutabie OF an diseases. claims ON an
average 800 victims annually Ia Salt
Lake city. OF these 80 die and many
ATE left with permanently impaired
health Severe suffering and anxiety.
loss Of time and expense are involved
All cases. ordinarily this dcplorable
state OF fact excitcs little notice or COM
Germ, and it is only la the presence OF "A
sudden and widespread epidemic that
the. public apathy IS disturbed and
alarm created.
Unfortunately the community is az
the present time afflicted with serious
outbreak. and the opportunity should
| not be lost 10 drive home 10 the public
intelligence and conscience a. realiza-
ton of the conditions which are re-
sponsiblc and the urgent necessity for
such action as wiz insure against its
repetition. II Is definitely and surely
within the power of the people OF this
city to- adopt measures that VIII ehect-
ually and permanently eradicate the
disease. and 81 they shall decide that
TINS NNINNA w incompetence AAAN
and unnecessary sacrifices Of the past
six weeks win not have been in vain.
The object Of this paper Is TO outline
as briefly and directly as possible the
measures TO which reference Is made.
At the outset one essential and an Inn
portant fact should be understood and
constantly borne Ia mind. Typhoid
fcver Is a specific infectious disease
caused by germ, known az the
ia the ngTrnfH
from q former case. and can be caused
by no other means The belief held by
many Of the laity that nth decayed
vegetation or the dead bodies OF ani-
mails can cause il or that Il originates
from any other vague and Intangible
source should once and for all be dis
carded. as it has been proven 20 be
totally unfounded II should be further
understood that In order 10 contract the
disease the germs must be swallowed.
In view of this fact IL can readily be
seen that preventive measures should
first be directed 20 the destruction OF
tine germs az they leave the body, and
il In an cases that object were accom-
plished Il Is obvious that no other
measures would be required To bring
about the total extinction OF the mall
ady
no this end the law requires the dis
order to promote the enforcement OF
the measure. provides that physicians
shall report an cases OF the disease;
but until an awakened public sentiment
shall demand strict compliance with
the law. other measures are necessary
20 safeguard against the consequences
OF It's neglect.
Typhoid fever results from swal-
lowing water or food contaminated hy
undisinfected eXcreta from "a Iormet
| case Of the disease which has reached
these substances through drainage on
the legs Of flies. or by other means.
The present epidemic is an Illustration
Of the manner In which this occurs. A
careful study Of the cases and their
distribution convicts one source OF the
infection. and inciimiuates two others,
one or both of which are responsible.
About % per cent OF the cases have
occurred among the consumers OF milk
| from several dalries located within
| close proximity al Woods Cross. I'M
doubleday the milk had been infected
by flies contaminated by undisinfec-
| ted typhoid eXcreta from promises
| where there had been an unreported
| case Of the disease. Many eptdemics
| have fn this manner originated I'm
daiIies and should furnish lesson for
| tine future
The remaining three-fourths. or about
| 175 cases reported during the
! outbreak have been generally distrib-
! uted throughout the city. no locality
| being exempt The milk supply Of
/ these cases has been about equally
| divided between the various dairies and
! private cows. besides I'm a number ~
| Instances condensed milk; and the ra-
| tional conclusion is that infected milk
| was not responsible except where II
| may have been contaminated in the
home by flies.
There are two existing conditions IN
Salt Lake city that are constant
| menace 10 the public health They
! are responsible for the usual prevalence
| OF typhoid fever and, as before stated
| are unuuestionably the cause Of that
portion OF the present epidemic not due
10 the infected dalries. Reference is
made 10 the lack Of protection OF tho
water supply and the condition and
methods OF maintenance Of the out
houses throughout the city.
The natural water supply OF Salt
Lake CITY Is uneNcelled by that ~ any
| city In the country. having IT'S source
in the springs and melted SHOWS from
the mountain tops IL Is, however
! subjected 10 many dangers from con
tamination in It's course through IN,
canyons and this viii remain nevita
bic until the necessary steps are taker
10 prevent H. Many people resen
criticism OF the water supply becaus,
OF alleged injury to the reputation %
the city prefarring rather that mn
shall be endangered than that real IS
tate values shall suffer. II would b.
n much wiser and more honest polio,
to adopt such measures as shah war
rant the claim that not only has natur
abundanty furnished us the Dures