The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1909-09-15
TYPHOID FEVER
Is the Most Preyentable of All
Diseases Known.
Circular Issued By the State
Board of Health
TO THE PEOPLE OF KENTUCKY

This Board feels it to be a duty
to again call the earnest attention
of our health authorities and peo-
pie to increasing prevalence and
mortality from typhoid fever and
to the consequent growing inn
portantance of the constant use
of the methods endorsed and con-
tirmed by scientific research and
observation for the prevention of
the disease, An average of 49,
305 cases of this disease and 1919
deaths are reported in Kentucky
every year, chiefly confined to
people in the prime of life and
usefulness.
Typhoid fever is probably the
most preventable of all diseases,
not even excepting smallpox. 1t
is now definitely known that, like
cholera and dysentery, the germs
of the disease are contained only
in the discharges from the bowels
and kidneys of those sick of it,
and that it is necessary for a person
to swallow some of such discharg-
es, or things polluted by them, in
some way, in order to contract the
disease. They usually gain en-
trance to the system through in
fected water from wells or streams
draining inhabited areas, and pol
luted by infected fecal matter, or,
in small answered town and
country districts especially, such
matter may be crrried by flies and
deposited on the food, utensils and
hands in unscreened kitchens and
dining rooms, The germs may
also be carried on the hands of
careless attendants or on soiled
clothing, or indirectly, by using
milk or other articles of uncooked
food or drink from cans and YES
sells washed in infected water Ice
from infected water is also danger
Gus, as it has been proven that
freezing does not kill the germs.
In the noted epidemic at Ply
mouth, Pennsylvania, involving
the sickness of l,l04 persons, and
the death of ia, the outbreak
was traced to the use of water
from a stream infected by the dis
charges from one imported case.
IL the fatal epidemic which
chung to our military camps dur
ing the Spanish-American war,
flies were found to be the princi-
pal carriers of the disease by the
United States Commission APP
pointed to investigate the origin
of the outbreaks. BY the use of
white powder sprinkled oyer the
discharges in the latrines, thous-
ands of these pests were tracked
direct from these and found COW
ering the food, hands and uten-
sils in the kitchens and mess rooms
of the common soldiers. Cultures
taken from the feet, legs, bills and
intestines of these flies showed the
germs of typhoid fever in count
less numbers.
Based upon the teachings of the
foregoing facts, the following
rules have been prepared:
When it is known or sus-
pected that person has typhoid
fever, he should be placed in a
large, well ventilated room, with
the windows and doors well screen
ed, and preparation should be
made for the thorough disinfec-
ton of all discharges from the
bowels and kidneys.
9 A solution of chloride of
lime, eight ounces to the gallon of
water, should be provided in
quantity, and a quart of this
should be put in the bed-pan or
vessel each time before it receives
the discharges, and should be well
stirred and allowed to stand in