Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1909-10-22
How to Pre-
vent Typhoid.

rsging In Salt Lake. Pats of 1t are
applicable to our on community, and
II will be iuteresting for our readers
to peruse:
At the outset one essential ard all
important fact should be understood
an constantly borne ia mind. Ty-
phoid fever is specific infectious
disease oaueed by a germ, known
as the typhoid bacillus, given eff in
the excrets from a former case, aud |
can be caused by no other means
The belief held by many of the laity !
that 9th, decayed vegetation or the
dead bodies of animals can cause 1t
or that IL originates from any ether
vague and intangible source ehculd
once aud for ell be discarded, as IL
has been proven to be totally un-
founded. Ii should be further un-
deIstooi that In order to contract the
diseass tho germs must be swallowed.
In,view OF this fact IL can readily be
seen that preventative measures should
first be directed to the destruction OF
the germs ss they leave the body, aud
II In all cases that object were ac
complished it Is obvious that no 9th.
err measures would be required TO
bring about the total extinction of
the mslldy.
q To this end the law requires the
. disinfeciiJn of typhoid exorets and
In order to promote tho eafotot ment
sof the measure, pro7ides that pbysi
{. clans shall report all cases of he dis
ease; hut until an awakened public
sentiment shall demand strict compl
a1e, with the law, other mea urss ara
seessary to safeguard against the
Consequences OF it's neglect.
Typhoid fever results from ewel-
lowing water or food contain mated by
undisinfected exoreta from a former
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 illustra.
tion OF the manner 10 which this 90
ours. A careful study of the cases
and their distribution cony icts one
source of the Infection, aud incrimi.
n,tss two Others, one or both of which
are responsible.
There are two exciting conditions
that are constant mepace to the
public health. They are responsible
for the usual prevalence Ut typhoid
fever and, as before stated, are I'M
l., . 10 80 inn
of the present epidemic not due to
the Infected dairies. Reference Is
made ta the lack Of protection of the
water supply and the condition and
methods Of maintenance of the out
houses throughout the city.
A rigid patrol system should be CO
tablished covering the course of the
streams aud neighboring watershed.
Camping should be prohibited, or al
lowed only upon permit. subject to
strict sanitary regulations as to dis
posai OF waste, etc. The entire wat.
ershed should be owned and con-
trolled by the city, or set aside az q
forest reserve; aud until this Is con
s1mmated, proper regulations should
be imposed upon persons residing
thereon.
One case of typhoid fever existing
on any part of the watershed supply
ing the city 10 capable of originating
an epidemic of the disease. A cas'
in point among many recorded illus
trating this danger may be recited
In the to Rn of Plymouth, situated In
the mountains of Pennsy lvania,
sudden typhoid epidemic appeared
during the month of April. Case
were reported at the rate Of from l0I
to 200 daily. and, out of total pop
ulation of 8, 200, between l, 200 AM
1900 cases occurred, resulting II
l25 deaths. lvestigation OF the waite
supply disclosed the fact that durip
the previous winter case of typhoi
fever had existed on the banks of
stream supplying the town with wa
tar, the excreta having heen opposite
on the ground adjacent A sprin
t1aw bad washed the material int
the stream, With ths deadly res1it
stated
a sand filtration system Ia tho be-.
solution of the water question, en-
should receive the early sttenticn {
the city authorities. It's installatio
would be reasonable in coat, al
would render the water supply PEI
feet