The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1909-06-10
TYPHOID FEVER A
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE

DIR. Robt. Q. Young. Professor of
Pathology in the medical department
of the University of Oregon. con
tributes the following article on ty
phoid fever in the AriIn:
Typhoid lever is contagious di-ease,
j. e., disease that can ts traus
mitted from one person to another
1t is caused by small micro organ.
ism, called the bacillus of typhoid
fever, which is extremely hard to
kill. II kept in dIy state, this or
ganism will live for years, and it will
endure months OF freezing snd then
grow and multiply Whenever the
proper conditions of heat and moist
ure are supplied. Practically il can
only be successfully Destroyed by
boiling or by the use OF powerful
antiseptic substances such as strong
solutions OF corrosive sublimate, Car
bolio acid, blue yitrol, ETC., which
solutions must be carefully and thor.
oughIy applied.
So Tar as science has demonstrated,
the typhoid fever baeillis 10 found
only In the intestinal tact of man,
and when found 10 water, milk or
vegetables, it means that the water,
milk or vegetable has been contain
mated by the excrement, uIinal or
feoes, of a human being suffering
from typhoid fever. Hence 1t Is
above all others, a filth disease, and
its prevention is in the destruct ion
of human filth.
Typhoid fever Is one of the most
serious diseases that afflicts mankind.
The death rate is from to IA per cent
OF those attacked. The average du-
ration of the fever is from four to
six weeks, and person is extremely
lucky II he Is able to resume work
within ten or twelve weeks after its
onset. 1t Is diseaes that demands
constant care, day and night, and
those nursing 1t are exposed to con-
stant danger of contracting 1t. In
fact, trained nurses, With al the
knowledge they have OF protecting
themselves, frequently contracd the
disease from the patient.
Typhoid fever IL essentially dis
ease of young adults, though old peo-
pie AMI babies do occasionly have IL.
A large proportion OF those contract
ing the disease are otherwise strong
and healthy people. or twenty deaths
from typhoid fever recently report
ed to the Oregon State Board OF
Health, the average age was 20 years.
1t is an expensive disease Besides
the services OF physician, at least
two nurses are needed, for day and
night. A conservative estimate OF
the loss to the individual, in wages,
physioian's and nurses care, Is
5000 90 for each case. In Oregon, for
the year 1907, 500 cases of typhoid
fever we're reported, costing the peo
pie OF the State 500, 900 at the very
lowest estimate. The worst feature
of this Is that typhoid fever is in a
great measure a disease that can and
should be prevented.
How Typhoid Fever is Spread.
/. BY Water. Typhoid fever germs
from the bowel contents or urine of
4 previous case gain entrance to the
water, grow and multiply and pro-
luce the disease when the water Is
used by another. These germs may
have been washed into the water sup.
ply from body discharges OF ty-
Dhoid fever patient, thrown on the
surface OF the ground, or gain access
through seepage from privy into an
adjoining we'll or other source of
water supply. One of the most seri-
BUS outbreaks in this State arose from
4 sewer leaking directly into city
we'll. Springs, wells, aud streams
san become infected In this way.
2, BY Milk. M ilk can become in
ected by thoee caring for the milk
md milking utensils while at the
anne time nursing typhoid fever
oontagion being carried
lireotly to the milk from the hands
IT by diluting the milk or washing
he utensils with an infected water
II by flies, swarming from an open
lrivy with contents not dlsintected
If from the patients soiled room or
bedding, and subsequently depositlng
he filth collected on their feet in the
milk or milking utensils. Flies can
n the same way infect water.
8 by Dust, containing typhoid
ever organisms. settling in water,
milk, or other foods. II
4. Flies, as stated above visited
Uphold discharges and contaminat-
ng milk, water, or other foods.
How to prevent Typhoid Fever.
Since we know that typhoid fever Is
ne to micro organism found only in
he urine or bowel movement OF a
erson suffering from typhoid fever,
nd since We also know that the usual !
Iay of its spread from one to another
} by drinking milk or water which
as been contaminated, the way to
revent 1t is to prevent contamina-
lon of water aud milk supply.
For this reason, no well shuoId be
sed that could In any possible way be
from a prlvy or cess
ool. The same Is true of spring,
should be remem bered that we'll
/ spring can be contaminated from {
lng distances, from natural fissures g
hat lead down to it. Washing milk
ans OF buckets or vegetables In in. !
ected water Is dangerous.
Whom case of typhoid fever occurs
a a family, the patient be at once
iolated, and those attending him
hould not in any way attend to any
ther household duties. The room
lould be screened so as TO keep out
les. All water and milk used should
0 boiled, and the we'll or spring
1urougly cleaned out and not used
gain until certain OF its purity. The I,
ed clothing should be- disinfeoted at
noe In the patients room by soak
lg In proper disinfeoting solution.
nd especially should the bowel
ovements and urine be disinieoted
efore being emptied.
4 Interest to Farmers and Mechanics