Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-20

bacillus carrier Our studies for the three
years indicate that if all the market milk
of Washington were pasteurized under
official supervision the amount OF typhold
fever here would be materially reduced
'Shellfish.-It is now evident that oys-
tiers and other ShellfSh do not play much
part
Notwithstanding to the accepted bac-
THEOLOGICAL standards the filtered POI
tomac river water during the typhold
seasons of 1907 and 1905 was. of good
sanitary quality, and it does not seem
probable that such water could have been
directly responsible for much, If any. Of
the infection. There is not yet sufficient
evidence. however, for positive conclu-
sion to be drawn to just what part
the Potomac river has played in the eau
sation of the disease in previous years.
"Washington's Excessive Typhoid Fever
Notwithstanding the climatic and gen
eral sanitary conditions of Washington,
the typhoid fever rate is still compare
lively high for a city with no water
borne infection.
"Prophy laxis.-The results of three
years of study show that there is a need
Of legal control of typhoid fever patients
and typhoid bacillus carriers.
I'VE are convinced that q vigorous
campaign against typhoid fever as a
contagious disease ana the adoption
of measures that would prevent the
spread of the infection in milk would
eliminate the greater part of typhoid
fever from the District of Columbia
The exhaustive report, covering, as 1t
does. about 100 printed pages. will he
referred by Commissioner Macfarland
To the health department with re-
quest that recommendations be formu-
lated to carry out the suggestions in
so far as they are in the power of the
Commissioners and for recommends
tons to Congress where additional
legislation or appropriations are needed.
In 1906. owing to the excessive typhoid
fever rate. Commissioner Mcfarland
after the health department had exhaust
ed its resources in investigating the
causes of typhoid fever. asked the Com
misSioners to ask the public health and
marine hospital service to make an in
vestgatiOn, which should develop the
causes Of the unusual amount of typhoid
fever in Washington. and upon the re-
quest of the Commissioners that investi-
cation was undertaken The investiga-
ton has been continued ever since The
first report was sent to the Commission
erS in the spring of 1897. another In 1908,
and the third report is that just received.
Effort to Legislate.
The Commissioners as a result of the
first report appointed. at Commissioner
Macfarland's suggestion a conference of
milk experts. scientific and practical. and
their recommendations were embodied in
a bill providing better means for regulat-
ing the milk supply and also estimates
for the enlargement and the Improvement
of the force and facilities Of the health
department. Congress did not pass the
bill. but it did increase somewhat the
health department force, and will be
asked to increase it still further with
view to the Improvement of conditions.
Mr.. Macfarland in speaking of the mat
ter. said the Commissioners and the COM
munity were under great obligations to
the public health and marine hospital
service for the thoroughness of the in
quiry and for the suggestions which had
been made. He said that the third re-
port threw more light upon the matter
than either of its predecessors, but that
he understood that further inquiries
would be made by the public health and
marine hospital service. as we'll as by the
health department. He said that the re-
cent appointment of DIR. ]. j. Kinyoun as
bacteriologist of the health department
for the special study of typhoid fever
causes ought to yield additional informa-
ton of value. He said that so far as he
was concerned he wanted to pursue every
avenue of inquiry. and then adopt every
remedy that could be suggested to reduce
typhoid fever to a minimum.