Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-08-03
DR.. ROLTON REPORTS
What the State Board of Health and
Other Authorities Say about the
Sickness in and about Barton.

Although the epidemic of sickness
in Barton and surrounding towns has
subsidized, no real cause of the disease
has been found and the report of DR..
Holton of the State Board of Health
throws little real light on the subject.
While the exact nature of the disease
is not revealed the following state
ments all tend to show that little if
any typhoid has appeared among the
200 sick ones in Barton and adjoining
towns. 1t is understood the death
rate in typhoid epidemics is from
per cent to 10 per cent and even great
er.I At the lowest calculation IA
deaths would have resulted from a
run of typhoid in which 200 people
were affected.
The local health officer. DIR. Prime,
makes the following statement:
''Why this typhoid scare in Bar
ton? Briefly I will say word in ex-
planation. July Z last, when all was
peaceful and quiet and there seemed
nothing to mar the beauty of a sum-
mer day | was suddenly aroused
from my solitude and quiet medita.
tion to scenes SO vastly different that
the cold chills indicated malaria rath
er than typhoid. However. it was
typhoid that my intruder Naccused me
of concealing. / was responsible for
RATS Of disease dangerous to the pub
lie health. DR.. Holton of Brattle-
boro of the state board of health was
called and my removal from office
was requested. Why? Just because
| would not hoist the flag of death and
destruction when it was not in evil
dence. l believe the findings of the
State Laboratory, and DR.. Holton's s
report, bear me out in the attitude
take concerning this controversy.
I'M. F. Prime,
Barton Health Officer"
Following is the official report of
the State Board of Health:
ITO the Local Board of Health of
Barton.
I'M. F. Prime, M. D., Secretary,
"Ger rtlemen:
eve herewith submit to you
the following report and con-
siderations relative to the epidemic
sickness which has recently prevailed
in Barton and adjoining towns, cover
ing an area of 165 square miles, hav-
ing population of 5000 persons. In
this area 200 cases of illness have
occurred, all presentating practically
the same symptoms. Stiff neck,
headache without delirium.) In the
majority of the cases there was more
or less irritation of bowels, as indicat-
ed by vomiting, diarrhoea, or when
given laxative continued and pro-
fuse action, temperature from 100 to
105 degrees which dropped to normal
in IL to IA days when nyalescence
began. There was great prostration,
considerable loss of fiesh-all termi-
mated in recovery. The source of
water and milk supply We're varied
hence could not have been a cause.
There were one or two cases in which
the temperature and blood tests indi-
Gated typhoid but these were not the
typical cases of the epidemic nor did
it appear to be any other specific dis
ease.
Investigation developed that all of
the cases had eaten of hulled corn pur-
chased from the same peddler who
made weekly trips through the vari-
Gus towns. This man resided near
Roaring Brook. His only water sup
ply was from this brook which received
considerable sewage from West Glov-
er. The water of this brook shows
sewage pollution. The can was
washed with this water; the corn was
put into it warm serving as a most
excellent culture bed for the growth
and development of bacteria. We have