The Glenwood post., 1910-06-18
THE CAUSE AND PREVENTION
OF TYPHOID FEVER

Typhoid fever is caused by little
germ known as the "Bacillus Typho.
sis.'' Persons in poor health or a run
down condition of the system are more
liable to contract the disease than the
strong and the well; and those who
have bowel trouble are especially La
BILE to an attack. The disease germs
in nearly every case enter the system
by means of the solid or liquid food,
and most common victeals are:
drinking water.
2-The milk.
3-Solid food.
4.-Flies.
5-Actual contact with the poison.
1.-The drinking water is admitted
to be one of the most frequent causes
of typhoid fever, and to avoid the dis
ease all drinking water should be
passed through frst-class fltering
system which will remove about % per
cent of the disease germs.
Where there is no filtering system
all water should be boiled for from
fifteen to twenty minutes This will
kill the germs and make the water
safe to drink. All dishes and utensils
of every kind should be washed in
boiled water.
2-All dairies should be inspected
and the owners compelled to keep them
clean and in good sanitary condition
or quit business. All milk cans and
other utensils, as well as the hands Of
those handling milk, should be washed
in boiled water, and the milk, which is
good culture medium of germs to null
tiply in, should be carefully screened
to protect it from contamination.
3-Solid Food. Solid food may come
in contact with the germs through
polluted water. sewage, handling, etc.,
and convey the poison; hence all vege-
tables which are eaten raw, as lettuce,
celery, tomatoes, cabbage, ETC., should
be thoroughly washed and scrubbed in
boiled water before being eaten.
Allies. Good authorities claim
that flies breed exclusively in horse
manure and that as they move only
about 500 to 1000 feet from their
breeding place in one direction, if the
manure is removed every day there
will be no flies in that neighborhood.
Where the flies do exist the doors and
windows should be well screened to
keep the flies away from them and
prevent them from coming in contact
with the poison and the food, such as
butter, milk, bread, etc.. should be
screened and protected so that the flies
whose feet may carry thousands of the
germs, cannot get at it and poison it.
In the Spanish American war most of
the cases of typhoid fever were caused
by flies.
5-Actual contact with the poison.
The stools, urine and other discharges
from a typhoid patient should be put
in covered vessel and a thorough dis
lnfectant, as chloride of lime. added to
them. They should then be allowed to
stand for three or four hours, SO that
all the germs will be destroyed, before
they are thrown into the water closet
or the sewer. In handling bed pans,
urinals and sOiled articles of any kind.
the nurse should wear rubber gloves to
protect the hands, These gloves can be
boiled and sterilized. All bed clothes
or other articles soiled by the discharge
of patient should be boiled for n
couple hours before being washed, in
order to protect the washerwoman
against the disease. After handling a
typhoid patient, always wash the hands
carefully and put them in strong dis
lnfectant solution before preparing
food or eating. Never put the fingers,
pencils, spoons or any other articles
that could possibly be contaminated
INTO the mouth. Brush the teeth with
boiled water. Use an antiseptic mouth
wash several times day.
Some persons, after having typhoid
fever, carry the germs of the disease
in their bodies for many years and may
infect others. Indeed. persons who
have never had the fever themselves
may act as germ carriers and give the
disease to others.
Every one in the community is in
terested in the prevention of this dis.
ease, which causes fifty thousands of
deaths in the United States every year,
and all should use their influence in
securing pure water, pure food, and in
every way try to prevent this unneces-
sAry loss nf valuah1a 1;voo