Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-12-09
TO FIGHT TYPHOID
Des Moines CounciImen Confer
with State Health Board
TEST MILK AND WATER SUPPLY
Groceries, Restaurants and Other
Places t. Be Investiga ed-Phy-
sicians TO Report-Over a
Hundred Cases in City.

Des Moines, Dec. 6.--Every place in
Des Moines where a typhoid germ
might be bred, and every food sub
stance OF general use III which ty-
ploid germ might find refuge will
be investigated by health officers at
once in an effort to stamp out the ty-
phoid epidemic. over hundred
cases have been reported in the city.
This plan was agreed upon by the
state health board, the city health
board and the city council in a joint
session held at the state house.
After eXpounding theories on ba-
cilli OF various kinds the health
board decided that the best way OF
proceeding was first to secure as
much information as possible con.
corning the cases that now exist in
Des Moines, then proceed to wipe
out every condition that might give
rise to the disease.
From now on health officers will
secure data and each new case oil
the disease will be reported in to
the health board voluntarily by ply
sicians. There is no law requiring
cases of typhoid to be reported.
The water supply and the milk sup
ply will be tested streets and al
leys, refrigerators in grocery stores,
meat markets, candy kitchens and
all places where food is sold will
be thoroughly inspected. Health Of
ficers in pursuit OF typhoid bacilli
will be as thick as bees in the city
in short time.
DR.. Henry Albert, state bacterolo.
gist, in his investigations has reached
the conclusion that the present ty-
phoid epidemic in Des Aoincs is
caused by the opening of a new water
gallery near West Eighteenth street.
At the same time the state and city
boards of health, in Joint conference
put ban on oysters and ice cream,
prOnulgating a series OF rules which
are to be followed until the typhoid
epidemic is wiped out. The tempo
rary health rules adopted are as fol
lows:
''First--Boil all water used for
drinking and culinary purposes. (The
pouring the boiled water from one
vessel to another will, by aeration,
restore the natural taSte).
"Second--Roil all milk and cream
used.
"Third-Avoid the use of ice cream
until the source OF infection is de-
termined
"Fourth-Avoid The use of oysters
unless they have been thoroughly
cooked.
"Filth-Disinlect the discharges
from typhoid fever patients by the
use of carbolic acid or some other
disinfectant recommended by your
physician.
"Seventh-Persons having the care
of typhoid fever patients in the home
hot water and a diSinfectant before
handling food.
"Eighth-Clothing and dishes Of
typhoid fever patient should be boil
ed before being used agasn.
Typhoid fever is due to a germ, |
The disease can only be contracted (
by taking such germ into the body |
with food or drink. If the above rules |
are rigitsy followed the present cpl /
demic of typhoid fever will come to
an end in about two weeks.-A. c.
Moerke, president Iowa state board OF
health; G. II. Sumner. secretary Iowa
state board of Health: Henry Albert,
state bacteriologist; Eel G. Roe, sup
erintendent Des Moines public safe
ty department.: H. l.. Sayler, Des
Moines city physician