The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-06-07
iowa CITY DOES
MAGNIFICENT WORK
3ss Nloines, the Getty of Ger,
.air,t.es," Shows an Example
Worthy of Emulation

I'INP ana ACTIVE puDllCuN cam
.Eigus. in which it has carried large
-ivertising space in the big ma gaines
IL has been STYLES the city of Ger
iiinties.' Particularly favorable at
teHtion was attracted to this city b,
the prompt measures which it took tc
stamp out an epidemic of typh fe-
YER which broke out there last year
Quoting from the report of Surgeon
J.. l.. Lumsden, the official of the
United States public health and ma
rine hospital service who was called in
to assist in era dicating the disease:
The recent outbreak in Des
Moines it seems was first brought 10
the attention of the authorities by
publications in the local newspa pers
10 or Is days after the outbreak be-
gan. 1t is fortunate that the out
break was learned of at that early
period, and the local press is to be
Congra tulated for its vigilance
Other Communities in Danger.
"Other communities In Iowa are Ii
able at any time to be visited by out
breaks. and in some of these com
munities there may be no local press.
or one not so vigilant as that in the
capital ely
In te investigation of 81 cases
the homes of the patients We're Wis
tied and IA careful inquiry was made
to ascertain all the facts called for by
the following questions.
Name, age, sex, nationality, date
of first symptoms. date took to bed.
date of death, date of recovery. Wi
dial reaction, positive or negative,
rose spots, intestinal hemorrha ges,
previous attack of typhoid and when.
residence when taken sick, previous
residence. subsequent residence, char
acter of residence, sewage disposal.
water closet in house, water closet in
yard. privy vault, condition of SAM
tary devices, relation of prvy to well,
general sanitary condition of resi-
dence, previous cases of typhoid in
house previous cases of typhoid in
neighborhood, occupation and where,
water used at place of employment.
was patient away from Des Moines
within 80 days prior to illness, where.
what water used for drinking
30 days prior to illness, meals, where
taken, milk, how used, source of
milk.
Analysis OF Facts.
ANALYSIS of the data thus obtained
showed that cases were persons
living in rooming houses apartment
houses and 4 in boarding schools.
While 80 were among persons who
lived at private residences
"Twcnty-three cases were at resi-
dences where the general sanitary
conditions were good 20 where the
.
whore the conditions were bad. From
Ties" finding it would appear that the
disease did not prevail disproportion-
1tely among persons living in sani-
tary neighborhoods.
Sewage Disposal.
THE season of occurrence, the geo.
graphical distribution and the gen
eral features of the outbreak taken
together definitely eliminated flies and
other insects and COntac ct infection as
major factors in the causation of the
outbreak, and from the outset it
seemed on general principles, drawn
from present knowledge of the modes
or spread of typhoid fever, that the
outbreak had been caused by infec-
ton in some beverage or foods which
city.
Nleals-Where Taken.
"Of the so oases a. were in persons
who had taken meals within the so
days prior to illness at their places of
residence only, in persons who hs d
taken meals at their places of resi-
dence usually, but at restaurants oc-
casionally, and in persons who had
taken meals usually at restaurants
and boarding houses
From these data 1t Is certain that
the outbreak was not caused by in
fcction introduced into foods and
beverages at public eating places,
Milk
In cities where large milk dealers
distribute their supplies over large
territories extensive and widespread
outbreaks of typhoid fever may be
caused by milk-borne infection. out
breaks caused by milk occur most
frequently in the summer and early
fall, but as milk is favorable culture
medium Of the typhoid germs such
outbreaks may occur at any season of
the year
Two or more cases developing at
snout tho same time in the sam
household is Of frequent occurrence in
milk outbreaks, but this was of very
infrequent occurrence i'm the Des
Moines outbreak. In outbreaks due
to milk a considerable proportion of
cases. particularly in children will
have a sudden onset of illness with
out prodromal symptoms, while over
30 Per cent of the cases in the Des
Moines outbreak gave a history OF
prOdromes
Water.
"Of the 80 cases. AZ gave a history
Of having used the city water unboiled
as a sole or principal source Of drink
ing water during the 80 days prior 10
illness. The one case giving a history
of not having used city water not pre-
Viously boiled was one Of the case!
"A trihutcd to contact infection and re-
'fforrod Ia above
"Of the 40 cases, ~ had used city
.u.2tor solely. while had used the city
water principally, but water froT
ynmC other sources, such as wells oc
casionally thus the city water pre-
errtS itself as a common factor anC
rartain!y AS . possible chief source o
the infection which caused the out
break Alcng with this fact the sea
pF and