Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-08-31
CAUSES Of TYPHOID
Filth, Flies, Fingers and Food the
Points TO be Kept in Mind
TYPHOID CARRIERS. ALSO
These Latter Are Persons who for Various
Reasons Discharge typhoid BaciIli.

Typhoid fever is a specific infection
caused by the typhoid bacillus. That
this organism is present in the ex-
cretions of those sick with typhoid
fever has long been known and dis
infection of such excretions has been
practiced to prevent the spread OF the
disease, says Robert L. Dixon, secre-
tary of the state board of health.
Up to within a few years ago, how
ever, little attention has been paid to
the so-called typhoid carrier" When
the board of health of the city OF
New York discovered Typhoid
Mary a cook who, although she had
never knowingly had typhoid fever,
had been the cause Of half dozen
we'll marked typhoid epidemics, she
was regarded as a scientific curiosity;
but since that time bacteriologis re-
searches have disclosed the fact that
this walking typhoid incubator de-
serves no singular distinction. Such
typhoid carriers appear to be quite
common, and different investigators
have found that in some localities
over one per cent OF the population
are typhoid carriers.
Typhoid carriers are individuals
who. although not suffering from
typhoid fever, are discharging typhoid
bacilli in their excreta. They are
virtually culture tubes in which
constant supply of germs is being
developed and discharged They are
divided into two types: first, those
who have had typhoid fever; second,
those who have never or at least not
knowingly had typhoid fever Every
person who has typhoidsfevcr continue
10 excrete typhoid bacill for variable
period after recovery. In most cases
this period will not exceed a few
weeks, but may continue for many
years. In some instances typhoid
bacili are found in the excreta OF
persons who have apparently never
had typhoid fever. This is explained
by assuming that the individual pos
,essed a certain amount of immunity
at the time of infection and did not
undergo the ordinary course of fever
individuals have a varying degree
of resistance to typhoid infection and
the severity of the disease will vary
accordingly. The relative number of
typhoid carriers in any community
varies as the amount of typhoid fever
If typhoid fever is prevalent, the
number of typhoid carriers will be
relatively high and typhoid fever is
rare, the number of typhoid carriers
will be relatively low except as they
may emigrate from the more infected
communities.
How to deal with the typhoid car
rier is one Of the greatest problems
before the modern health officer
Typhoid baclli not only do not orig
mate spontaneously from filth, sewage
or decay, but die within few weeks
after being excreted from the human
body. When typhoid fever is caused
from water, milk or other foods, it
is certain that the infected substance
has been recently contaminated either
from typhoid patient or a typhoid
carrier If typhoid bacilli were only
discharged by those suffering from
the disease, the control OF typhoid
lever or even its complete elimination
would be comparatively simple The
typhoid carrier is but rarely recog-
nized and consequently cannot be
avoided He may be contributing to
the sewage which contaminates your
drinking water He may be your
neighbor or he may be a member of
your own household Remember the
-elation-hlth flies, fingers and food
Every person should be. regarded as
q potential typhoid carrier, and we
3hould insist upon absolute cleanli-
ness OF everything associated with
our food and drink Where such
cleanliness cannot be absolutely as
sured, do not forget that boiling kills
Uphold bacll and boil everything
h@t may harbor the infection