The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-07-14
TYPHOID FEVER PRfvfNTABLf
Says a Local Physician, and Means of
Protection Cited Herewith

Protection Cited Herewith
Editor The Echo: In an attempt to
communicate to the public, necessarily
only a superficial knowledge Of this
dreaded disease, typhoid fever, is given.
To place within their reach protection
or preventive means, it were desirable
to give a short history Of its inception,
symptoms and progress.
A glass Of clear, sparkling water may
be drank in the morning in ignorance
of a hidden danger, until later warned
by an unaccountable languor, a slug
gish movement or weight in the lower
limbs, with perhaps slight headache.
This state may be maintained for sew
eral days, accompanied by a gradual
rise in temperature, possibly to l03 or
los degrees. About this time the sub
ject takes to the bed. The fever, or
fight, is for 81 days and the ordeal is
one of life or death. How insidious
has been the approach, and, when first
seen in one in the freshness OF vigorous
health and youth, may readily read the
evolution the few days will give from
the rosy cheeks OF the maid OF twenty
to the cadaverous look OF the borders
of death. This is a short though graphic
history Of a common case Of this fever.
The disease as stated runs a definite
course. On the twenty-first day there
is usually critical change. If for the
better, the fever goes down and recoy-
cry is in sight; if otherwise, death fol-
lows quickly through a perforation of
the bowels or through collapse.
The treatment OF the disease is sim
plicity itself: judicious feeding to sup
port the vital forces, by carefully regu-
lated antipiretics, Of which cold bathing
or sponging for the control of
the fever is one of the best. To qualify
Preventative action in the bowels is
the routine practice and if administered
under judicious supervision, the death
rate should be at the minimum.
But herein sanitation presents its
formula for the preservation OF the
health Of the public. The typhoid
patient should be isolated, none admit
ted except those directly in attendance
or nurses or assistants, and they should
use disinfectants after working over the
patient. The water used in bathing
or sponging should be disinfected be-
fore being disposed Of, the wastes OF
every character burned or thoroughly
disinfected before being buried. Gen
eral antisepsis should be rigidly observ
ed. Clothing, old rags and other waste
hold the germs for many months; thus
presentation is the sovereign rule.
The scientific men OF the world (es-
pecially the English) have striven for
a prophylactic or antitoxin. The Jap
anese have been experimenting with
gratifying success for prophylactic for
typhoid fever 1t was generally used
on the soldiers during the late Russian
war, controlling the disease usually
more fatal than the bullets OF the
enemy.
This germ, when once located in the
human economy, discharges a toxin.
Science has taken advantage OF this
to produce an anti-toxin. The
typhoid bacilli are cultivated in proper
menstrum or boullion. When fully
formed they are submitted to high |
the germs are killed but
the toxin is not injured. The dead
germ with its portion Of toxin is inject
ed into the patient to be immunized.
The blood invaded by this prepared
toxin begins to manufacture antitoxin
in enormous quantities. In due time
enough has been made to neutralize
all toxins. The supply remains in the
blood and il the patient is exposed |
to the typhoid infection (via
typhoid germs) and live germs invade
the system, the toxin in them is over
come by the residual anti-toxin and
the germs die. The patient is thus
protected in this manner from typhoid
fever.
The English in the Boer war and the
Japanese in the an-Japanese war