New-York tribune., 1911-12-06
TYPHOID TRACED TO MILK
ederIe Explains Increase in the
Disease Last Summer.
el AMES UPSTATE CREAMERY
outbreak in The Bronx and in
Manhattan Had Common
Source, He Says.

I, making public yesterday the fact that
IN had been the cause Of the increase in
pano,a in this city during the last sum-
Health Commissioner Lederle took oc-
.1a,,or also to say that the delay in an
,',cing the cause was not because he had
- any attempt TO hide facts from the
n,io hut that he believed the proper
- "a make a statement was when all
- matters pertaining thereto had been
'sero,,ebly weighed. Without making any
o, reference 10 the Bureau of Municipal
T.soorch. the Health Commissioner thus
we the reason why he opposed recently
. The courts the attempt of the bureau to
-, g, the typhoid records Of the Health
1Dnart,nent The decision Of the Appellate
ISLlsion sustained his contentious
bnn-ben thirty-five cases of typhoid fever
t,va6nad IN the Roman Catholic orphan
S%svI,n In The Bronx in August an inVesu-
Ssiion was begun at once 10 learn me
scSrCe Of the contagion. In June there
90 been a scarp outbreak in Manhattan.
&C that time the investigation mas been
SSsrried on The infected supply came from
cTnfral New York.
snesk king Of the causes of the epidemic,
Commissioner Lederle said:
"geeinn!ng in June, the unusually iarse
,un,ber OF cases Of typhoid fever occurring
So 1Ss West Side OF Manhattan from 3ith
s.reet 10 l00th street attracted attention,
and careful Investigations were at once
bsgun TO ascertain the source OF the lntec-
ton il was found that large majority
~ the patients were users Of dipped milk
Soupbf I'm grocery stores, and all supplied
bv one wholesale concern. BY means or
he tags which each can IS required 10
bear. il was found that the milk came from
6 large creamery some thirty miles south
of Inca, and while the exact source or
tbe Infection could not be made out there
Is reason 10 believe that ii was carried into
%
"As soon as these facts were established
,bh suppIv was shut out, following which
the number OF cases IN the city returned TO
ncImal .,,,,.. .,,.,.. ,,.,s
q considerable increase Of typhoid fever in
ths Borough Of The Bronx, a large group
OF cases appearing in the Roman Catholic
Orphen ASYLUM. While almost everything
Soirie5 to infected milk as the source OF
lie trouble. very careful Investigations at
the Creameries supplying the milk talleo
10 show any possible source or infection.
Moreover the increased prevalence OF
t,rboid fever in The Bronx, outside of the
orphan asylum, synchronized with asylum
case ard indicated a common origin for
both. --,-.
not al fault could also be demonstrated
beyOnd doubt A careful tabulation of the
milk supply Of the TWO sets or cases talled
al first 10 reveal any common source or
supply. Finally, however, the entire out
break was traced 20 milk coming from one
oreamerv in Central New York
The apparent absence Of a common sup
ply an the tabulatiOn OF the cases was ac-
counted for by the fact that the dealer
handling the infected supply was receiving
his shipments under the name Of the pre-
viouS owner Of the business.
THE creamery 20 which the infection
was traced was a small. we'll equipped and
wen cared for plant Despite very careful.
fearching Investigations il was impossible
20 discover how the milk came TO be in
fcCted SO far as the means Of this de-
pa-tment would allow meteorological eX-
aminations We're made 10 discover pos
sible typhoid carrier. but without avail.
1T is well 10 remember that there are
some 10000 dairy farms shipping milk to
New York City. and that II is absolutely
'mpracucahle 70 undertake meteorological
examination Of all the persons handling
the milk on these farms in order 10 dis
cover sO-Called typhoid bacillus carriers.
1T is believed. however. that with the
carving ont of the departments new regu-
lations concerning the control Of the milk
sCpply the danger from milk-borne infec-
ticns will be reduced 20 a minimum.
on January I the new ruling Of the
Board Of Health regarding the city's milk
supply VIII 60 into effect. All milk outside
certain specific grades win have 10 be pas
teurZed.