The Owosso times., 1911-07-21
oWOsso, MICH. JULY 81, 1911,
Lansing, July II, 1911.


Of Health of Michigan asks your CO.
operation through your publication,
IN making an urgent appeal to the
public at this time, in behalf of the
public welfare, from the stand
point OF health.
This is the time of year when the
most serious propositions regarding
MATTERS of public health have to be
considered. At this time of the
year, almost unbelievable numbers
OF cases of typhoid fever and of fatal
infantile intestinal diseases are be-
ang reported; in fact, at the present
moment the numbers of these cases
exceed the numbers reported up to
this time last summer, and appear
TO be increasing rapidly. Now, ty-
phoid fever and infantile diarrhoeas
are preventable diseases. Two things
are necessary to prevent the contin-
uaI increase in numbers of these dis
eases which are now threatening the
people of Michigan. The first thing
necessary is to know what to do, the
second thing necessary is to do what
you know to do. So many times
statements have gone out from this
office calling attention to the neces-
sary precautions in guarding against
these diseases, that We almost hesi-
tate to restate them. However, with;
conditions as they now are, and the
outlook as it now is, it certainly is
the duty of this Office to state as
strongly as possible that certain
shings must be done and done
promptly, or Michigan will have
widespread epidemic of typhoid
lever and infantile diseases than has
occurred for long time previously.
Whenever new case of typhoid fe- !
special effort is made to ascertain
she source of infection. This is sue
cessful in a great majority of cases |
carefully followed out, and as a
general rule the matter can be trac- |
ed definitely to the lack of some per-
sons doing his duty. In many cases |
this duty is not we'll known. In |
many cases when the duty is known,
ft is not easily or conveniently per-
formed, but in far too many cases
the duty is absolutely neglected. |
There are, however, certain well |
founded, generally known and sci
correct principles, which
applied intelligentIy by the people,
would go great ways toward making
typhoid fever and infantile intesti-
ual diseases an exceptional occur
renee in this state. The first and
most important precaution is the
dSsinfection and proper care of the
sxcretions of persons having typhoid
tever. To distribute this material
aareIessfy, to pour it out on the
ground, or to bury it without proper
disfnfection is morally criminal.
typhoid fever spreads from one
to another, as a conse-
auence of improper disposal of the
xxcretfons Of typhoid patients. The
typhoid bacteria, the germs causing
the disease, are carried to the Sec
end individual usually indirectly by
~zy of food or drink, which is con-
either directly by these
or Indirectly through the
agency OF flies. Now, without dis
russfng the theories or principles
underlying this statement, let me
Hate emphatically, that unless the
people Of Michigan want to have
contest with typhoid fever before
lhfs month and the next are past,
ihey must wage active warfare
against the house-fly, an against i'm
pure water and impure milk. Kill
The flies. prevent their unlimited
in filthy places, boil
Me water and typhoid fever will be
checked. We might in
siude here the histories of case after
'ase Of typhoid fever. which we have
>esr able to trace directly to the
agency Of ffes,, and water contami-
sated by Improperly cared-for excre-
IONS from typhoid patients. That
!hourd not be necessary in this ap-
leaE We simply call upon the peo-
he Of the state to protect themselves
md others. Very truly yours,
r. l.. Dixon,
Sec'y Mich. State BID of Health.