El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-12

prevail at lower altitude than 1906
meters.
The Origin of the Disease.
1t is only in the light of recent adj
vances in our knowledge of the etiology
of typhus that an understanding has
been had of many facts that have been
noted regarding the distribution and
spread of the disease.
Typhus has been considered one OF
the most contagious diseases, but the
contagion appeared to have a decided
short striking distance; for example,
when. a case was in the ward of a hos
pital, new cases might appear in ad-
joining beds on the same side of the
ward, but almost never across the aisle.
Again, it has been noted that physi-
clans and nurses on attendance OF cases
of typhus We're very liable TO be at
tackled, and the closer their association
with the cases, the greater the chances
of infection.
Up to 1903 all attempts to produce
the disease in lower animals had been
unsuccessful. In the summer and fall
of that year Nicolle, Comte, and Con-
sell, working in northern Africa; An
derson and Goldberger, and Ricketts,
and Wilder, working in Mexico, reported
their work on the successful incubation
Of monkeys with the disease Nicolle
anu HIS COW VI aSIS uudD1O ~ pro-
duce the disease by the direct inocu-
Iation of the lower monkeys with blood
from human cases, but did succeed
when the infection was passed through
the chimpanzee.
On the other hand. Anderson and
Goldberger had no difficulty in pro-
ducing the disease in Mexico in both
the Rhesus and Capuchin monkeys by
the incubation Of blood from human
cases.
All these workers were impressed
with the idea of an insect being the
means by which the disease was trans
mitted. and the epidemiosogical data
pointed strongly to the body louise. 1t
was found by them that typhus fever
could be produced in monkeys by al
lowing lice to bite them after having
fed on cases of typhus either in; man
or monkeys. This important advance in
our knowledge of the means of trans
mission of typhus explains many OBJ
scure points in regard to the spread of
the disease, and provides US with the
knowledge necessary for its successful
prevention and eradication.
PrOphyIaxiS.
Now that we know how the disease is
spread, measures may be intelligently
applied for its prevention. The body
louise, Pediculus vestimenti being al
most certainly an essentia1 factor in
the transmission of the disease, our eff
forts should be concentrated on the
destruction of this insect. An important
part of these efforts is the destruction
of unsanitary dwellings and improve
ment of the living conditions of the
poor The louise is an insect that loves
best to dwell with those who live in
squalor and are of filthy habits, so that
an improvement of the living conditions
of the poor will result in decrease
in the prevalence of the insect.
? When a case of typhus is discovered,
the patients clothes should be removed
and Immediately placed in boiling wa
ter or a 1900 solution of bichloride of
for the destruction of lice. The
patients hair should be clipped. and
he should be given a thorough sponging
with a 10000 solution of bichloride of
which will destroy the eggs
Of the louise. After the removal of the
patient from the room, the apartment
should be thoroughly rumigated by the
burning of sulphur in the proportion of