The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1911-07-22
Flies and Filth
Bring Disease.
Secretary OF State Board Of Health
Appeals In Behalf Of Our own
Welfare and Health.
Lansing, July Is, 1911.


Lansing, July 15, 1911.
To the Public:-
Through the kindness of your editor,
/ want to make another appeal to you
in behalf of your own welfare, your
own health. Very recently ! have
stated to the public, through the medi-
um of the newspapers Of the state, the
Importance of prompt action on the
part of each and every household,
toward restraining the present tend
ency of typhoid fever and infantile
diarrheas to outnumber the records of
the past seasons. This matter is 80
important to you that the situation is
to be called to your attention again.
You cannot afford to be passive in
this matter. You must take an active
interest in order that the results may
be of great value.
If it were only possible to anticipate
what the situation is to be, l am sure
that no effort would be considered too
great to make in the protection of your
family. Without the least doubt there
will be many cases of typhoid fever
with deaths, in households where the
advice has been given but not needed.
Two things you must do are, fight
the flies and boil the drinking water.
Every day there comes into this Of
flee reports of cases of typhoid fever
which could have been prevented by
just these precautions. To make this
more specific let me relate single ex-
perience which we encountered this
week. This is only one of many. A
few days ago telephone message from
farm home related that there were
five cases (mother and four children)
of typhoid fever in that house. All
had developed within day or two. The
water from the well was examined i'm
mediately and found to be contaminat-
ed, to contain the germs of typhoid fe-
yer. This is deep well and furnish
ing water that looks and tastes as first
class water. There had not been a case
of typhoid fever on the farm for forty
years. To the less thoughtful it ap-
peared unnecessary to "boil the water"
because it must be good water from
such we'll and in absence Of record
of typhoid fever on the farm. But, in
spite of argument to the contrary. the
water was poor, and was the means by
which this whole family is caused to
suffer. Think what it means! A
mother and four children sick of ty-
phoid fever in a single small farm
house this hot weather! Boiling the
water and fighting the flies would have
prevented this instance. 1t will pre-
vent many more if consistently done.
How these wells become contaminat-
ed is another matter to be considered.
1t is usually not difficult to trace the
course of the infection. \ II was not in
this case. But that does no good to
this afflicted family now:
Boil the water now and then give
thought to how it might be contamin-
ated and how you are safeguarding
your home.
The crop of flies is unusually large
and early in the season this year.
There is absolutely no doubt that a
great many cases of typhoid fever are
the direct consequence of flies in the
house. Clean up the breeding place of
flies. Kill every one you see with the
knowledge that you are preventing
some one from having typhoid fever, or
some baby from having cholera infant
um.
Do these things without waiting to
be convinced of their worth.
Look out for the milk you give the
babies this summer. Pasteurize every
bit of it. You may have your baby by
the extra effort. Not all babies that
are mistreated will die, but some will,
your own may. In these matters after
thought is worthless.
cannot make these appeals in be-
half of the babies, and adults as well,
too strong.
The State Department of Health
publishes and sends out free pamphlets
giving information you should know,
about all the dangerous communicable
diseases in Michigan. Requests for
these are always cheerfully met. Now,
this il an earnest personal appeal in
behalf Of the welfare of every house
hold in Michigan.
Sincerely yours,
r. L. Dixon, Secy.,