Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1911-07-20
To AVOID TYPHOID
SeC'y. State Board Of Health Says
Boil Drinking Water
AND KILL THE PESKY FLY
MIX for Babies Should be PaSteurized Accord
lug to SeC'y. Dixon
Lansing, July Is, 1911.

>
To the Public
Through the kindness of the Press,
| 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
medium OF the newspapers of the
state, the importances of prompt ac-
ton on the part of each and every
household, toward restraining the
present tendency OF typhoid fever
and infantile diarrhoeas to outnumber
the records of the past seasons. This
matter is so important to you that
the situation is to be called to your
attention again. Yo 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 antici-
pate what the situation is TO be,
am sure that no effort would be con-
sdered too great TO make in the pro-
lection 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 come into this
office reports OF cases OF typhoid
fever which could have been prevent
ed by just these precautions. To
make this more specific let me re-
late single experience which we
have enc ountercd this week. This Is
only one of the many. A few days
ago a 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 a day or two The
water from the well was examined
Immediately and found to be con-
taminated, to contain the germs OF
typhoid fever. This is deep well
and furnishing water that looks and
tastes as first class water There had
not been case of typhoid fever on
the farm for forty years. To the
less thoughtful it appeared unneces-
sary to boil the water because 1t
must be good water from such well
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 with
typhoid fever in a single small farm
house this hot weather! Boiling the
water and fighting the flies would
have prevented this instance. 1t will
prevent many more if consistently
done.
How these wells become contamin-
ated is another matter to be consider
ed 1t is usually not difficult to
trace the course of the infection 1t
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 years.
There is absolutely no doubt that a
great many cases of typhoid fever
are the direst consequence of flies
in the house. Clean up the breeding
places 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 infantum.
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 save your baby
by the extra effort Not all babies
that are mistreated will die. but some
will. your own may. In these mat
ters afterthought is worthless.
| cannot make these appeals in
behalf OF the babies, and adults as
well. too strong.
The State Department of Health
publishes and sends out free pam
phlets giving information you should
know, about all the dangerous com
municable diseases in Michigan. Re
quests for these are always cheer
fully met. Now. this is an earnest.
peSonal appeal in behalf of the wei
fare of every household in Michigan
Sincerely yours,
X. l.. DIXON. Sec'y,
Michigan State Board of Health