The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-08-11
Bulletin From the State 30 ard Of
Health.

Bulletin From the State 30 ard o.
Health.
As consequence of the recent Bulle
tins sent out from this Department
many questions have been received. re-
garding the method by which typhoid
fever Is transmitted from one person tc
another. 1t seems well. then, to issue
brief statement setting forth the most
common and the most important meth
DDS by which this disease is trans.
mitted 80 that proper care may be
taken by all concerned, in order to pre-.
vent the spread of typhoid fever in any
locality.
In the FIRST place, it Is definitely
known that typhoid fever is germ
disease. In given case of typhoid
fever the primary site of the affection
is in the wall Of the intestines. Here
there develop ulcers, and from here
germs get into the circulation and are
carried to all parts of the body. The
germs are given off by the typhoid
patient with the excretions from the
body, particularly from the bowels and
in the urine
Now, in order to have q second per-
son contract typhoid fever from this
given case. it is necessary that some of
these germs get into the intestines of
this second individual. OF course they
can get there by way of the mouth and
stomach. Therefore. to outline the
means by which this is possible it is
only necessary to suggest the means by
which the germs from the excretions Of
the first person can reach the mouth of
the second individual.
If this point would be kept upper
most in the minds of all people who are
associated with case of typhoid fever,
to the end that the excretions would be
properly and absolutely disinfected,
Immediately after their passage, there
would Lot be possible second case of
typhoid fever. Every physician, and
every trained nurse know how to do
this and for this reason no case of
typhoid fever should be unattended by
competent physician and by trained
nurse. II the excretions are not pro-
perly disinfected then we have to con-
slider how these excretions and typhoid
germs may get into the second individ-
nal.
This is most often accomplished by
one or more of three means. First,
some of this material may be carried
directly to the mouth of the person be-
cause Of contaminated fingers, usually
as q result of not properly washing the
hands after attending typhoid patient.
Secondly, the food or drink may be.
come contaminated with these germ
loaded excretions and 90 convey the
disease to the second person. In the
third place, the germs may be carried to
the food or drink Of the second person
by the flies which have been in contact
with the excretions from the typhoid
patient. These are in substance the
most common means by which typhoid
fever is spread. There are of course
many variations and combinations of
these methods.
The proposition is TO make these
methods impossible by properly caring
for the excretions from the typhoid
patient. If these excretions are thrown
out upon the ground or buried or dis
posed of without complete disinfection
the germ will remain in them for long
periods of time. and may be carried to
the food, milk, ETC., by flies, or may be
carried through or upon the soil by
water currents, emptying into well
and 80 provide most convenient source
of infection for the household. Both
of those may occur months after the
first case of typhoid.
Now it is because of the fact that in
nearly every vicinity there have been
Cdtcs VI ~ phoiu iCNOA, WhiOh WOio NV
properly protected, that it is necessary
to prevent contaminated material from
getting into the intestines of the in
dividual. This is only possible by boil
ing the drinking water because boiling
will kill the typhoid GERM and by pre-.
venting the flies. from getting into con.
tact with the food. The principle is 80
simple and the methods of protection
so easy that it would seem that with
the warning which is being given,
fewer people would have typhoid fever
this season. We could cite good
many cases that might have been pre-
vented by boiling the drinking water.
Likewise, many cases could be cited,
proving absolutely that flies do carry
infection from closets to the kitchen
and thence to the person through food
and drink.
1t is especially urged that you do not
take any iisks at this time Of the year.
You do not know that your water is fit
to drink. The safest thing to do is to
consider that it might be contaminated
and boil IL. This would save q great