The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-11-07
TYPHOID
EPIDEMIC
PREVALENT


fever exists in Indiana Harbor has
been brought to light by an investi-
cation OF the Commercial club, which
discloses that there are now sfxty-four
cases of this dangerous malady in the
Harbor and Ave cases in East Chicago.
The fact that the majority Of these
cases have sprung up within the past
two weeks makes the situation all the
more alarming, as showing a fearful
increase in the spread of the disease n
a remarkably short period A number
Of deaths have occurred from typhoid
within the past few weeks. and it was
generally known that there was some
thing Of an epidemic but its extent
had not been realized.
The Commercial club has decided
that radical measures must be taken
TO prevent further spread of the dis
ease and in order to accomplish this
they propose to strike right at the root
of the evil, the water. It Is the fnten-
ton of the club. if possible. to compel
the company to supply reasonably pure
water, and that under it's present fran
ehise the club going on record at last
nights meeting as emphatically op
posed to the new franchise as signed
by the board Of public works but re-
! jected by the city council
The club instructed its secretary 10
wire the secretary of the state board
Of health at once. requesting that Of
] fetal TO send a representative to In
i diana Harbor at once to Investigate
conditions. Mr.. Rutledge accordingly
/ last evening wired night letter as in
structed.
A committee was also appointed
with Charles z. Fowler as it's chair
man. to ascertain whether 1t viii not
| be posi- BILE to force the water company
to do something which viii insure the
/ city a healthful water supply under it's
present charter
The evening was practically devoted
to the consideration of the water ques-
ton. Dr. HerslIovitz. the secretary of
he city board Of health. and, DR. Rob
| ert Ansley were present. Dr. Hersko-
! vitz an behalf Of the health depart
ment reported that while the law re-
quires that all cases of typhoid fever
be reported to that body by the physi-
clans in charge, only two of the lat
ter were doing this.
In regard to the greater prevalence
Of the disease in Indiana Harbor over
that In East Chicago. Or, Ansley gave
it as his opinion that Indiana HarbOr
getting its water first. might get more
of the germs than does East Chicago
Dr. Ansley introduced the resolution
whereby IT was decided to wire the
state board Of health to investigate
conditions here.
DR. Herskovitz was requested to pur-
chase at once a barrel Of crude car
bolic acid, to be used as disinfectant
in houses where there are cases of ty-
phoid. 1T is believed that the city viii
stand the expense. but the club stands
l
Or Herskovitz promised to attend Il
this matter the first thing this morn
ing and to attend to It's distribution
; and also to instruct those caring fol
typhoid patients to the use Of th'
! acid.
DR. Herskovitz reported that he hat
: Investigated the milk question as
/ possible source of the spread Of ty
phoid. and found that only one of tn,
milk companies pasteurize their milk
However, the same proportion of ty
! phoid cases exist among the patrons o
the company which pasteurizes a
among the patrons of the other compa
nies which seems to indicate that tn
? milk is either not a source Of infec
ton, or if it is. that the water used Il
rinsing the cans and bottles, etc. sup
: plies the germs TO the pasteurized milk
The opinion seemed 10 Rt ~ eAtAt INV
: ever. that the milk was not largely re
sponsible for the epidemic. and that
2 was almost wholly attributable TO tn
4 bad water.
: A number Of speeches were made op
posfng the new water franchise an
the club went on record as unequivo
= cally opposed to 1T, the statement bein
made that not a man, woman or chill
:, in the Twin cities who was capable c
understanding the franchise. outside {
= the board of public works. would fave
. it. It was the consensus Of opinio
that the present franchise is all RICH
: The club appropriated 500 to defra
the expenses Of a delegate to Washine
ton to attend the National Rivers an
Harbors Congress. which Will NEE
Dec 4. s and s.
T Chairman Fowler Of the transports
tion committee reported on the Penn
sylvania railroad depot matter. \ GOO
- crowd was present in spite of the ba
Is weather