New-York tribune., 1912-01-04
TYPHOID FEVER TRACED
Expert Tells of Running Down
Upper West Side Epidemic.
ONE FARM RESPONSIBLE
Owner of Dairy Found To Be a
Walking Culture Plant for
Germs, but Didn't Know It.

How one farmer in the northern part
sponsible for an epidemic of typhoid fever
on the upper West Side of this city in
February. 1910, is told in the current issue
of "The New York Medical Journal" In
paper submitted by DR.. Charles f.
Bolduan, acting assistant to the general
medical officer In the Department OF
Health in this city, and DR.. W. Carey
Noble, bacteriologist of the same depart
ment the course of the disease through
remote and diversified channels is traced
with great detail.
When nine cases of typhoid fever were
reported to the Department of Health IN
February. 1910, between West l22d and
West t49th street In single day the at
tention Of DR.. Bolduan and Dr. Noble was
attracted. The following day six addi-
tional cases were reported, the number
being increased daily until the total
reached forty-four. The physicians began
careful investigation, trying TO trace
the epidemic to it's source.
BY process of elimination IL was found
that the city's water supply was not re-
sponsible for the outbreak. II then be-
came a question of finding where the af-
flcted families bought their milk supply.
One of the large milk companies. IL was
found. supplied each family In which the
disease had shown itself This company
received all It's milk from the northern
part OF New York near Lake Champlain,
and the adjacent part of Vermont. All this
milk was bottled in the country and was
the raw product
Acting under the orders of DR.. Bolduan
and Dr.. Noble. inspectors were ordered by
telegraph 10 investigate all the places
which had supplied milk to the infected
district during January. In one district
six cases OF typhoid were found These
cases had appeared almost simultaneously
with the outbreak i'm this city.
After II had been definitely established
that this plant was responsible for the epi-
demIc In this city orders were issued pro-
hbiting further shipments from that
creamery. The plant itself was carefully
inspected and all the employees inteTogated
in their homes Each OF the forty-fve
dairies supplying the creamery was visited
and examined as a possible source of
typhoid infection. Blood tests were also
made, finally resulting in the finding OF
a dairy farmer who gave a history OF six
cases OF typhoid on his farm in 1904, one
case in 1907 and one in 1909
BY tests II was found that this dairy
man carried enormous numbers Of living
baclllI. In other words, the man was a
bacillus carrier" When this fact had
been settled beyond doubt the order exclud-
IN
10 milk from this one dairy. and regular
shipments from the creamery were re-
sumed No moro cases of typhoid oc-
Cured.
II was impossible 10 discover how the
milk was actually infected. Investigation
showed the construction of the barn and
other buildings and the water supply 10 be
satisfactory
In discussing possible methods Of pre-
vention against such epidemics as that OF
February, 1910. Dr. Bolduan last night said
that there arc a number OF such carriers
on dairy farms. but that he did not wish to
prejudice people against raw milk on that
account.
IT believe" said Dr. Boldusn, that rsw
milk can be supplied 20 consumers so that
n will be perfectly safe. As there are more
than 100000 persons employed on dairy
farms In this state. IL would be impossible
for our department TO personally test each
person. n one Of the large milk supply
companies, however should tackle the
proposition Of supplyirs raw milk in safe
state IL could be done. II is simply mat
ter of taking the proper precautions, and
this could be accomplished by a large con-
cern able to withstand the expense Of such
proceeding