Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-10-30
Clean Hands.

that 1t 10 alone the filthy habits ol
the typhoid carrier that make him a
public danger. II he could be made to
wash his hands 1t is alleged, transfer
ence Of injection would be prevented.
Those who regard bacterial clea ILLNESS
as simply matter Of careful hand
washing are likely to obtain disap-
pointing results If a recent experiment
performed by Cummins Is at all indi-
cative Of what may occur under or
binary conditions Of life. This OBJ
server. after dipping the right index
finger into q solution containing ty-
phoid bacilll, proceeded to carry out
measures Of cleansing as follows:
l. Rinsed in cresol solution. 2.
Then held the finger under the tap.
rinsing first in cold. then in very hot
water. 8. Washed very carefully in
about 0.5 &C. of sterile water. in a
watch-glass, and plated the whole Of
the water used for this purpose. Re-
suit: Three hundred and thirteen col
onies Of Bacillus typhosus on the plate.
4. After washing in the sterile water
mentioned. the tip Of the finger was
thoroughly soaked in absolute alcohol.
allowed to dry, and the washing in
sterile water repeated. The wash
ings" were again plated" Result
Four colonies Of B. typl'osus.
Even when the fingers are thor
oughly rubbed with towel and the
danger OF finger infection thereby les
sened, 1t Is obvious that the towel in
its turn may become infected. The
sort Of accident that may follow from
such conditions is illustrated by an
other observation Of the same author:
On Sept. 26, 1912, 100 &C. of soup
freshly prepared from the stock pot
was placed in a china bowl, no at
tempt being made to sterilize the bowl
or to cover It from the air. The tip
of the experimenter's right index fin
ger was allowed to come in contact
with solution containing typhoid bac-
I'LL. The china bowl was then lifted in
such manner that the infected finger
came in contact for a moment with
the contained soup. The soup was
left at room temperature with free
access Of air and dust to the open
bowl. Bacterial examina ton showed
that typhoid bacilli were present ap-
parently in pure culture. numbering
1850 per cubic centimeter.
Such facts as these, says The Jour-
nal of the American Medical Associa-
ton. add strength to the agitation for
better supervision over the conditions
OF those persons engaged in serving
and preparing food for large numbers
OF people. The action OF the Pennsyl-
vania railroad in providing for the sys-
tematic inspection of all OF it's employ
es In the restaurant and dining car
systems has already been noted. This
example should be followed by the
management of other organizations en-
gagged In the handling and serving Of
food on large scale. Social clubs and
similar bodies, as pointed out by, cor
respondent, recently, are often lax in
this regard. The supervision Of cooks
and walters in dining cars, hotels. res
taurants and clubs Is certainly mat
ter that deserves more attention than
It has yet received. Defective plumb
Ing Is far less important.
Eye. Strain and ooeupationai Disease.
In 1910 the Census Bureau issued a
classified list Of between 1000 and 5000
separate and distinct occupations. Dr.
viding these occupations into groups,
designed to indicate their roles IN Gre
ating or Increasing the disease directly
1t has shown that the least eye-strain
will, as rule. be found in that group
classed as farmers, agricultural work.
men; and the most eye-strain found in
the group classed as students. clergy.
men, all professional men. clerks, en-
gravers, craftsmen ana the like.
In the first group. composing 40 per
cent Of the population, / to 20 per
cent. have ocular or eye-strain dis
eases. Eye-strain increases with work
at near range-as in office, store and
home-and the modern growth Of pop
ulation is largely taken up by the town
and city. The nearer the work and
the more minute, the greater the eye
strain. The more constant this focal
ization, the more severe the eye strain.
With decrease of the illumination be-
low a high physiologic standard there
is a geometrical increase of eye strain.
1t Is we'll established fact that either
the overuse Of the eyes. or the use of
eyes under bad conditions. may give
rise to eye-fatigue or to eye-strain.
and many eye specialists believe that
at least so to 80 per cent. of head
aches are dependent on eye-strain. 1t
is impossible to ignore the probability
that many individuals working by gas
light, or even by electric light, in dirty.
implanted, overheated rooms. with i'm
pure air and excessive moisture. for
ten hours day, or merely for the last
two hours during the day. use up a
great deal Of nervous energy and suf-
fer from eye fatigue or eye-strain and
it's consequences.
OF late years increasing attention
has been given to working conditions
in factories. shops and offices in re-
gard to illumination. ventilation, hours
and character of work, and this is
bound to result in greater efficiency
and less time lost In sickness and ner-
vous disorders.
Tho Animal Versus the Human Being
Inquiry was recently made Of the
Minnesota State Board or Health as to
a certain family affected with tubercu-
losis The family was large and the
house small, so that such care could
not be given to the afflicted as to pre-
vent the infection Of the others. The
father had means ana could afford to
care properly for those diseased II
compelled to do 80. A state board in
spector was sent to investigate and
this is that he found. A well-to-do
farmer. with a farm Of 800 acres worth
800 an acre Of more; u breeder OF
horses, having at tho time of inspection
seven imported Percheron horses and
a herd Of about twenty-five horses N