Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-05-23
OYSTERS AND TYPHOID
FEVER

There are seasons of the year when
the instances of infection with the or
ganism OF typhoid fever can be traced
to their source. The greater outbreaks
are usually due to infected water. milk
or other foods. while the smaller
groups and Isolated cases can best be
| explained by contact infection. The
carrier has been shown TO be the link
/ between hitherto unconnected cases.
/ For many years no form of air infec-
! ton Except dust) has been said TO be
cause OF typhoid, and the reports OF
outbreaks OF dust-borne typhoid fever
in the Spanish and Boer wars and in
India are based on the fiimsiest evil
dence.
We have not forgotten the ubiqui-
tous house-fiy as a frequent carrier of
disease, says the Journal of the Amer
lean Medical Association. In many
of our states, however. insects of this
type are excluded as effective agents
Of infection because of the climate dur,
ing the colder months of the year. So
that we cannot fall back on the conve-
nient hypothesis of transmission by
flies" Ever since Conn's report indi-
eating the occurrence of cases of ty-
Dhoid fever in epidemic form as the re-
suit of the use of oysters contaminated
with sewage, there has been a growing
tendency to attribute the origin of
much OF the winter typhoid fever in
certain districts to sewage-polluted
bivalyes.
II is time to ascertain whether this
attitude toward the oyster is justified
BY the facts. Oysters are a highly
priced article of diet wherever they are
Obtainable. Despite the increasing en-
forcement Of rigid regulations concern
ing the vending of oysters that are free
from pollution according to the stand !
ards of such representative bodies as
the bureau of chemistry of the United |
States department of agriculture and |
the Rhode Island shell-fish commission, |
the prejudice against this food product |
has, justly or unjusly, increased In |
many quarters. To consider only the /
alleged responsibility OF the oyster in
the causation of winter typhoid, we ,
may ask what its habits are at this
season. Gorham has shown that dur
Ing cold weather oysters rest or hiber-
nate; movement ceases and feeding
does not occur. and the oysters become
free from sewage organ
sms. even when lying on sewage-pol-
Iuted beds.
As such facts seem to throw some
doubt on the wisdom or attributing
winter typhoid to the oyster. Joseph
las made a bacteriologic study OF the
oysters sold in Baltimore. The aim of
his investigation, conducted in the
laboratory OF hygienic and bacteriol-
,gy at the Johns Hopkins university.
vas TO ascertain whether the oysters
odd in one OF the most prominent
markets for these products in the
lnited States contain typhoid organ
SINS derived from the intestinal tract,
nd whether their content varies with
he seasons OF the year.
The bacterial findings indicate that
he oysters sold in Baltimore are in
eneral free from sewage contamina-
ion. Those few lots which would
e CONDEMNED by the most rigid stan
ards were obtained at times OF the
ear when the weather was quite warm
a fact of no little significance in view
Z the tendency 20 pro.ong the oyster
ating season beyond the limits OF
be colder months. One of the most
triking points brought out was the
istinct change IN the character Of the
ysters. according TO the time OF the
ear. In the early fail the scores
'ere high. in the cold weather OF
iidwinter low. and again high in the
pring- On no occasion were the BAG
sria which cause typhoid found.