The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-10-26
OBSERVE CAUTION
TO AVOID TYPHOID
Danger of Disease Increases
as Rains Wash Germs
Into River.

Danger of typhoid fever is in
creasing this fall on account Of tho
rains which wash disease breeding
germs from the small streams into
the rivers from which water used fer
drinking and cooking in Marion Co
Is drawn.
Marion County has been unusually
free from disease during the summer
months, only eighteen cases Of ty'
phoid fever having been reported 90
DR.. iost, IL in tho city OF Fairmont
and six outside the city.
DR.. Yost recommends strongly that
the residents OF Marion County OBJ
serve cerefully the precautions suc,
gested by William ". Golden amid S.
L. Jepson OF the State Board ul
Health in the following report:
"The height of the typhoid fever
is now upon us. Typhoid fever seems
to be quite common this year all
over the country. Our State Is not
escaping this epidemic. As this dis
ease Is generally most common in the
rural districts, we fear that the peu.
pie OF our State will pay heavy toll
In sickness and deaths from this dis.
ease before the season is over unless
aroused to resort to every possible
measure 0: prevention by communities
and individuals.
THE primary cause OF every case of
typhoid fever is. another case of the
sane disease. Tile body discharges
from the afflicted are laden with the
germs Of the disease and every new
cage simply means rcplanting OF
these germs. How does this happen?
How do these germ.laden discharges
find their way into our bodies? Our
knowledge on this point Is
quite extensive; in fact, almost COM
piate. Az far as cpidemics are con-
cerred, polluted water. and milk, and
flies are the causes. Scattered cascs
may be brought about in many other
ways, for dirt, diarrhoca and dinner
too often become sadly confused.
Communities blessed with water
supply free from contamination and
health departments vita t.mDlc means.
authority and ability. Ensd TO worry
but little about typhoid fever. A pro-
per health department will easily be
able to detect and dehar contamina.
ted milk, and with the proper cooper.
alton OF the police department, 1t can
c!tectually rid the community of OK.
posed garbage and horse manure,
which are the sources OF our supply
Of flies. But what about communities
not SO fortunate? There is only ono
way open TO their members for i'm
mediate safety and that is 10 act indl
vldually and mike use OF measures
OF tried and proven value. These
measures are simple and inexpensive.
Boiling the drinking water is one OF
the most important OF these measures.
BY this should be understood to in.
clude tho water for washing dishes.
vegetables and fruits and for all other
purposes that may lead to the intro.
duction OF water into the system, such,
for instance, as rinsing the mouth after
brushing the teeth and the final rims.
ing OF the hands after washing with
soap and untreated water. Keeping
out ilies from the entire house is the
next important item. For this purpose
two effective means are available and
should be used at the same time: /.
To have all windows and doors in the
house we'll screened. The effectiveness
OF screening porchos is greatly in
creased by including the porches, es.
pccially the back porch. 2. Keeping
premises as free as possible from all
organic dirt and keeping garbage In
tightly covered garbage. cans. II in
addition to these measures the milk
be boiled or pasteurized, II its purity
be the least questionable, the chances
for contracting typhoid fever are re.
duced almost to entire practical safety.
OF course, It is assumed that along
with these measures general Clearly
and healthy ways Of living are prac.
ticed.
But what about the individuals who
have to BIO away from home or those
who cannot control their surroundings
and supplies? And what about those
compelled to live in house contain.
ing typhoid fever case and espec.
tally when more or less In close rela.
ton with the sick?. To those anti.ty-
phoid vaccination can be recommend.
ed as a safe and effective preventive
measure. The method has been extern
sively used in the army and in civil
life among physicians and nurses with
good results and no harm. For many
reasons. however, people should not