Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-10-22
TYPHOID HITS MANY
Public Health Service Warns Cit
les and individuals.
Two Hundred Thousand People Con-
tract Disease During Year, Of Whom
1900 Die-FiIth, Bad Food
and Flies the Cause.

Misunderstanding the year prob
ably 100000 people in the United
States will contract typhoid fever, says
a statement issued by the public
health service. The average period
of invalidism will be more than a
month for every case, so that the eco
nomic loss, even if recovery does en-
sue. can be reckoned upon this basis.
including the care and attention re-
quired.
OF those who contract the disease
possibly $4,000 will die.
Fifty per cent of these will be be-
tween the ages of fifteen and thirty
five years. the very time of life when
the loss is most frightful. Moreover.
this is an annual toll and represents
the minimum fatality which we have
attained.
No sooner is the computation of the
$4,000 completed than another series
is begun and SO on interminably. The
weather, presence Of flies, contamina-
ton of food products and the increased
liability Of infection through changes
of residence makes it once more nee
essary for health bodies to sound q
warning note.
Typhoid fever is a disease of filth.
It can only be contracted by taking
into the system the waste products of
one previously Ill of the disease.
These waste products are conveyed
from one individual to another usu-
ally by means of a third object. such
as water. flies or milk.
Even II disease itself were never
contracted in this manner we should
revolt with adherence at the idea of
such uncleanliness. For every case of
the infection developing, someone.
either the municipality or the indi-
vidual, has been careless. and public
opinion will soon regard such care
lessness as criminal. In the eyes of
the health officer typhoid fever is
strictly a preventable disease.
For 30 years the causative or
ganism has been known and studied.
For nearly twenty years science has
been in possession of most delicate
blood tests for the recognition of the
disease. knowledge of the dissemina-
ton of the disease is consequently ex.
act and definite.
Not content with accomplishment
along these lines, the medical profess
sion have even devised methods by
which the public may live under I'M
sanitary conditions with perfect i'm
punity, so far as this particular dis
ease is concerned. Persons may take
into their systems the filth which pro-
duces disease and death and yet re-
main free from harmful effects If the
preventive treatment has been re-
ceived.
In spite of these efforts the fright
full mortality continues. A large pro-
portion of the population is ignoring
the principles which have been 80
well established. Further steps to-
ward the prevention Of typhoid must
be the result of more general enlight-
eminent of the mass of the people.
The avoidance of the infection rests
primarily upon community action. The
proper protection of water supplies.
tt , eradication of filth and all it's &C
compartments. the regulation OF
diaries and the safeguarding of milk
are all problems which only commu-
mites as a whole can settle. Neverthe-
less, this does not absolve the individ-
ual citizen from responsibility, and
he can do much for his own protec-
ton.
The eradication of filth is in part
the duty Of every citizen. and each
should see that his own surroundings
are in a satisfactory condition. He
should guard against carelessness In
the maintenance and prepare. lion OF
food and withhold his patronage from
those who disregard the rules of
cleanliness. remembering that the
foods which are most subject to con-
tamination are milk and its products.
also oysters and vegetables.
The role of flies in the dissemina-
ton of the infection is now general.
ly recognized. The elimination 4
such fly-breeding places as garbage.