The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-09-22
warn CITIES OF
TYPHOID SEASON
Declared 100000 viii Be
Stricken With Disease.
FLOURISRES IN THE AUTUMN
Figured That Death Toll Will Reach
1s,ooo-Ffty Per Cent Of Victims
Will Be Between Ages Of Fifteen and
Thirty-Evs Years-cissnIinsss Urged
a. q Preventive.


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 inya-
lidism will be more than a month for
every case. so that the economic loss.
v IL recovery does ensue. can be
reckoned upon this basis. including the
care and attention required.
or those who contract the disease
possibly $4,000 win die.
Fifty per cent of these Will be be-
tween the ages OF fifteen and thirty
i've years, the very time of life when
the loss Is most frightfuI. Moreover.
this Is an annpal 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 unfortunately.
True. there is some diminution In the
total number. the death rate since 1900
having been diminished by half. while
most of our cities show a progressive
reduction. but It still remains much
higher than that of countries which
we are apt to consider less civilized
than our own.
Another typhoid season Is again al
hand. The weather, presence or flies,
contamination OF food products and
the increased liability of infection
through changes OF residence make n
once more necessary for health bodies
to sound a warning note. This is be.
coming an annual custom. but the
health officer should not modify bis
tones on that account He is indeed
a prophet. and the voice OF the prophet
should be heard.
Typhoid fever Is a disease OF fiiths,
1t can only be contracted by taking
into the system the waste products OF
one previously Ill or the disease
These waste products are conveyed
from one individual to another usually
by means OF q third object. such as
water. flies or milk.
Even IL disease itself were never
contracted In this manner we should
revolt with adherence at the idea OF
such un~cleanliness. For every case OF
the infection developing some one
either the municipality or the individ.
ual, has been careless, and public opin.
ion will soon regard such carelessness
as criminal.
For thirty 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'
tion of the disease is consequently ex
act and definite.
along these lines, the medical profes
sion has even devised methods by
which the public may live under in
sanitary conditions with perfect Inn
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 IL thu
preventive treatment has been re
cciycd.
In spite of these efforts the ~frightfu
mortality continues. A large proper
hon OF the population Is ignoring the
principles which have been so well es
tablished. Further steps toward thu
prevention of typhoid must be the re
suit Of more general enlightenment OF
the mass of the people.
The avoidance Of the infection rests
primarily upon community action. Thu
proper protection OF water supplies, the
eradication Of filth and all its accom-
paniments, the regulation Of diaries and
the safeguarding OF milk are all prob
lens which only communities as .
whole can settle. Nevertheless this
does not absolve the individual either
from responsibility, and be can d.
much Tor his = protection.
Xhn e~radicat1on of nlth = = part q.