The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-09-12
Typhoid TINE
OF THE YEAR
NOW At HAND
United States Public Health
Service Predicts 100000
Case in Summer and Fall.

e WASHINGTON Sept. 11.-During
the year. probably 100000 people in
the United States will contract ty-
phoid fever. The average period Of
invalidism viii be more than a month
for every cass developing, SO that the
economic loss, even II recovery does
ensue, can be reckond upon this oas-
Is, including at the same time the care
and attention required. OF those who
contract the disease. possibly 1900
viii succumb. Fifty per cent of these
will be between the ages of 10 and %
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 at
tanned. No sooner is the computation
Of the $1,000 completed than another
series is begun. and so on intermin-
ably. True there Is some diminution
in the total number the death rate
since 1900 having been diminished by
hall, and most Of our cities showing
progressive reduction in the Incl
dence Of the disease. but 1t still re-
mains much higher than that OF coun-
tries which we are apt to consider
less civilized than our own.
Typhoid Time Coming.
Another typhoid season Is again at
hand. With the advent OF summer
weather, the presence Of flies. con-
tamination of food products, and the
Increased liability Of injection through
changes OF residence. 1t once more Is
necessary for health bodies to sound
a warning note. This is becoming an
annual custom and doubtless will soon
ho considered one OF the early prog
nostications Of the onset Of the sum-
mer season, but the health officer
should not modify his tones on this
account. He is indeed prophet and
the voice Of the prophet should be
heard.
Water, FL es and Fifth.
Typhoid fever is a disease of fll.h.
1T can only be contracted by taking
into the system the waste products Of
ono previously i'll of the disease.
These waste products are conveyed
from one individual to another usual
ly by means of third object, such as
water, flies or milk. Even If disease
itself were never contracted in this
manner we should revolt at the alb
horrence Of the idea Of such unclean-
liness. For every case of the infec-
ton developing, someone either the
municipality or the individual, has
been careless, and public opinion will
soon regard such carelessness as
criminal. In the eyes of the health
officer typhoid fever Is strictly pre-
ventable disease. Invariably original
ing from an antecedent case, and con-
tracted in a most 1oathsome manner.
Typhoid Fever a Fact.
Our scientific knowledge of the dis
ease is most complete. For thirty
years the causative oganism has been
known and studied. It's habitat has
been surveyed, the associating organ
isms classified and the many facts re-
lating to the life of the bacillus fully
recorded. For nearly twenty years
we have been in possession of most
delicate blood tests for the recogni-
ton Of the disease, tests which are
not only OF great diagnostic worth,
but which should actually assist In
the prevention Of the infection. Our
WASA3S VI VIC 0toSSluludllOu Ol lu0
diseass in both its epidemic and en-
sdemic forms, Is consequently exact
and definite. Not content with ac-
compl!shments along these lines, the
medical profession, In view Of the
continued morbidity, has even devised
methods by which the public may con-
tfnue to live under insanitary condi-
lions with perfect impunity, SO far as
this particular disease is concerned.
In other words, persons may take In
to their systems the filth which pro-
duces disease and death and yet, II
the preventive treatment has been re-
celyed, apparntly remain free from
harmful effects.
$4,000 Deaths per Annum.
In spite of these efforts and accom-
plishments tho frightful mortality con.
ttnues and the disease this year will
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