The Hattiesburg news., 1915-09-18
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
ISSUES TYPHOID WARNING
Commissioner Farley Engaged in Try.
ing to Discover Cause of the Two or
Three Attacks in Hattlesburs-says
Good Water supply Has Done Much
to Curb Disease-FederaI bureau
Forecasts 100000 Cases This Fall.

Hattiesburg has less typhoid fever
within its limits today than ON any
previous September IS during its his.
tory. There probably is not another
town in Mississippi of this size that
has less than Hattiesburg.
These are the beliefs of Commits.
sioner A. Farley, who has Just com.
pleted checking up on the number of
reportable diseases recorded at the
city hall.
There are but two or three cases
of typhoid in the city at this time. /"
the commissioner said today land
they are on the same street. We are
now investigating the cause, and we
believe that we will discover it.
This speaks well for city of this
size. and for its water supply, as
much typhoid fever Is traceable to i'm.
pure watery1
Apropos OF statements of the com.
missioner. comes warning from the
United states Public Health Service.
which forecasts that there will be 2O0.-
ooo cases Of typhoid in the United
States during the coming few months.
The bulletin Of the service saws:
During the year, probably 200 900
people in the United States will CON
tract typhoid fever. The average peri
Cd OF invalidism will be more than a
month for every case developing. SO
That the economic loss, even If recoy-
cry does ensue, can be reckoned upon
this basis, including at the same time
the care and attention required. OF
thsoe who contract the disease. DOS
sibly $4,000 will succumb. so per cent
Of these will be between the ages of
l5 and 35 years, the very time of life
when the loss is most frfghtful. More
over, this is an annual toll and repsl
resents the minimum fatality which
we have attained. No sooner is the
of the $4,000 completed
han another series is begun, and so
IN interminably True there is some
In the total number, the |
ieath rate since 1900 having been di. |
ninished by half, and most of our
titles showing a progressive reduction
n the incidence of the disease, but 1t
till remains much higher than that
" counties which we are apt to con-
ider less civilized than our own.
Typhoid Time Coming.
Another typhoid season is again at
land. With the advent of summerI
weather., the presence of flies, contain.
nation of food products, and the in.
reased liability of infection through
hanges OF residence, it once more is
Necessary for health bodies to sound
warning note. This is becoming
n annual custom and doubtless will
DON be considered one Of the early
demonstrations of the onset of the
ummer season, but the health officer
hould not modify his tones on this ac-
ount. He Is indeed prophet and the
oice Of the prophet should be heard.
Fingers, Flies and Filth.
Typhoid fever is disease of filth.
can only be contracted by taking
lto the system the waste products of
ne previously i'll of the disease.
'hese waste products are conveyed
roni one individual to another usually
means of third object, such as
'ster, flies or milk Even If disease
self were never contracted in this
tanner we should revolt at the abb
orence Of the idea Of such uncleanli-
ess. For every csse Of the infection
eyeloping, someone, either the muni.
lpality o. the individual, has been
areless. Nd public opinion viii sooni
seard dl6k carelessness as criminal.
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