The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-05-17

T He Has
TYPHUS AND
B. By Frederic
1 Early in March confidential reports
1 lad been received at the bureau OF
iIconcerning the prevalence OF typhus
fever and cholera IN Serbia and OF
typhus fever in Greece This served
as warning that these diseases might
be found among immigrants arriving
from these countries. and gave the
quarantine officers opportunity TO pre-
l pare for this contingency When the
Greek steamer. ChrStoforos, arrived
! N New York last week with ryphus
case on board there was no panic. but
all was in readiness to take prompt
action for the projection of the pub
lie health, with the shortest possible
ide1ention OF the vessel
Twenty-Five years ago, a great ty-
plus epidemic rayaged New York II
cosy many lives and filed the hospst-
ais 10 oyer1aowing Among the dead
We're number OF doctors who con-
ttracted the disease from their pat
tents. a tablet now stands in Belle
we hospital, erected to the memory
OF these doctors. whose services dur
| ing the epidemic OF 1899 cost them
their lives.
The disease was brought into the.
country from Europe by passengers
who eraded the quarantine regula-
tons OF that period As the epidemic
grew more serious. these regulations
became more rigorous. so that at least
one large vessel carrying first class
| passengers was held quarantine
prisoner outside OF the port OF New
/ York for over six weeks
| The Ckr:stoforos was detained only
I twelve days and then allowed TO pro
Eceed upon i,er course with a proper
/ health certificate. The difference be-
| tween the present procedure IN pro-
tec1fng the health of the American
/ public from typhus. and that in vogue
1 twenty-five years ago is due to better
understandings OF the disease and the
| better equipment of the quarantine
| officials
( Accurate knowledge regarding the
cause OF typhus fever was secured IN
| 1870 by studies conducted by Dr. John
/ p. Anderson. now director of the by
! Sienic laboratory OF the public health
service. and DR.. J. A. Goldberser. both
of whom were at that time Stationed
/ in Mexico. They were able TO confirm
4 what other scientists had Suspected
/ regarding typhuS. that IT was caused
1 entirely by the bite OF the insect ped
/, icuIaris Yestfdos, commonly known as
| the body louise. The insect carries the
! infection by going from a person al
ready suffering with the fever TO a
healthy person who, when bitten. re-
j ceiyes the injection in his blood. II
4 is now practically certain that all tS-
4 phus infection starts IN this way
4 Typhus is one of the Oldest dis
II eases of the world. It IS sometimes
known as Jail fever or ship fever, ana
4 breaks out only when human beings
/ are herded closely together; afthoush
4 CT course, the insect breeding, it may
be carried into other conditions Ine
!! Mexican typhus. now causing some
alarm to those living in border towns.
4 is identical with the other. although
Il the danger of an epidemic being
/ brought over the Border IS slight and
Z. easily overcome IN the light of pres
4 ent knowledge.
\ Since the disease ceacers around
/! TIE insect. the best preventive meas
I ure is the absolute obstruction CT all
these insects. This Is not difficult
ma5ter, II attempted IN the right way.
Unlike the plague breeding nea. the
I: pedicularis mas. small power of loco-
4 motion. When the body has been
Il thoroughly clearsed. the clothing,
] bedding and surroundings properly
i disiafected, the danger OF the spread
of the disease is practically con
i ouered After i patent suffering from
typhus has been removed to tbs guar
I anI:re station. the vessel and its cargo
{! are funiSafed by the best moder;s
methods. All those who have been
4 exposed 70 contagion are removed and
kept under observation for five days.
i If disease symptoms do not develop
Z within three days from the infectious
Il bite. they are not likely to occur.
Typhus is essentially a disease. OF
I the temperate or colder climates II
does not prevail in the tropics, and Is
apt 20 lessen at the approach OF SUM
nler. This fact constitutes the chief
hope OF the war surgeons OF Europe,
1 who. with the Red Cross nurses, arc
/ valisntly struggling with It in the
trenches and crowded camps and nos
pitals. L is claimed that number
Of doctors and at least fifty nurses
have died from it within the last Two
] months. The Mexican typhuS attacks
only the men who are camping IN
the mountains at high attitudes. As
soon as they 90 down where It IS rot
and dry the disease almost disappears.
For This reason the probability of ty-
plus being brought into this country
from Mexico is small.
Science has not discovered any
means OF checking the progress OF
4 ty2hrs when it has once been intro
/ duced. into the blood by the bite OF
RE insect. The disease is bound 10
run IT'S course with more or less Sc
/ verify according 10 existing condi-
ticrs. 1t develops rapidly a per
son may so to bed in apparent health
and rise the next morning with an