The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-05-17
TIL Has XII lie q TIE b.
TYPHlJS AND QUARANTINE.
B, Frederie ]. HasNn.

- sl4EA4HSAe>s
i By Frederic
Early IN March confidential reports
had been received at the bureau OF
pubic health service ineWashington
concerning the preva1ence OF typhus
fever AND cholera in Serbia and OF
Etypnus fever In Greece. This server
as warning <tha: these diseases might
be found among Immigrants arriving
from these countries, and gave the
quarantine officers opportunity 70 pre-
Creek steamer, Chrisrofoross arrived
in New York last week with ryphus
case on board there was no panic. but
all was in readiness 10 take promps
action for the protection of the pub
lie health. with the shortest possEDie
detention OF the vessel.
Twenty-Five years ago.. great ty
pi1us epidemic rayaged New YORK. II
cost many lives and filed the hosp:.-
ais TO orerfcwing Among the dead
were number of doctors who con
fracted the disease from their pat
ients a tablet now stands IN BeHe-
we hospital. erected to the memory
OF these doctors. whose services our
ing me eUloSuA1S VI ISL VS. -
their lives.
The disease was brought into the
country from Europe by passengers
who evaded the quarantine regula-
tons of thar period. As the epidemic
grew more serious. these regulations
became more rigorous. so that at least
enc large vessel carrying first class
messengers was held a quarantine
prisoner outside OF the port OF New
York for over six weeks.
The Christoforos was detained only
twelve days and then allowed to pro-
coed upon her course with a proper
health certificate The difference be-
tween the present procedure IN pro-
tec1irg the health Of the American
public from typhus. and that IN vogue
twenty-five years ago is due to better
understanding of the disease and the
better equipment OF the quarantine
officials.
Accurate knowledge regarding the
cause of 1yphus fever was secured IN
1910 ny studies conducted by De- John
p Anderson. now dfrectorsof the by
sientc laboratory OF the public health
service. and DR. J. a. Goidberger, oosn
of whom We're at that time Stationed
in Mexico. They were able to confirm
what other scientists had suspected
REGARDING typhus, that was caused
entirely by the bite OF the insect ped
icuiar;s vestidos, commonly known as
the body louse. The insect carries the
infection by going from person al
ready suffering with the fever 10
healthy person who. when bitten. re
ceiyes the injection in his blood: II
IS now practically certain that al W
ohus infection starts in tins way
J. 4f
eases of the world 1t Is sometimes
known as jail fever or ship fever, and
break., out only when human beings
are herded closely together; although
Of course. the insect breeding. II may
be carried into other conditions Ine
| Mexican tvphus. now causing some
alarm to those living in border towns,
| is identical with She other. although
the danger of an epidemic betns
/ brought over the border is slight and
easily overcome in the light OF pres
tent knowledge
! Since the disease centers around
1.-THE insect, the best preventive meas
| ure is the absolute obstruction OF al
tbese insects. This is not a difficult
mater. IL attempted III the right way
Unlike the plague breeding nea. the
ped;cuiais has small power of loco
motion. When the body has been
thoroughly cleansed. rae clothing.
bedding and surroundings properiy
Gisinfected. The danger OF the spread
or The disease is practically con-
Iquered After a patent suffering from
typhus has been removed TO tbs quar-
antine station, the vessel and its cargo
are fumigated by the best moderis
metnods Ali those who have oeen
exposed 10 contagion are removed ana
/ kept underN observation for i've days
If disease symptoms do not develop
within three DAYS from the infectious
! bite, they are not likely TO occur
! Tvphus is essentially disease OF
The temperate or colder climates II
does not prevail in the tropics. and IS
apt TO lessen at the approach OF sum
imer. This fact constitutes the cnlet
I hope of the war surgeons OF Europe
! who. with the Red Cross nurses, are
valisntIy struggling with 1t IN the
! trenches and crowded camps and nos
pitfalls. 1t is claimed that numoer
OF doctors and at least MY nurses
; have died from it within the last Two
months The Mexican typhus attacks
only the men who are camping ~
the mountains at high attitudes. AS
soon as they go down where II is hot
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
typhus when II has once been 1ntro-
duced into the blood by the bite OF
the insect The disease is bound TO
| run its course with more or less Sc
verify according to existing cond1-
lions. II develops rapidly A per