The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-29
TYPHOID AND THE FLY
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(Board of Health Bullctin.)
The poor We have with us always
also typhoid fever,
Oreanilrd society and individual
effort are devoted to relieve the re-
suits Of poverty. Outside of health
boards and authorities no attention
is given to the prevention of typhoid,
until it becomes practically epidemic,
and then it becomes question of
how quickly and how widely society
can separate itself from infection.
Typhoid fever can be prevented
that has been proved 1t can be
wiped out. and one medical author
ity has predicted that by 1880 it will
be rare disease. This enthusiast,
however, has been dreaming that by
that PARKWAY wear. society, mean
ing the men, women and authorities
of the state or nation, will have be
come aroused to the fact that the
disease can be prevented, to the
enormous economic waste it entails
and to the moral offcnse of permit
ting it to ravage the community
There are two ways at least of
avoiding the disease Vaccination
with the anti-typhoid serum has
wiped it out in the United States
army and navy, and its efficiency has
been established in thousands of in
dividual cases.
Tho second way. which is of
prime importance, is by preventing
it's occurrence. Typhoid is spread
by the transferencc of the disease
germs These are carried by flies
from excrcta of the patient to the
food that is eaten uncorked, or to
the food already cooked, and the
disease is started anew The fly is
a filthy thing 1t feasts on what
would turn a bu2zard to other pas
lures, and so it becomes duty to
stop the breeding of the fly to the
largest possible extent; to keep it
absolutely isolated from infection and
from food. Both are necessary as
precautions and as representatives..
There is "a law on Florida's
statute books which requires the
screening of the earth closets of all
public schools. This law, enforced
would accomplish much, especially
in rural communities. Another
statute provides that all earth clos
cts within incorporated cities and
towns be similarly screened and
made to comply with certain SAM
tarv standards required by the state
Board of Health.
There is a law, also state enact
ment which requires the screening
with wire netting (cloth netting
won't answer the requirements OF
this law of all food, fruit and vege-
tables offered or exposed for sale in
any public place in the state.
These laws presuppose the exist
ence of flies and make no provision
for their extinction or to prevent
their unrestricted breeding. But one
or two Florida cities have enact
ments which attack the insect in its
breeding places, and the effective
ness of these laws has been proven,
II is TOO much to anticipate the
entire eradication Of the pest hut
il NAV be lcssencd in every com
,n,rritv The uncovered manure
beaps of the stable are prolific in the
production OF the fly. In comparison,
tho omen garha1c can is innocence
itself Municipal authority has the
nowpr TO REQUIRE that all stable
owners. Ivory or private, any place
whore horses. mules or cattle are
rapt- shall keep stable refuse, ma
nure under fyproof cover. and that
/ In removing it the same precautions
shall be observed. This prevents the
escape of the fly from his breeding
Mace and vastly lessons the menace.
That it is a practical and effective