The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-05-27
Victims in Each Case Are
Children of Tender
Age.
ONE PATIENT VERY L0W
Dairy Utensils Washed in
Water From Infected
Well. -.

Five children, one of whom Vis only
a two year old baby, have typhoid To-
yer in Fairmont today as the result
OF infected milk. according to q report
OF the Board OF Health.
The first Of these cases were dis
covered five days ago and Ia the child
OF Clark Taylor OF Robinson street
Two days after the discoyerySof this
case Ethel Nixon. living at4363 Pike
street was reported as having typhoid.
Then the child Of X. H. Miller who
lives at 1853 Pike street contracted the
infection. On the day following the
next case was reported, being Gather
Inc Miller, a little girl aged Stwofyears
living OH Spring street. This Child
Is very Ill and Is suffering more from
the disease than any Of the other
patients. This morning the NTH case
was reported. This is a Miss Long,
q young girl living at 357 Pike street.
All OF these cases are reported to
the Board of Health and the Health
officers files are matters OF public
record and open to any person VINO De.
mands to see them. Attempts to keep
epidemics like this from the public
have failed.
When the first case was reported To
the Board of Health work Of tracing
the source OF the infection was started
at once. Samples of the milk being
consumed We're taken and this was
sent to the University at Morgantown.
since the local authorities have no
equipment to make! the inspection here
as required under the Fairmont MIX
Ordinance. Before the report was re-
turned on the first sample three cases
had been reported. The fact tint
each of the new patients were using
milk from the same source confirmed
the suspicion Of the. Health Officer
that thi.twas the medium thnt, was
responsible for. the spread OF the on.
idemic. The report Of the state bac.
terioligist at Morgantown when re.
ceiyed on the third day established
this fact without doubt.
The tainted milk was furnished BY
r. II. Miller who lives on Pike street
and keeps two COWS. Several Of his
nearby, neighbors had been obtaining
milk from Miller and thought It most
excellent .z..,.. J, NJ
J, All OF the conditions surrounding
the cows were clean, and wholesome
and the cows themselves were siiealthy.
When tho cases developed at Milier's
residence the cows were taken 70 one
OF the neighbors places and the milk
from them at that place was found
to be free from any trace of the In.
tection. All OF the utensils and milk
bottles at Miller's were thoroughly
washed In water from well near
his house. The well has always been
thought an excellent one and is DOS.
sessed OF favorable location. The
well was closed Immediately by the
Board Of Health and a sample of the
water was today sent to the bacter.
iaologist at Morgantown. Late Mon.
day, however, Is the earliest possible
date that report can be secured from
TINS man. 1t is thought by the Health
officials that the epidemic has been
checked and that no more Immediate
infections win be caused from this
well. ,.35s 81 ''''9
Both the county and city Boards Of
Health regret that they were unable
to make the milk inspection them.
serves and thus prevent the outbreak
OF such epldemics. Under the opera
ton OF the provisions for Mix Inspec.
tion as embodied in the Model Milk
Ordinance Of Fairmont the local phy.
siclans say that the presence OF the
typhoid virus in the milk would very
likely have been detected before the
hrst case was reported. At least the
other four cases could have been pre.
vented. The physicians when asked
the cost of nursing and attending
these patients during their illness said
that the total would easily reach a.
thousand dollars. It has been esti.
mated that for about three hundred
dollars a year the enforcement of the
MIX Ordinance could be accomplish.
ed. These FIVE cases alone viii cost
enough to pay for milk inspection for
three years. u