The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-05-04
How to Tell
if Child Has
Typhoid
, 1AAN0AV
y GERTRUDE MYERS MYERS.

- GERTRUDE MYERS MYERS.
TYPHOID fever is . disease Of
! children A. we'll ~ adults. Many
cnses which In the past were called
summer complaint and bowel trouble
were in reality typhoid fever.
While tho most important means
a. contamination probably 10 the
water supply. another important
means 10 through the food supply.
especially milk. Very often an entire
epidemic may be traced to q single
dairy whore some one handling the
milk 10 infected with typhoid fever
and thus implants the germs IN the
milk a. he handles It. l
Flies play an active part In caus-
ing typhoid epidefnics. They carry
&hs disease in two ways. They may
alisht on infected material which may
cling to them and be deposited later
on food. or they may eat material
containing the germs and deposit
them later on foods. Typhoid baciiti
will remain alive In the bodies Of flies
tor twsnty-three days.
Human Carriers.
Recently much attention has been
raid to the human carriers of typhoid
fever. These are people who 30 about
spreading tho disease, usually un-
knowingly. Some are nurses and
those who come In contact with 'ty-
phoid patients. A second group IL
composed Of those who have had tho
disease and continue 10 carry the liv-
int germs. It il estimated that about
per cent Of typhoid patients become
carriers and remain such for q con-
siderable period.
Mid attacks are common in chill
dren. and may only show diarrhoea.
In these cases the stools contain the
Terms, and may infect others in the
home. = m-..
Tho only way to determine posi-
lively that. these children have ty-
plIoid IL by what IL known a. tho
Vidal test. This test depends upon
the fact that after the baoilli Of ty-
phoid fever has been growing in the
human body for eight or nins days
the blood forms protective substa noes,
which destroy the germs.
The germ naturally has the power
Of swimming. n this motiie germ -
p!aced IN contact with blood from, a.
case which has developed these I'M
n1Une bodies In tho, blood the germs
lose their mobility and clunp, to.
kether. II the blood diluted twenty
times has the power OF causing 4
dumping OF active typhoid bac;l,i
within an hour. the reaction is posi-.
tive. meaning the patient from whom,
tbs blood came has or has had typhoid
) fever at . recent data.
Early Symptoms.
Asa rule the symptoms Of this dis
ease come on so gradually that the
patient Is almost unable to determine
Just whed he hogan to feel ILL.,. How
svert many times tho mode of attack
10 different.
some cases start with a severe
headAche from which there il great
dimcfilty IN getting relief Along with
this there may be marked nervous
SYMPTOMS, which last about ten days
before the true nature OF the trouble
IL discovered. Other cases at tho on
ct appear to be severe bronchitis and
Ore accompanied by a cough and pain
IA the chest Again we find cases
which start with vomiting and pain
In the abdomen.
4 very important group are those
with walking typhoid. In these tho
patient attempts to be up and about.
but has fever. These cases are very
dangerous, because severe complica-
tiqns may be developing without be-
Ing noticed.
In children the disease IL not up-
common under the age OF 10, but
rare In infants under years of age.
However. cases have been reported
among children a. young as months.
Later Symptoms.
Between tho seventh and tenth
day . rash may appear. especially
on the abdomen and lover part Of the
chest. This rash IL composed OF
small fose-colored spots, which dis
appear on pressure, and return again
wnen tho pressure is relieved. These
last four or ave days. and then dis
appear, leaving small brownish spots
which gradually fade away.
In children diarrhoea may be a
very prominent symptom. 1t may de-
veiop rather early in the disease Or
y may come on after the first week
me stools are thin and watery.
mo child for the first ten Gays
nsnally grows worse from day to dav.
Inc FEVER. gradually rising. being
ehgntly higher in the evening than
IN the morning. When the condition
Is fuliy developed there Is apt Ia be =
low muttering delirium. The ehi,1
VIII lie In bed IN an apathetic siata
ana may cry out at random,
The disease usually lasts from four
to SIX weeks. After the fourth ve.L
tho child usually grows better from,
Wy 70 gay until recovery is com.
ple'e. The most important comp:tca.
uon which could arise is hemorrhare
I,on, the bowels and perfcrat.on Of
'he DoWel. Treatment will follow.