Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-05-25
TyPNyS Fever In new MEXICO
BY the State Bureau of Public Health.

Typhus fever, scourEc of the
Palkan States and a constant mon
ace to the armies during the great
war. has made its appearance in
New Mexico among the Navajo In
dams o. San Juan county, taking
a toll o. 16 lives thus tar. Among
/ the victims are two physicians OF
the Indian service. DR.. J. G. Graf
fin and Or. Davis. both of Ship
rock. 1t does not appear TO have
spread to the white population In
the state aC yet, but may do so
unless the local health authorities
maintain Il strict watch upon every
suspicious case of diseases appear
ing in their communities.
The director of the state bureau
of public health. DR.. c. j.. Waller
has been in San Juan county for
several days studying cases of a
mysterious epidemic disease, and
has JUS, wired the bureau in San
Ia Fe that he has definitely dag
nosed the condition aus typhuS
fever DR.. Waller is being assisted
by Assistant Surgeon Tappan. t.,
S. public health service, who is en-
gagged on the border typhus quar-
antine, at FL Paso. A request has
also been sent to the L. S. public
health service to detail Surgeon
Joseph GOldberger. the chief au-
thority on typhus lever in this
country, to the reservation for the
purpose of controlling the out
break. While the state has no
jurisdiction within the Indian res
ervations, there is very close CO.
operation between the L. S. public
health service, the state bureau Of
public health, and the Indian med
zeal service. so that every preCau-
tion will be taken to prevent the
disease from spreading into the
surrounding communities.
Typhus fever is not to be con-
fused with typhoid fever. The two
are entirely different diseases. al
though they may look somewhat
alike at first. Typhus is more rap
id IN its onset and in the develop
ment of the fever. The eruption
appears in about five days and
spreads from the TANKS to all parts
OF the body The face becomes
swollen and dusky and the whole
skin may be mottled. There are
slight hemorrhages under the skin
that are sometimes confused with
so-Called black" measles. Quite
early in the disease the mouth be-
comes foul and sore. There is also
considerable clouding of the mind
and tendency to delirium.
This disease is spread only by
body lice and head lice. Where
there are no lice there can be no
typhus FEVER. After a louise bites
person who is sick with the di-
seIre, it carries the infection in its
body for several days before it can
tranrmit it to other persons. After
that 1t is capable Of giving the dl-
seaGe to any one whom it may bite.
Vigorous measures for destroying
all lice will soon stamp out the cpl
demiC. 1t is only necessary to battle
every person, who has been near
a typhus case. in Kerosene or gas
olinc and to soak the clothing In
the same fluids, or to boil them
in water, in order to remove the
lice. However, the eggs resist
kerosene and gasoline. so that it
r. necessary to repeat the soaking
three times at intervals of five
days. in order to catch the lice that
have recently Matched out.
The state bureau of public
health is warning all health Off
GERS in the state to be on the look
out for cases Of typhus, and to wire
the bureau at the appearance of
the first suspicious case. 1t is also