Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1923-07-20
TWO EFIDEMiCS DUE.
TOFLiES AND EIL.Th


burg aud bacillary dyseutery
in Green and Madison coun-
ties are endangering lives
of hundreds
Richmond, July 10, AT widely
separated points in Virginia,
two epidenics are now endanger-
ing~the lives of many people. In
the vicinity of Fredericksburg
and in the city itself infantile
paralysis has been occurring stree
the last day of June, and on lie
South side of Middle river III
Green and Madison countie> an
outbreak of bacillary dysenterv
| has already resulted i'll more than
hundred cases of sickness and
ten deaths, During the first fort
night of the infantile paralysis
outbreak there was only one
fatality.
EPIDEMIC DUE TO FAULTY SAM
TATION
Laboratory tests have proved
that the dysentery outbreak has
been caused by intestinal bacilli;
and this is giving the State
Board of Health much concern
because in the Middle river dis.
tricrs there is absolutely no
santa ton, even of the simplest
sort. and flies in droves carry the
germs in all directions.
While Fredericksburg is gener-
ally well sanitated, the houses
having sewer connections, the
surrounding districts OF King
George, Sppottsylvania and
Stafford counties are far from
being as satisfactory. Both in
the CITY and in the counties there
are too many flies.
COMMISSIONERS ISSUES y w RNING
What is occurring around
Fredericksburg and III the noun
tain countless" said the ate
Health Commissioner toby
may be expected i'll any com
munity which fails to pay atten.
ton to neiglborhood sanitation,
SO long as flies can have access
to unprotected human waste
matter. The State Board Of
Health is doing all that it can tG
aid the suffering communities
that are victims of the present
epidemics; but the only way &c
prevent such epidemics is TO have
the people protect themselves by
having sanitary privles installed
wherever there are no sewer con.
uections
Furthermore" said the CON-
missioner, lit may be we'll here
to emphasize that even toilets
with sewer connections are not
safe, if they are left uncovered
so that flies may have access to
them. Those so.called sanitary
toilets seats" which are lidless
are not sanitary. No seat is
sanitary unless it has a lid thai
can be 10 wered when the toilet is
not in use.
Detailed plans and descriptions
| of all sorts of sanitary privies
and protection for wells and
springs are publishedbv the State
Board of Health and can be had
free. We are glad to send them to
any inquirer. 1t takes just such
Outbreaks as these two epidemics
to make the people recognize the
necessity for santa ton.
I'VE hope" added the com
missioner, that we may be able
to prevent the spread of these
epidemice and we are doing all
IN our power to prevent their
spread; but in the final anafy sis
prevention is up to the people.
Until the people as Whole
recognize that human fit is the
worst enemy for the human race
and that tile only way to protect
themselves against filth is to
dispose of it so it cannot be
tracked by animals and carr: ed
by flies or get water supplies,
perfect sanitation is not to be
anticipated; and it is only by
perfect sanitation that we. can
stop the occurrence of the filth
born diseases.typlioid, dysentery.
infantile paralysis and the like. "