Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-01-27
ClTY'S HEALTH IS GOOD

Continued on page one)
become a serious epidemic. In
such lines of work, he often DIS.
covers carrier" who is prac-
tically broadcasting the disease
Modern health protective methods
are very effective, when carried
out along scientific lines. In No.
vember last, several cases OF
dinhtheria developed in ono. OF
the rooms of or girls school.
After a careful investigation, we
located two children, who though
perfectly healthy, were dipthera
carriers. We quarantiped them at
once, gave them treatment and
no more cases developed IN this
school. If these children had not
been, discovered and promptly
oddarantined, a Serious diphtheria
epidemic would no doubt have
occurred in this school.
80 Typhoid Fever
In 1918, there were over 200
cases of typhoid fever in this
city. The, following is a five year
record for this disease.
1918, number of cases over ZOO
number of deaths 10; 1919, num-
Der Of cases SO; number of deaths
s.; 1920, number of eases 40, mum
Der of deaths, 4; 1921 number OF
cases So; number of deaths 5, see
note; 1922, number OF cases 70;
number o. deaths 2.
One of these deaths was an out
side case. So there were only q
leaths of actual city cases.
- wills be noted Z from above
hat there has been a steady
rea1ction Of bath the eases and
deatl I rate each Sear, with the
Iexce-tioa Of 1921, In this year
the death rate was really the
same as in 1920, but the case
rate was a little higher. This
can be explained by the fact
that 1921 was noted for the most
extensive drought ever recorded
In the rural sections, most Of the
wells went dry, as did many OF
the smaller streams. This abb
normal condition increased the
danger from polluted drinking
water. This is well illustrated by
the fact that out Of our So cases,
7 were directly traced TO drink
ing polluted water while on visits
out in the country, and 3 were
imported cases, that is they were
sick with typhoid fever when
they returned to the city. This
would make our actual cases 4S,
an increase Of only s over the
previous year. When we consider
that typhoid was abnormally pre-
valent throughout the United
States during 1921, on account of
the general drought above men
toned, / think Our increase of 8
cases was indeed small, as many
sections reported an increase Of
from 50 to 200 per cent.
Careful food and milk inspec-
ton, constant testing Of the pub
lie water supply, and the sani-
tary disposal Of all human body
waste. are the chief weapons VIC
use in fighting this disease. Such
methods are effective and give
most remarkable results. | think
this is we'll illustrated by the five
years typhoid record of AleXan-
dria. With little more WORK
along the above general lines
we hope to make typhoid fever q
rather rare disease within oul
city limits.
Cur Schools Free From Usua
Chidren's Diseases.
Daring 1872, VIC had 4 cases Of
scarlet fever and Z cases of diph
iberia among our school children
white and .ceYofed. Only b Ease.
Of measles were reported during
the entire year. We also hat
one case of mumps and 30, cases
Of chicken pex. When we copsidel
Ithat.$there aic toyar g,4g chill
''dren' attending cur &aifdGs NIsubiiG
and private white and colorec
schools, think VIC can say tha
sour Schools Yserc comparatively
-freef ,&ofi ;tho t'usual children'i
diseases.
Any scholar showing the Sigh
atest symptoms o. sickness y
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