Milford chronicle., 1925-07-31

I of sanitary measures, because two
d years ago a former tenant of the
d home suffered from typhoid. In COM
= parison wit hthis case was that of
e a family in the same county where,
5 when the first member was stricken,
1 all Of the remaining members of the
3 household were innOculaIed with ty-
2 phoid fever serum and they escaped
? the illness.
= eff the father and three other chill
) dren had been immunized through
use of this serum which the state
, supplies free of charge" said DR..
Davis, they undoubtedly would have
escaped.
Typhoid on Decrease
"The history of typhoid fever in
Delaware for the past few years,
said DR.. Davis, "has been a gradual
decreasing cause of death and at the
present time the cases we have ere
largely of the sporadic type. In 1916
there were go deaths from this dis
ease, 1918 there were 68 deaths, in
1928 there were 1S deaths, and in
1924 there were fifteen deaths.
ut is generally conceded by |
health authorities that for each !
death there exists 10 cases of the |
disease. I therefore estimate that in
1916 there were 600 cases and, so on.
The drop in the number of cases and
deaths from 1916 to 1924 can be at
tributed to the marked Improvement
in the local water supplies which
has been accomplished, beginning
with the year 1920, and continuing
through the following years. win
our present knowledge of the means
of prevention of this disease instead
of Is Ceases as undoubtedly were
existent last year there should be
none.
Need for Sewers
Taking up in detail the means OF
transmission of typhoid fever we
find that the most important item is
the unsafe disposal Of human excre-
ia. Typhoid fever will remain
scourge until each and every house,
holder sees to it that he has a safe
means of sewerage disposal. In the
cities and villages which have been
provided with adequate sewer sys-
TENS we find Immediately marked
reduction in the incident Of cases
which is unquestionably due to the
fact that a large proportion OF the
homes are connected with sewers.
ut is most interesting to learn 6
that these facts have been brought
out within this state, for in the year +
1928, the rate for Wilmington was {
3.6 per 100000; for rural New Cas-
tie county. 2.6; whereas for Kent
county the rate was 16.1 per 100000 r
and for Sussex county 1876. The =
rate among the colored people who
normally live in poorer hygienic sur '
roundings was 8 per 100000 and d
against AZ per 100000 for the white
population.
"In any state which has had as =
large an incidence of typhoid fever
as the State of Delaware, there must
normally be a group of individuals
who are known as fever carriers.
They are responsible for many cases
of typhoid fever by injecting the food
supply of the people with whom they
reside by the so-called finger con-
Isolation of these indi-
viduals from any contact with food
more especially the prOhi-
bition of their employment in any
as food handlers is essen
tial to the total elimination of ty-
phoid. The eradication of the breed
ing of the comman house fly is the
second consideration.
Guard Water Supplies IS
"The public water supplies of this
state are under the sanitary guard
ianship and inspection of the sani-
.ary division of the State Board Of
Health and the supplies are con-
stantly examined in the state bac-
laboratory, so that they
are at all times above the suspicion
If producing a water-borne typhoid
ever. The same division has for the
past 18 months been actively engag-
I'd in bettering the sanitary condi-
ions surrounding the production of
milk for local consumption through
,ut the state and while we have not
leemed it possible secure pasteuri-
,ation of all milk supplies, this is
" far the most adequate provision
or the prevention of milk-borne ty-
hold fever. }
Another factor is the adequate
isposal of the discharges from the Il
Uphold fever patient. The careful
Washing of the hands of all attend
nts upon typhoid fever cases, that
he food of the remainder of the
amily may not be contaminated and
hat the dishes and utensils used in
ick rooms are sterilized and so do )
lot cause further cases in the same
amily by means of contact, is ahso-
Itely necessary.
"Then last, but not least, is the q
of we'll individuals
gainst typhoid fever. Almost the !
ntire mortality of the American
rOOps in the Sapnish-American War Z
vas caused by typhoid fever in the
arious camps. Compare the amount Is
f typhoid fever deaths among 4,000,- Il
90 men called in the service by the
World War and the difference is so
as to be incredible. This
vas due to three factors: The first
afe disposal of excreta; the protec- Il
ion of the water supplies Of the
-arious camps and by the innocula- }
ion of every recruit by means of
Uphold fever immunization serum.
81 would urge upon every person
o be innoculated against typhoid
ever by his family physician and }
specially those who contemplate a
curing trip or vacation away from