Evening star., 1941-02-11
Second Typhus Case
Spurs d. Campaign
To Eliminate Rats
Trained Men to Be
Brought to Capitol TO
War on Disease Menace

District health officers. in Coop
Grafton with the United States Pub
lie Health Service. moved swiftly
ahead with preparations for rat
control program today in the wake
of the discovery of a second case
of typhus fever in the District.
Trained men now in charge Of
Public Health Service rat-control
programs in other parts of the coun-
try are to be assigned to the local
campaign to organize and train
workers in this area. and Health
Department officials are preparing
to ask that additional aid be sup
piled by w. P A.
The new typhus case was dis
closed late yesterday following a
meeting of the Typhus Control
Committee in the Office of Health
Officer George C. Rutland The
first case was discovered several
days ago.
Both Under Treatment
Health Department officials also
disclosed that the two victims. a
man and a woman, contracted the
fever at food eating establishment
in a community in the Northeast
section of the city, where both are
employed.
The victims are under treatment
at~their homes, it was said.
To prevent the spread of the
typhus fever, which is caused by
the bite of typhus-infected f1eas
found on rats variouSly known as
Norwegian sewer or wharf rates,
health authorities are setting up
program which will include trap
ping" units, field stations and
laboratories. Certain emergency"
areas will be spread with traps.
poison and other devices for catch
ing rodents.
The rats then will be taken to
field stations, where they will be
combed for f1eas. The rats will be
tagged to record the exact area
in which they were caught so that
any spreading of the typhus virus
can be established.
More Personnel Held Needed.
The f1eas will be taken to the
National Institute of Health at
Bethesda, Md, for psychological
and microscopic examinations.
Health Department officials said
they did not know how many w. P.
A. employees would be sought to
help in the program. explaining this
would be worked out with the Com
missioners and local w. P. A..
officials. They emphasized. how
ever, that a large additional per-
sonnel will be necessary to carry
out an effective program.
The department also will recon-
mend to the Commissioners that a
motorcycle with a side car be pro-
vided for the program.
In the meantime" said Health
Officer George C. Rutland, the
continued cooperation of house
holders and business establishments
in Kidding their premises of rats is
urged. The rat problem has taken
on new importance now that typhus
fever is an actuality in Washington,
and halfway measures will not
suffice.
"A vigorous, constructive and
sustained effort involving personnel,
supplies, equipment and transporta-
ton facilities is now essential in
order to prevent the spread of
typhus fever In the city"
The Typhus Control Committee,
headed by DR.. James c. Cumming,
head of the Bureau of Preventable
Diseases of the Health Department,
is composed of members of the
Health Department staff and rep
resentatives of the Public Health
Service.
Efforts will be made, it was said,
to catch many rats alive because
the infected f1eas leave q rats body
soon after 1t has died.