Year: 1879

HOW POISON MAY LURK IN FROZEN


BLOCKS.


Ice, to all outward observations, is perfect
ly innocent and harmless, yet the clear,
sparkling blocks which find their way into
coolers and refrigerators are capable of con-
tanning the germs of Il disease which has
sent millions of people to an untimcly grave.
This is typhoid fever. Nearly ten years ago
DIR. w. Flint, prominent physician of New
York city, claimed to have discovered that
this fever might be disseminated through
the means of ice. He urged that the poison
was neither destroyed nor its force impaired
by freezing, and the water which had once
received the germ of this disease though it
might remain in a frozen condition for
months, would yet perform its deadly work
when brought into contact with the human
body.


One of the leading physicians of this city
said, yesterday, that after observations COW
ering seve raj years he had become convinced
that DIR. Flints theory was amply justified
by fact. In ninety per cent. of the cases of
typhoid fever, he said, it was his belief that
the fever germ was taken into the body not
from the air, but through ice and food.
"Typhoid fever" he remarked, chiefly at
tacks the intestines. The poison is carried
off from the system and, | am speaking
more particularly of the country places, it
is liable to pass into streams, canals and
ponds, from which no small portion of the
ice crop is gathered. As it is now II recog
nized fact in the profession that the germ
cannot be killed by frost, no matter how
severe it follows that ice might under such
circumstances, be the means of causing
much suffering Rudd has laid it down
that typhoid fever never originated de moro,
but that il proceeds from a special and Spe-
citic poison, which is capable of diffusion to
a great extent and which can retain its dead
ly qualities even if buried for months.


"Many cases of typhoid and a few Of scar
let fever have come under my notice in
which l am satisfied that the germ was com
municated through the ice" continued the
speaker. "In one particular instance
person was attacked after drinking out of n
can which, as was subsequently ascertain
ed, was washed in water containing the
germ. From my obServatons the ice may
to all outward appearance be perfectly pure
and yet have the germs in 1t. And what is
morc-and this is not my own theory, but
that of many eminent medical men-the
germ may not only be received by absorb
ing the ice, but by eating food which has
come in contact with it. Cooked meats,
bread, vegetables, after being cooked, and
many fatty substances, are liable to absorb
the gem from the Ice and communicate it to
the eater. The time will have to come soon
er or later when the aid of the Legislature
will be evoked to prevent the gathering of
ice from pools where the water is likely to
come into contact with surface DRAWINGS,
sewers and other uncaanneSs.''


Incidentally the speaker remarked that
milk is strong absorbent of the typhoid fever
SertG. Cases were referred to where the
disease had communicated itself to the lac
teal fluid by the vessel containinEIt 1t having
been handled by q nurse. Instances where
it has been left standing in the sick room
are far from uncommon. In one particular
case several members of household were
affected by drinking milk which had stood
in the room next to that occupied by a
patient. "That cold will not destroy the
| typhoid fever germ, he said in conclusion
dis proved by the fact that some of our
worst cases often occur in mid winter. Fer
myself, | never drink ice water, and all the
water | drink is first beiled. My milk is
also served the same. 1t may seem an ad-
vanced theory to urge, but believe that Il


lump of ice containing the fever germ, even
if not placed in proximity to food or poured
into the system, will yet throw out the
disease with sufficient force to attack those
about it. ~