Report on an outbreak of typhoid fever at Omaha, Nebr. - (1909-1910) / by L.L. Lumsden. The water supply of Williamson, W. Va., and its relation to an epidemic of typhoid fever / by W.H. Frost.

  • Lumsden, L. L. (Leslie Leon), 1875-1946
Date:
[1910]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report on an outbreak of typhoid fever at Omaha, Nebr. - (1909-1910) / by L.L. Lumsden. The water supply of Williamson, W. Va., and its relation to an epidemic of typhoid fever / by W.H. Frost. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    carry off the surface water following heavy rains or by diverting this water from the sanitary sewers. All houses within a reasonable distance of a town sewer should be required to have closets connecting with the sewer. All privies on such premises should be condemned, and their contents safely dis- posed of. Where sewer connections are for the present impossible, all open privies should be replaced by privies of an approved sanitary model. Fly-proof can privies would be a great improvement. Dry earth or lime could be used in the cans. The care of all privies and the disposal of their contents should be under municipal control. CARE OF TYPHOID FEVER PATIENTS. Adequate provisions should be made for: (1) Prompt reporting of all cases of typhoid fever. (2) Careful instruction of the families of typhoid fever patients in the necessary prophylaxis. This should be done by a representative of the board of health. (3) Supplying of disinfectants free of charge to the poor. SUPERVISION OF FOOD SUPPLIES. The sale of milk should be under some supervision by the board of health, at least to the extent of prohibiting its sale by persons living on insanitary premises or premises on which a case of typhoid fever or other infectious disease is under treatment. The board of health should also have supervision over the public restaurants of the town. Some of these were found to be in a con- dition which must necessarily be a menace to the health of those who eat there. In order that the above measures may be carried out, it is obviously necessary that the town should recognize the importance of its health department and make an adequate appropriation for the maintenance of an efficient organization. A safe water supply may be expected with reasonable certainty to greatly reduce the prevalence of typhoid fever in Williamson, but it is to be expected with equal certainty that even with a pure water supply, if other preventive measures are neglected, the disease will remain constantly and excessively prevalent and will doubtless at times become epidemic. Compared to the cost of providing a pure water supply the cost to the town of the other measures recommended is insignificant, while their importance is, perhaps, equal to the im- portance of obtaining pure water.